forfour.co.uk
Forum => General Smart Chat => Topic started by: the_wirewalker on March 02, 2022, 09:32:18 PM
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Hello all,
I am finally a proud owner of the Smart Forfour 1.1 Passion (Manual). I always loved that car and looked to lay my hands into one for years, and now the time has come. From the first impressions, i really like the car and to sum up, here are some notices:
Positives:
- Car handles great, the steering is tight and there is hardly any body roll
- Acceleration seems impressive for a 1.1 car, it really wants to rev
- Brakes are impressive, and no roll when braking too
- The interior look smart, even for a smart
- The noise from the engine is almost addictive
Negatives:
- The ride is really hard (195/50/15 Michelin Pilot sport tyres)
- When pushing the car really hard i can feel slightly losing control of the back of the car (rear shock absorbers issue?)
- The clutch feels hard to press (stiff) (new clutch needed?)
- When at high revs (above 4000) and pressing the clutch to change gear, i can feel the clutch pedal vibrating slightly
- When idling, the revs are not stable, what I mean is that they fluctuate from 800 to 900 probably. Aren't they somewhat high for idling? Could this be a tva cleaning issue?
- When i change gear and go hard on the throttle after i leave the clutch roughly, the car feels to hesitate instantly and then it starts revving freely again. Is that an issue?
- Finally, when idling, i noticed that any electrics i use have an impact on the revs, for example, if i switch on the hazards, the revs go up and down in the tempo of the hazards, can this be an issue?
I really like the car, but since i am somewhat a freak when comes to car quality, i really need to sort all those issues out...
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If suspension is same age like car then its of course crap and thats why its hard (gums etc). Especially rear axle bearings is KickAss difference from old to new ones.
Stock suspension not adjustable so yes, always oversterr a little bit. There are few ways to loose grip from front like bigger stabilisator or harder setting at adjustable coilovers and getting it to the rear etc
If clutch is same age like car, just Change it.
If Alternator is same like car, just Change it. Or at least change bearing, regulator and cooper ring.
If idling is crap then investigate all of your intake and clean, take a look that everything has no leak, ignition must be functional and not old like the car itselfs, Lambdas has to be functional and not old like the car etc
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Thank you very much for the answer.
To be honest, I have plans to change the clutch and shock absorbers soon.
Does anyone has a suggestion on clutch kit and suspension, should I go for Sachs or KYB is better?
Could the alternator be the source of the rpm changes when idling and using electrics?
Again, thank you!
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A TVA clean is a good practice anyway with the petrol engines of the 454. Even if it doesn't solve the issue, it is peace of mind. Varying idling can be caused by this, my 1.3 AMT probably needs it as well as it has similar odd idling.
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You can take both from Sachs. As for clutch i would always use only Sachs.
As for coilovers there are lot more manufactures sure
But dont forget that a suspension is much, much more then only 4 coilover and springs. Especially for comfort you need to change every old and hard gum/bearing on the underbody.
As for alternator just take a look / measure the Volt Output, its a good indicator.
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Thank you guys, i really appreciate the help...
Today I did my first trip with my new f4 and i was a little bit disappointed since i found two more issues... First, i managed an average fuel consumption of about 40 mpg on the highway with 120km/h average speed, which is a little poor...Can this be a tva cleaning issue?
And secondly, i noticed that the car's main beam lights are seriously pathetic... really i could not aee a thing beyond 5-6 meters. Only good thing is that the fog lights are pretty good, so they helped a lot...I read that this is a standard f4 iasue, what could i do to improve it easily?Change the H7 bulbs?
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5,8L is ok for that old car without having been parts changed which affects fuel combustion. O need about 5,5L while sleeeping at 120-130kmh and everything around it its new.
Dont forget that even tyres/wheels can make +/- 1L
As for the lights, Osram and Philips have LED lights as replacement for H4/H7 but dont know how the regulations and police are in your country
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I would be bloody happy if it was 5.8 L/100 km, but it is more like 7.1 L/100 km...
My ff passion has 195/50/15 Michelin Pilot Sport tires (new ones).
Regarding the police, it is frankly a joke around in Greece, so i guess i can use leds... Have you used any particular brand that fits the ff's headlights?
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Yes thats more thank ok for such a old car with nothing have changed recently and with high consumation tyres like the PS and greek fuel which is 50% water. You can switch to Continental EcoContact for example to save fuel.
But no i dont care about Lights, use park lights in city to save alternator life for me.
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It is the 'fresnel' lens in the original projector headlights that is the issue
as they disperse the light far too much by todays standards.
Do not for one minute consider using 100w bulbs....they do not last
long and draw too much current. Lots of owners have tried the Osram
Nightbreaker Plus bulbs (which are till halogen)...that give a small
improvement overall, but not a mega step up from original.
Other owners have tried to fit in LED bulbs, but usually the base
(the rear) of them are so big that they cannot fit inside the housing.
The only real solution to this is to remove the existing projector
unit from inside the outer headlight and change them for the
bi-xenon replacement units sold by Retrofitlab.com
Unfortunately these are not cheap, but they are the best available.
One way to reduce the cost is to email them and order a set of
the projector units, B U T ...without the ballasts or the xenon bulbs,
and instead fit H1 bulbs. (and ask to include the splitter loom)
The improvement in performance with that setup will be in the order
of 50%+ over your original units (with Osram bulbs fitted), but far
short of the xenon performance. That would be my suggestion.
Also....be sure that the clear polycarbonate clear headlight covers
are nice and clear...and do not have the age related hazy appearance
as that really affects the light output. Clean them using an orbital
mop and a proprietary cleaner from either Meguiars or Farecla.
My preference is Farecla AG3/700 G3 Advanced Liquid Compound....
a few dobs/globuals on each headlight cover and then not too much pressure
on the orbital drill pad, then 3 minutes over each of the 4 headlight covers,
clean/wipe off, check, and then repeat if the haze is still visible.
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Thanks for the info all... ;D
I can see that the bixenons are 130€, that is not too bad...
I have cleaned both the tva today and injectors and haven't had any real improvement...The only culprit i found was that the orings around the injectors are worn out and i'm planning to change them on Monday...
Something else i noticed, while i installed an ELM327 scanner, is that the car is running pretty low on temp. I actually manged a maximum of 86 degrees Celsius, after an hour of driving. I may be needing a thermostat too...
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130€ :o I don't think so...
That price is for a basic Mini H1 - Twin Kit (Bi-xenon projector kit).
That kit does NOT include xenon bulbs, ballasts, the special projector extension brackets
necessary to enable fitting into a 454, headlight splitter cables etc etc.
The complete bi-xenon kit that they list and sell for a 454 with everything to fit
is €204,95
https://retrofitlab.com/collections/smart-forfour/products/smart-forfour-halogen-to-bi-xenon-headlight-repair-and-upgrade-kit
As I stated previously, you could ask them for a price for a 'cut down' projector kit without
xenon bulbs or ballasts but including all the other bits n pieces, and use standard halogen
H1 bulbs. Miles better than original lighting, but not as good as xenon/bi-xenon...obviously.
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Thats a good solution, thank you!
Related to my flactuating idle now...I pluged in an ELM327 scanner and noticed that the throttle position reading is somewhat peculiar. When i do not press the throttle pedal and the car is moving i get a reading of 5.5, while when I do not press the pedal and not moving it is flactuating between 1.95 and 2.35. That could probably be the cause of my idle issue? I have already cleaned the throttle body (it was not that dirty) and have no check engine light or fault codes in my elm327 scanner, what can be the source of this issue?
I am thinking either the sensor at the throttle pedal, or even an bad earth?
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There is one thing you can try before anything else...a throttle reset !
1/ Insert ignition key and turn to position 1....the electrics are on
but the engine is turned off/not running.
2/ Press the accelerator pedal all the way to the floor..
(including kickdown if your car is an AMT).
3/ Hold the accelerator pedal down to the floor for 5 seconds, and then
turn the ignition key back to 0 with the accelerator pedal still held down to floor.
4/ Now release the accelerator pedal...wait a minute or so, then start your car.
If that does not appear to make much difference then did you also remove and
clean the MAP sensor ?
In the Technical Guide on cleaning the TVA it also covered cleaning the MAP sensor :-
https://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=245.0
Also see the pictures (slide 04 + 05) showing the MAP sensor and how to clean here:-
https://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=245.msg6947#msg6947
NOTE:- you do not have to remove the tube/s.
The MAP can effectively be cleaned 3 or possibly more times before it will finally
need replacing with a new one. DO NOT touch the fine copper filament inside
the MAP...any pressure (even with an old toothbrush) can distort or even
stretch it out of shape, and that will 'destroy' it and prevent it working
100%. AND....when you spray clean it, do not blast it at point blank range as the
pressure from the aerosol can is enough to bend/damage the fine filament in the MAP.
Do it from around 25-30mm away, ok.
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Thanks a lot man!
I have tried the tva reset with no luck thought...
I starting to believe that the issue is probably electrical since I am having both a rough idle (car idle is fluctuating constantly from 790 to 850 rpm) and more serious fluctuations when using electrics. For example, if I use the hazards, i can see that the rpm fluctuates in the same tempo as the hazards, or when i turn on the lights, the rpm drop down instantly and then return again to normal. I tested the battery voltage with a multimeter and I got 12.30 volts when cold and engine off and 14.60 volts when engine is on and with lights on high beam on. It seems that the alternator is OK but the battery has seen better days. I am changing the battery and will let you know.
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I found on my battery that the terminal clamps had actually stretched and although you could tighten them they weren't particularly tight on the posts,
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I'd also go for a earth wire check as well. Mine was broken internally and if you hit the right pothole, it'd die altogether.
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As G said, you should take a closer look at MAP sensor.
There are quite a few things that can lead to a defectuous MAP sensor: bad gas, age, bad cleaning, dammaged tip .....
Because it's an old car, you should change it (small chances that this sensor was changed before....) and, maybe, this will fix your problem (changing mine has fixed the same problem as yours).
It's not an expensive part, but a new one will make a difference.
Also, a MAP sensor that is not working properely could be a factor for your high fuel consumption.
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You are probably right, there's no need saving on map sensor money. I will order a new one and change it, it is maintanance anyhow. So next jobs are:
- Changing battery to a new Banner 45Ah
- Changing MAP sensor with a new one
Will let you know of the results..
Thank you guys!
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Status update: Changed the battery with a good quality Banner Power Bull
No luck at all, still rough idling and higher fuel consumption.
All my hopes are focused in the MAP sensor...
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Also you can do a compression test on all cylinders (just to be sure).
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Agreed....clean or change the MAP sensor, and do a compression test.
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there are a couple of things that can cause a poor idle. too much air (an air leak of some kind), too little air (blocked air filter), poor spark, failing O2 sensors.
personally id do a full service, replace the oil with oil from mercedes, i had an issue where my SB3 would burn oil after having the head rebuilt but since i used oil from my local mercedes dealer, the oil consumption has reduced (i still need to recheck the oil level but its not burning as much as when i used castrol or petronas oils which conformed to MB225.9 standards), replace the air filter and replace the spark plugs and inspect the old plugs. spark plugs are generally a decent way of telling how your engine is running. in fact just buy all the parts from the dealer, rather than using non genuine service parts.
failing O2 sensors could be sending the wrong or incorrect signal which are JUST within the set tolerances in the mapping, back to the PCM. the pre cat O2 sensor is the one that reads what is coming out of the engine and the post cat sensor does the fuel adjustments, if either are playing up but within the set parameters, there is a possibility that you could have a poor idle.
a big enough air leak will make the engine run like a bag of spanners, log a code and bring the EML on, but if the air leak is small enough, it may not be enough to log a 'bank 1 running lean' code. easiest way to find a possible air leak is to spray brake cleaner on the induction pipes, but do it in stages and not on every pipe at once, and dont be shy with spraying the pipe work, a good drenching will work better than a 5-7 second squirt.
also depending on how it was driven by the previous owner, a good thrashing with premium petrol might also do it some good. i know when i had my 1st 1.1, it defiantly ran better by the time i sold it than when i bought it, that's partly down to the fact that it was always run on shell v-power (or the equivalent) and because i did 60,000 miles in 5 years and it was properly used on several long distance trips (one of them was a trip to south germany with 2 passengers and a boot full of luggage) and a 50-60 mile commute to work daily.
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I wouldn't say that it can possibly run lean, because it pulls really hard and even after 2 months of ownership, I am still impressed when hitting the gas pedal. The only issue would be it running rich or something like that. My new genuine MAP sensor has just arrived and I will post after I change it. Moreover, I noticed that when the engine is running, the voltage is all over the place, fluctuating from 14.1 to 15.1 volts at idle. Can this be an alternator issue too? @mr singh, what fuel consumption did you get at highway usually in your 1.1?
Moreover, it could be a post cat o2 sensor, I will test it tomorrow.
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i cant remember what MPG i got with my 1st 1.1 on the highway but i know i would easily get 420 miles out of a tank, and that was with the a/c switched on all the time. i did try and get 500 mile on a tank but fell short by about 5 miles and ran out of fuel.
with my 2nd 1.1 i averaged 41.56 MPG in the 9 months i owned it and the highest i managed was 45.73 MPG
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454 Alternator SetPoint from ECU is: 14,4V
It would never exceed 14,5V (cause of Temperature variation, cold temperature=less resistance = more max alternator output).
So 15V is definitely wrong. For the ECUs it's not Problem, they work between 11-16V. But your Battery will be grilled.
Conventional wet Battery=14,4V
Lifepo4 Battery=14,4V
AGM=14,8V
Only Optima YT/BT could handle: 13,8-15,1V
As for fuel as i said: Greek fuel is 30% fuel, 20% dirt and sand and 50% water. If the manipulated fuel dispenser shows that you have got '10L' fuel, then you can be glad if its '9L' in real inside. Better known as: Apateones.
So everything fine with that consumation.
Just need to handle the crap idle.
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Latest update on the new forfour's condition:
- Cleaned fuel injectors (they seemed clean enough), no change. But I noticed the that the injectors' o-rings are quite "tired" and somehow cut in places. I will replace them as soon as possible.
- Changed old alternator with a used one (in very good condition), together with the belt. No change at all.
- Changed rear shocks and front wishbone bearings. The car's performance on the road was greatly improved. The suspension now feels way more comfortable on bumps and bends.
- Polished both the headlights and plastic roof. The roof I would say that improved by 50%, but is not perfect, still I can see little cracks like tree branches inside the plastic. Headlight illumination has not improved at all, aesthetically they do look way more fresh.
- I bought both new o2 sensors but did not install them, since I am now 100% satisfied with the car's fuel consumption.
So, finally, the only issue I still have is the erratic idling. I found out that the issue is 100% electrical, since I can notice it, only when I use some electric device, hence:
Example 1: When I am idling at 800 rpm and I turn on the rear window heater, both the car's voltage and rpm drop instantly from 800 to 750 and from 14.4 to 13.9 and return back in a second.
Example 2: When I am idling at 800 rpm and I run on hazards, the idling of the car starts to decrease and increase in the same tempo as the hazards go. The car's rpm follow in the same order.
Moreover, this is not an issue of the speedometer, since I can here the engine going up and down into rpm when using the hazards. Finally, when I start the car cold (1.300 - 1500 rpm), I cannot reproduce neither of the above two examples.
Any ideas?
Thank you forfourers...
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Why don’t you clean the chassis earths and possibly replace the battery to chassis lead with a thicker one.
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I definitely agree with cecil's suggestions on the chassis & battery earth leads.
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I will trust your recommendations guys. Just ordered the upgrade earth leads from smartmods. Will let you know as soon as they arrive.
Will like to underline here again that I am very impressed from the car and I wish I have bought it earlier. Although having 200k kilometers on the clock, it really feels very solid! Third gear on a slope and it pulls very hard! With Michelin pilot sport 3 tires, it is almost impossible to go out of a bend. My previous car (Vauxhall Corsa) was understeering heavily when pushed too hard, this does not, no matter what.
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Does anyone knows the specs for earth leads? (Amps and diameter)
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No idea mate...I just ordered these -> https://www.smartmods.co.uk/shop/product/earth-lead-kit/?attribute_pa_model=454&attribute_pa_disconnectable=without-discon .
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Silly me..... :-\
All I have to do, to get those answers, is to measure the existing cable in diameter and check the specs of the battery (especially the starting power)..... ;D
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DIY earth leads: if you have all the tools and all the right pieces, removing old ones and fixing in place new ones - 15-20 minutes (25mm diamm. welding cable, 4 circular connectors, one minus terminal)
Cost: 10 pounds.
Result: better engine sound (haven't went for a test drive, yet - more details, if necessary, after a long drive)
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Just updated the earth leads...unfortunately no change at all. The car still decreases rpm when using hazards at idle...
I have already:
- Changed the battery
- Changed the alternator
- Changed the earth leads
- Changed the alternator belt
Is there any other earth leads that could I check?
I can see the rpm drops nearly whenever I use electrics, from headlights and hazards to back window defrost. The rpms drop instantly and then come back and at the same time I can see the voltage drooping too. Moreover, whenever I start the car, I get 14.4 voltage, after the engine is warm, I get 13.9, is that normal? When I use electrics, it can drop instantly to 12.8 volts.
Any ideas?
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Now you've made me EXTREMELY CURIOUS about this situation.
I'm eager to know CAUSE and FIX.
So keep us updated!
Thanks!
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I've had a re-read of all your posts....and I have my idea on the problem...
B U T... I thought I would chat to Rob at S2smarts and pass it by him for
his opinion to see if his thoughts matched mine.
Both our thoughts matched....
In our 'opinions'....
If the battery that you have is the same one that was in the car when you
recorded 15.1v at various times with the old alternator, then there is a
very strong chance that the battery is damaged (or as Bari87 said..'fried')
and it is no longer operating as it should.
HOWEVER...
If you replaced the old battery with a new/different one AND also fitted the
replacement alternator, then the voltage regulator in the replacement alternator
is not operating correctly....just like the old alternator.
(Hopefully you did not swap batteries and run the car with the old alternator as
that could be damaged.)
If you do need to change the alternator..again...then fit a new one.
Do not 'overspend' and buy a new Smart one..there are others available online.
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To be honest...I have logged the 15.1 volts with Torque + Bluetooth ELM327, which generally seems to get very erratic readings. All readings, from throttle position (erratic at idle, although i do not press the pedal) and volts to O2 sensors show really peculiar behavior, so I am starting to believe that the problem is with the ELM327 connection with the car (since i have already used this device in 2-3 other cars and it is working fine) and the 15.1 volts are not a true value. I have bought a lighter-usb changer with a voltometer and when i start the car i get 14.3-14.4 volts. As the car warms up, it slowly decreases to 14.1~13.9 which is the lowest value i have seen with no electrics being used (is this behavior normal?). Good thing is that apart from those erratic rpm changes, the car has no issues at all, it revs really freely and pulls very hard, even with 3-4 people inside. No-one believes it is a 1.1!
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I have read in some forums that this is sometimes an issue of the throttle valve. Most people suggest cleaning the throttle valve, which i have already (it was pretty clean anyhow). But we know that both the smart and colt had issues with the throttle valves, could that be the problem? Had anyone changed the throttle valve?
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It's not just the throttle valve (TVA) that has to be cleaned....
what about the MAF sensor in the TVA itself?
All of that is covered in a couple of threads/topics that are in the
454 Engine & Exhaust Technical Guides which are in the Child Board
sub section of category - Engine & Exhaust.
Have a look on page 2 :- 5 Minute Quickey TVA Cleaning
and page 3 :- Cleaning the Throttle Valve Actuator (TVA)
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I have already cleaned the TVA, changed the MAF with a new one and did the TVA calibration about a month ago. No luck...
Anyhow...we will see...
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Have you sort it out?
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Are you absolutely sure there is no airleak after the MAP sensor?
Good luck with this.
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the_wirewalker on the 14th June you said...
..... Most people suggest cleaning the throttle valve, which i have already (it was pretty clean anyhow)....
and you then finish with...
.....Had anyone changed the throttle valve?
So...when you cleaned the TVA, did you remove it and give it a really ggod clean ?
Did you clean both sides of the butterfly valve...and the inlet manifold side of it
after the butterfly ?
AND.....if you did remove the TVA, did you replace/refit the green rubber gasket
correctly ?
I'm asking so that we can 'tick off' each event and help narrow down all of the
various possibilities/probabilities....a process of elimination, ok. Only by asking
and getting answers can we hope to sort out what might be causing the issue
that you have.
TVA's rarely go wrong...that is not to say they never go wrong, ok.
Usually it a build up of gungey oily dirty in both sides of the venturi and on the
buttterfly valve of the TVA, or a faulty or dirty MAF. Sometimes the TVA will need
to be reset/re-callibrating (as detailed in one of the posts in another thread),
or the wiring loom of the plug not connected correctly or not connected at all.
Or has the plug (or the wiring) to the MAF been damaged ?
The internal electricals of the TVA are seldom an issue, but again...it just might
be that it needs a thorough strip down and clean/regrease..but it's rare.
Note:- I've not heard of anyone having a problem with the 'stepper' motor
that operates the butterfly in all my years of running this Forum.
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No guys, I have not found a solution with this issue yet...
To be honest, I have not removed the TVA altogether. I just undone the bolts and gave the butterfly valve a good clean from both sides (was bored to remove the coolant pipes, this is why I did not remove it) and it was pretty clean, minor dirt. To be honest, next weekend, when I have time, I was planning to do this:
https://www.evilution.co.uk/mod/forfour-throttle-body-clean.htm
But now that you say, I shall try cleaning it once more...
The major question I have is that I thought it was an electric issue, can this be a mechanical one?
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I getting back to this issue, since i am planning to clean the TVA and some other servicing...
Which ground connections do you know of the forfour? I am also planning to clean all visible ones...
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A lot of the owners have changed the earth wires between the battery and the chassis and also the earth and chassis. I found this made the engine much smoother and possibly more economical :)
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Cecil, i have alteady done so...But are there any other ground wires i should clean or replace?
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As with any electrical wiring loom in a car there are many earthing points
all around the vehicle, however there is no 'list' as to where these will be,
and that is true for any make or model of vehicle.
Mechanics/electricians (NO...not dealer 'technicians') who work on cars will
possibly be familiar as to where some of these earthing points should be, but
again that does depend on which cars they have worked on or work on the most
and for what reasons. (such as audio/lighting, and charging)
With Main Dealers, their 'technicians' are not trained or taught how to repair
anything, instead they are expected simply to replace things until the problem
is resolved. There is no skill in that.
So if they get a vehicle in with electrical problems they just replace parts, including
sections of wiring loom until the problem is sorted as it is deemed quicker, less
time consuming and more cost effective (wages bill) for the Dealer; rather than
take the time to have someone investigate/search for/and repair the problem.
This means 99% of the time a simple repair is NEVER undertaken. The failure of that
method is that more often than not perfectly useable working parts are replaced in
an attempt to get one step closer to where the real problem is. And the net result
is that the customer gets to pay a mega bill for replacement parts that didn't need
to be replaced. This has been the 'modern' trend for at least the last 10-15 years,
and why Independant Specialists can and are better to go to.
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Exactly CrazyG! I believe its a typical mechanic ethic around the world...And since this car does not worth too much money, I should probably have to live with this problem... ;D
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Can you confirm you have checked the pipes and seals of the air system for leaks? Why don't you look at the connectors available round the engine bay and open them to see if corroded- just by opening them you may improve the connection. My 1.1 manages about 45mpg on a tank( 5.2 l per 100). Re voltage/ rev changes are the lights on dash changing as well- ? I would check G s comments re alternator and battery being changed at the same time- but measure with a good voltmeter first! Have you reset the throttle? ( see child boards) Like the rest of us I am interested in the outcome of all this - Please keep us posted.
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Thank you Cecil.
I have already cleaned the TVA, reset the throttle, upgraded grounds, changed battery and alternator and cleaned injectors.
Mine manages mostly 6l/100km with 50/50 city/highway driving. I cannot hear any air leaks from the car, but I am planning to clean the TVA again and change the gasket just to be sure, I will let you know afterwards of the results.
When I use hazards or any heavy electrical component (like the back door's defogs) I can see the revs going down instantly by ~100 rpms and then again up. The easiest way to demonstrate are the hazards which will keep the revs up and down all the time to a certain tempo. I may post a video on this...
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Today i had a new issue with my F4. While i was driving, when i tried to start from a junction, while pressing the accelerator, the engine hesitated for a while...then accelerated and then hesitated again, while meanwhile the red temperature light turned on. After a second the car went back to normal and i checked the engine temp (i have the pods) being at 70 C. I connected ELM327 and found code P0606 waiting there for me...After that the whole day never encountered the issue again...Any clues guys?
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P0606 Control Module Processor
I would advise you to get the car connected to a Star machine to give you the EXACT
reason for the fault code..AND...it will also say what specifically has caused the fault code
as well as how to check/fix/rectify it.
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I am getting back to this because i have precious information around my forfour. As i have already shared, i have an issue with my forfour being unable to properly maintain stable idle when using electrics, like the hazards. Moreover, lately i have an issue where the car jerks for 1-2 seconds and the rpm drop when accelerating. Well i found this: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=QZNEaxxyJ1w
Check at minute 3.20...you will need to introduce google translation subtitles of course, since it is in russian, but very good engine review. So, this is an ecu issue...Have anybody changed the ecu?
Moreover, i have changed the clutch kit, since it was very heavy and squeaky...this was a very good fix, since my clutch pedal now is veeeery light!!
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Locating a ecu and plugging it in may well need a MB StarDiagnosis in order for it to work. This machine can also do keys for it. It may be useful to find someone with one of these machines before you start the other searches. Others who have carried this out will be able to guide more accurately.
A very ineresting video link. Thanks for posting it
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Changes such as ECU and/or dashboard 'speedo/rev counter are not to be
tackled without a Star diagnostics !
Why ? Well each of those componenets stores the kms/mileage and cross
refers/checks and matches that data... SO...if you change either of them
and the replacement component has a higher km/mileage than the unchanged
component then it will overwrite the lower data reading held on the other
component with the higher data reading...UNLESS you have a Star diagnostics
and know exactly what you are doing with it to stop the enforced change.
And...as cecil points out..you may also need the matching keys as you
might not be able to lock/unlock/start the car if the coding of it does not match
the replacement ECU. Do not quote me 100% on that..but it is worth bearing
in mind IF you do get any problems like that.
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I am planning to try a second hand ECU which can find for about 50€ on ebay. I will contact my local smart garage if he can swap and clone keys and old ecu data to the new one...