forfour.co.uk
Forum => General Smart Chat => Topic started by: mr singh on December 03, 2015, 07:11:16 AM
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its coming up to 2 weeks since i got my new forfour, and after driving it continuously since sunday, i have compiled a list of whats wrong with it.
1) difficult to all engage gears intermittently, im trying the cheapest options first before replacing the clutch - bleeding the clutch, replacing the gearbox oil. (GEAR OIL AND ADDITIVE READY TO TO DO THE JOB)
2) the handling feels odd, it doesnt feel stable on the motorway despite it being lower and being fitted with wider wheels compared to my old 1.1, possible tracking/tyre issue (NEW TIRES FITTED, 4 WHEEL ALIGNMENT TO DO)
3) there is a squeel on hard acceleration in gear and now and then when starting from cold which sounds like the drive belt is too tight/slack (TO BE SORTED)
4) 1 curbed wheel (caused by myself >:( )
5) horn is a bit wheezy and pathetic, more so over the standard horn fitted. (NOT BOTHERING WITH IT)
6) 1 window switch broken (has been swapped with a rear one for now) (DONE)
7) the rear wiper/arm appears to be a non genuine
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In respect of item 1)....
my advice would be to have a look at the linkage mechanism
at the gearbox. It's the most common complaint/issue.
http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=3070.0
or...
http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=796.0
If that fails to cure/rectify the problem, then I'd suspect the clutch.
In respect of item 2) have the geometry checked, not just the tracking.
My CDI felt weird after I fitted the KW's, but was transformed completely
after being checked and set up via a 4 wheel overhead laser set up.
('Wheels in Motion' of Chesham).
Usually you'll find that the only place that has this sort of expensive
equipment is one known to specialize in setting up race cars (as well as
high end road cars). It cost me £72 for an hours work, but well worth it.
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You can probably tell if theres resistance in the gear changing mechanism or clutch/gearbox related. I remember when I changed the gearbox oil that made the biggest longterm difference. Get the oil up to temperature before changing though so all the crud stays desolved in it
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6) http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Smart-454-Forfour-Driver-Passenger-Side-Electric-Window-Switch-A4548201010-/121476486563?fits=Model%3AForfour&hash=item1c489015a3:g:AM0AAOxyUfFTkZGb
hardly worth ringing merc for a price ;)
JJ
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Getting it in to gear is the problem when its running, engine off its ok. One of the lads who i work with worked for Mitsubishi many years ago and he said that Mitsubishi had an additive that they put in after changing the oil in the gearbox... But he didn't say which car(s) it was on. I am the 6th owner and have no idea of the life it has had before myself or the yth owner for that matter as it was sat on his drive more times it was driven in the 3 months he owned it
Four wheel alignment is what i will have done regardless... Although the front tyres are at 2.5mm in the center which might not help.
As for the window switch, might get one of the parts lads to ring our smart dealer in group for a price first. Its not high on my list of things to do
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You mention tyre treads at 2.5mm in the centre, the inference being that there is more tread on the outsides. Are the tyres overinflated, as that could cause 'odd' handling?
Also, is the steering wheel a different diameter? If the SB3 steering wheel is smaller than that on the 1.1, that might make the SB3 feel twitchy in comparison.
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I'm afraid only a clutch kit will solve your gear selection issue mr Singh. The pressure plate's gone soft and doesn't let go of the clutch completely anymore.
The gearbox oil will not help with this, although it wouldn't hurt to change it as well while you're at it.
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Replacing the clutch is the last option... Dont really want to throw a clutch in and it be no better. Although strangely it went in to gear easily last night after my mum drove it... ???
Tyre pressures were on the low side when the previous owner brough it over, even though i pointed it out when i viewed it, 3 were at 24 psi and one at 10 psi. Repaired the puncture amd reset them to 34 psi (2 psi more than what they should be) all round. The steering wheel is smaller in diameter but it still feels unstable, given its got wider wheels fitted and its lower over my 1.1
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Could be the gear cables- maybe worth greasing them too.
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If it's intermittent it would be worth changing the brake fluid and bleeding the whole system, but otherwise nothing else will help. The diaphragm of the pressure plate will likely be blue when you change it...
Stiff gear lever= selector/cables needs greasing. If all gears would be hit and miss then it would point to an issue with it. But it would also do it with the engine off.
Crunch in reverse= lack of synchro, straight cut gear + the extra one to reverse rotation means it's normal for it to crunch from time to time if you're in a hurry.
Snagging when trying to engage first or reverse only with the engine ON is clearly a clutch disengagement issue, the pressure plate has gone soft. Engine off everything works fine because nothing is turning so it's like the gearbox is disconnected from the flywheel and shifting is seamless.
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But its not just 1st and reverse... Its every gear, its just noticable more so in 1st... But im not ruling out a clutch
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I agree with Alex's last comment....but with an ammendment..
"Snagging when trying to engage first or reverse only ANY gear with the engine ON is clearly a clutch disengagement issue, the pressure plate has gone soft."
Replace the clutch, and while you're at it, bleed the clutch/brake system,
lube the linkage and cables...and then relax, knowing it won't need
looking at again for a long time..
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Very correct mr G and mr Singh, I just said 1st and R because that's what gear you set off in, and setting off is the hardest part.
Changing up or down while the car is rolling can be achieved even with no clutch at all, so a limp pressure plate will be adequate for all but quick downshifts...
Pausing a moment or blipping the throttle when changing gears gives the revs a chance to match up to the next gear ratio.
You'll thank yourself after changing it mr Singh, then after it's nice and bedded in give those 47 extra hp a good run ;D
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i can understand that the pressure plate can become weak and if its difficult to get 1st and reverse it does want a clutch BUT what i cant understand is why can i sometimes get it in perfectly sometimes and other times its difficult, surly if there was any issue it would be difficult to select all the time
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Didn't you have any of these 'quirks' with your old forfour? No excuse for not knowing...
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I regularly need to raise the pedal and press it again to get reverse
JJ
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Didn't you have any of these 'quirks' with your old forfour? No excuse for not knowing...
my old one had none of the quirks this new one has... it only ever crunched in reverse but it went in to gear every time smoothly.
raising the pedal and then trying again doesn't always work.
in regards to the other problems.
problem 2 - seams to have improved since i put a new tyre on the LR, the RR was at 6mm and the old one was between 4.5-3mm, although once i get my expense money back ill be buying a pair of new tyres for the front and then off to get it 4 wheel aligned.
problem 3 - i slackened the drive belt off and went for a run and its still squealing/gurgling, its ok until it gets above 3,500 RPM on hard acceleration, figured the coolant level may have been low just enough for it to suck air through the pipe work, so i topped it up and over filled it a little. next plan is to remove the drive belt and give it a quick run just to eliminate the pulley side of the engine.... but there is however the question of the K&N panel air filter which is fitted, would it squeal/gurgle on hard acceleration in gear but not in neutral with the clutch pedal up
problem 5 - iv managed to find a high horn but need to get hold of a low horn so i can replace wheezy for a nice Jaguar duel tone horn
problem 6 - im going to get one of the parts lad to phone a Mercedes dealer in group and get a price.
problem 7 - i think i might leave the rear wiper as it is.
i have also hit a sticky wicket as well, i know HID conversions are a gray area in regards to the MOT and i did ask Merc of Leeds if they would fail, and they said it would, but that was on my old car without headlamp power wash, but my new one has headlamp power wash...
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dude - fit them!
they are NOT a fail
if your headlamp washers dont work then it will be a fail
JJ
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but its up to the tester if they fail or not.
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Erm - not really - he has to follow the guidance as issued
Otherwise it would be chaos
He can only fail hids for not being aligned
He can't fail tyres because in his opinion they aren't quite black enough
JJ
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Don't fit hids, get the new LED 40W. More light and instant start up. Phillips do a good one for h7
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links??
i've not seen "philips" versions.....only ones distributed by aliexpress using so called "philips" chips
i'm still v dubious about the ability to produce the light output from a halogen based headlamp unit
interested in them though but they seem to be over double the price of HIDs and will still have the same issue of legality vs MOT PLUS LEDs (especially at this wattage) produce a LOT of heat whereas HID are cold.... just some things to bear in mind.
JJ
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as JJ has said, link please.
i bought a set of LED conversions of amazon, similar to this kit http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B016ICILSQ?keywords=led%20conversion%20kit&psc=1&qid=1449861792&ref_=sr_1_1&sr=8-1-spons as they take up 'less room' in the headlight... needless to say if i got the holder clipped in, i couldnt get the bulb in, and if put the holder on the bulb, i could get it in to the bulb hole but couldnt get the spring clip on...
Philips, to my recollection dont make LED conversions, but the makers use the Philips LED chip.
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G'day mr singh,
Have you got the little niggles on your new Forfour fixed yet, I ask as we have not had an update for a little while.
Hope all is fixed now.
Greetings,
Eddie
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with it being christmas i haven't had much time to mess around with my forfour, although saying that i did take the belt off the engine and went for a quick drive and iv come to the conclusion that it needs a new clutch, i know alex has mentioned this but i think the release bearing is noisy.
thinking the air filter was related to the gurgling as it was a K&N panel filter, i figured id take it out and put a standard filter back in, but there have been no holes drilled in the air box, and i didn't want it in... but saying that i do miss the noise it made, so it looks like it might be getting re-oiled and fitted.
still doing some research on the lights, i know HID's are a straight forward fit but i am intrigued buy LED conversions, but the space is limited and the LED conversions for limited space take up too much space. i bought a fan-less set and i couldnt get the bulb in when the bulb clip was fitted and couldnt get the bulb securing clip fitted once the bulb and holder were fitted ???. talk about being stuck between a rock and a hard place.
i have now been payed and my travel expenses have come through so 2 tires will be ordered and it'll be booked in with kwik-fit for a wheel alignment soon after hopefully... id do it at work but we dont have a 4 wheel alignment machine anymore.
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How's it all progressing?
Any pics yet??
JJ
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progress...
clutch issue seams to be getting better strangely, its easier to get in to and out of gear more now than when it was delivered to me. dont get me wrong it still puts up a fight now and then but not as often now.
the rattle/squeak/bearing type noisy under hard acceleration, i now think it isn't the release bearing, but a broken heat shield over the exhaust manifold which is 'tied up' with what i can only describe as a wire from one of them green woven wire fences.
front tires fitted and now i just need its wheel alignment checking and adjusting. i got a pair of 'Prestivo' tires as they were rated 'C' for wet grip and 'C' for fuel efficiency and about 72db of road noise... rated EXACTLY the same as Conti Sportcontact 5 but for about half the price
window switch, i haven't even had time to myself let alone getting to or phoning Mercedes to get one ordered... got the parts lad to phone one dealer in group for the switch and gear box oil and the out come was it would be easier to go to Mercedes of Leeds and get the gear oil and switch.
when i do get time to get to Mercedes im going to find out if it is a proper SB3, any body could have bought an engine cover plaque and brabus badges of ebay. the closest Brabus dealer to me is the Mercedes dealer in Harrogate... and with the original reg number beginning with YO, it seam plausible that it could have been sold by Mercedes of Harrogate.
next weekend im servicing my uncles 200,000 mile Civic diesel, so hopefully when i get payed ill be buying a set if HID conversions...
these ones...
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017WBA1M6?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_2&smid=A2RF9MOY58FR31
or these ones
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017UN41R2?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=ox_sc_act_title_3&smid=A2RF9MOY58FR31
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Not 6000k - too bluish
And personally i would go for a company like hids direct
All sounds good though
JJ
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I agree with JJ in regards to HID's...the whitest light is given by 4500k.
And I'd also with going to HIDs Direct. (They have a website + on ebay)
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i can change the colour, they were the ones im thinking of getting. might get the 5000K, i really would like them to look like OEM ones, plus they come with 3 years warranty.
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Does anyone have any comment on these led ones.
http://www.horizonleds.co.uk/h7-philips-luxeon-led-headlight
The light emitting part seems closer to the original halogen one so may be better then a HID.
Also what will still effect the quality of your light is the lenses as CrazyG previously said. They need changing as they sap the light.
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i bought a set with the intent of fitting them to my 1.1 but even they didnt fit. i could get the holder in but couldnt get the bulb in if i fit the holder and bulb together i couldnt get the clip on... i ended up fitting them to my mums civic
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I wouldn't venture into LED until 1. they are brighter and 2. they give out less heat
JJ
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went to London on thursday in my mums civic and they were bright BUT they didnt have the distance the halogen/HID bulbs have.
with my forfour im wanting to go down the HID route.
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OEM LED headlights??
JJ
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JJ...you obviously didn't read his previous post....
l bought a set with the intent of fitting them (LED's) to my 1.1 but even they didnt fit.
l could get the holder in but couldnt get the bulb in, if l fitted the holder and bulb together
l couldnt get the clip on... l ended up fitting them to my mums civic
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iv only ever driven 1 car with factory fit LED headlights which is when the first new XF was delivered to our dealership... even then when i drove it was during daylight hours
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retro fit LEDs just aren't bright enough and are way too directional to be of use.
an OEM led headlamp has to have a number of leds and each one with its own lens to get the best effect
(http://www.seatlebanon.com/site/content/seat_html_website/brand/en/models/leon-sc/images/design/slider2/cw-4-4-1-2.jpg)
just chucking an LED cluster in a standard headlamp unit isn't great
JJ
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window switch - £12 delivered
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Driver-Passenger-Electric-Window-Switch-For-Smart-454-Forfour-A4548201010-NEW-/201454617635?fits=Model%3AForfour%7CCars+Type%3A1.5+Brabus&hash=item2ee7a18423:g:6XoAAOSwl9BWKxm7
JJ
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In the time iv been driving my new forfour i have come across more problems which i kept forgetting to mention.
8 ) the pollen filter cover is broken and some clown decided to refit it upside down and with duct tape. Iv refit it correctly and taped it for now
9) the right hand center air vent is loose on one side
10) the rear wiper doesnt park in the horizontal position. It parks about 20 degrees up. I can however move it down to horizontal by hand. I was wondering if the rear wiper motor how to might be worth a go?
11) the sound from the speakers seams to stop working from side to side and front to rear from time to time, be it listening to the radio or through my parrot kit... Might be the SOT lead i bought of amazon
12) the throttle body might be wanting a clean as it hunts at idle from cold. Might want spark plugs but ill leave them till its service which should be due in July
13) i noticed this when i went to view the car that the rear seats dont lift up. Might be worth finding the how to that 'G' did.
14) my god are the roads in a poor state. I try and avoid 1 pot hole only to hit another. Its more noticable now as this one is lower than ly last one and the wheels are bigger and made of cheese.
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Who made you but such a lemon ;) haha
JJ
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The rear wiper does park horizontal on either of my forfours. Don't believe that it is intended to. Have you looked at others?
:)
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Who made you but such a lemon ;) haha
JJ
need i answer that question?!? ;D. i love the car to bits, but its an 11 1/2 year old car, it will never be perfect.
The rear wiper does park horizontal on either of my forfours. Don't believe that it is intended to. Have you looked at others?
:)
my last one parked horizontally and the at the other end of the sweep it was near enough horizontal.
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/image_4.jpeg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_4.jpeg.html)
this one 'over sweeps'...
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/image_21.jpeg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_21.jpeg.html)
the rest position before...
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/image_20.jpeg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_20.jpeg.html)
... i moved it back down by hand
basically i can grab hold of the arm and move it up and down
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Sorry, my previous post should have said that the rear wiper DOESN'T rest horizontal on either of my forfours. Apologies for confusion.
;)
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mr singh, if the rear wiper 'oversweeps' then the arm needs repositioning.
Flip up the spindle cover at the motor end of the wiper, remove the
locking nut, then carefully slid the wiper arm up and off the splines.
Place the arm partially back on...and positioned the arm/blade level
(horizontal), then push it down the splines, replace and tighten the nut,
and finally flip the spindle cover back into place.
Test to ensure all's well.
As for your rear seat not lifting.....
The seat base will not unlatch unless the seat is slid all the way forward.
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pictures have been uploaded of what im on about. i dont think its a case or remove and re-position
as for the rear seats not lifting up, i did move them all the way forward and try and lift but nothing happened when i went to view it.
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As in the rear seats mines the same, been looking on Parkers price guide under safety and reliability seems there was a recall in 2005 with the rear seat springs .I have to coax mine up with a flat screwdriver.
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Looks like it's rotated counter clockwise a bit as it shouldn't sweep that far down on the left
JJ
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Looks like it's rotated counter clockwise a bit as it shouldn't sweep that far down on the left
JJ
in englich bitte... got a lot going on at the moment... mother going to kenya for 6 weeks with my uncle and gran tomorrow, my sisters wedding in the land of the fat in april... the preperation for the stuff we are taking to the land of the fat...
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JJ is on about the wiper arm...as per what I said...it needs re-postioning.
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just an update.
iv had it 4 wheel aligned at krap fit... the lads couldnt keep there tongues in there mouths when they saw my car. the tracking wasnt out by much but i asked them to tweek it anyway. managed to get £15 off just for being in the motor trade ;D
new pollen filter and cover fitted along with an A/C bomb... didnt do the ozone treatment as it has gone back to the company we borrowed it from.
alloy gators fitted and cover the curbing, although the fronts look like they are fitted correctly but the rears look like they are about to fall off due to the tires fitted. i found out from a mate that there is a lad in Bradford that charged £1 per inch to powder coat a wheels in silver and and £2 per inch if you want any other colour, proper face palm moment as i found out AFTER i fit them.
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just an update... i hate myself for fitting the wheel protectors. its a good thing that i fit them as they are taking the damage BUT the tear tires keep loosing pressure, possibly due to the tires fitted. they are yokohama and the side wall is pretty much in line with the wheel, so with the protectors they give it a euro look but dont seal around the bead well.
braided brake flexies are to be fitted, might fit them this weekend, along with paining the calipers either black or graphite
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The tyres should still seal, even with rim protectors like Alloygators.
I would advise that you you get a 'decent' tyre company to deflate
the tyre, remove it and the protector....have them apply some of
their 'bead sealant' to the rim, then refit the protector and the tyre
and re-inflate the tyre.
(Some rims refuse to seal no matter what tyre is fitted....the bead sealant
ensures a proper seal and any tyre place worth their salt should have it)
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i do recall seeing a warning in the instructions saying depending on the tyre side wall, they may not fit correctly and a little tab with a red and green area defining if they will fit correctly.
they didnt loose much pressure before fitting them. over 2 weeks they had lost pressure but never were flat, then again the wheels are made of cheese
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Monoblock VI's wheels are well known to be soft....but they are
also very porous as well !
Either rubberised bead sealer will work OR the entire centre section
of the wheel that is hidden under/beneath the tyre when it is fitted
will need sealing with a good coat of proprietory paint, right up to
the very edges of the rim outer lip.
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the tyre seals well inside the rim and not where the alloy gator sits
JJ
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Monoblock VI's wheels are well known to be soft....but they are
also very porous as well !
must be made by the swiss ;D
ill drop you a PM over what you said at ace 'G'
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update...
i replaced the rear wiper motor for a new one, turns out the old one had some play in the spindle, new one fitted and its solid ;D
the metallic rattle has now gone. turns out that the engine stabilizer bushes had started to split, fitted the new one which i got from 'G' and is all tick-aty-boo... although there is some engine vibration coming in to the car, which is to be expected due to the poly bushes fitted in the stabilizer.
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finally got round to taking some pictures of the stabilizer bar
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/image_27.jpeg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_27.jpeg.html)
and the part of the bush that has split
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/image_28.jpeg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_28.jpeg.html)
braided brake flexies have been fitted. brake pedal feel nicer with the braided over the standard rubber ones
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as for the rear tires loosing pressure, it turns out its the r/r thats loosing more than the l/r. i recall when i went to view the car that the r/r was low on pressure and the previous owner said that he'd get it sorted, it turns out that it wasnt sorted when he delivered it, so i patched it and all seamed well until i fit the alloy gators so im thinking i must have disturbed the patch i some way ???. the bad thing is we dont have a tire bath at work so i can see where the possible leak is.
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Has the car felt different with the new stabiliser bar, eg less vibration ?
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the BRAB alloys don't stay round for long
plus they corrode internally where the valve and rim seals
remove the alloy gators and get some rim sealant
JJ
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Has the car felt different with the new stabiliser bar, eg less vibration ?
car feels more responsive because of the poly bushes, due to the engine being unable to 'rotate' as much but it has lead to some vibrations coming through the car.
the BRAB alloys don't stay round for long
i have had the wheels on the balancer at work and they are near enough round
plus they corrode internally where the valve and rim seals
the wheels had been resprayed silver before the previous owner bought it, and i fit new valves all round, although im trying to get my bike mechanic mate to get me some metal tire valves from his work
remove the alloy gators and get some rim sealant
if you saw the state of my alloy gators you'll under stand why id like to keep them fitted, although some rim sealant wouldnt go amiss... ill have to try and get some from my bike mate
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things (still) to do:
clutch.
l/h brake light bulb. (its currently an MOT fail as it is)
headlight projectors once my new HID bulbs arrive.
straighten the rear tail pipe.
measure the current ride height, more for my satisfaction really.
sort the rear wheels/tires out
try and get a dual tone horn... well when i say get i mean aquire a dual tone horn
get it MOT'd
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if you saw the state of my alloy gators you'll under stand why id like to keep them fitted, although some rim sealant wouldnt go amiss... ill have to try and get some from my bike mate
?? explain.........
JJ
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the gators are curbed/damaged to jo foook... 1 is even split which needs replacing really and its on the wheels that i had straightened in London when i was down at ace
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man you need to drive better - unless you are blaming the missus?? haha
there shouldn't be any way you are curbing the alloys to that degree
dip the passenger side mirror every time you reverse park to avoid the curbs
if you arent careful, the damaged gator will flail and seriously damage the arch
JJ
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Can't blame the wife... Can blame the mother... She drives the car during the day and she swares blind she didnt touch any curbs, even though the r/r wheel was touching the curb when i got back from work 1 day :o
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... Can blame the mother... She drives the car during the day.....
If that's the case, then really it's her car...just registered in your name :D Hehehe
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ahhh but i do the bulk of the mileage
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the saga continues...
i removed the rim protectors and its the bead that was leaking... asked my bike mate if he could seal it and he said he'd give it a go. turns out his tire machine cant do 35 profile tires and i now need a new tire.... and our tire account is on stop as we have reached our account limit with the tire company we use at work :'( so its currently running round with a 15" wheel on the rear which i removed off my old forfour when i went to 16".
one thing regarding the rear brabus wheels, when you have had the rear tires replaced, has the tire fitter ever mentioned if they were a pig to get off, or see them struggle getting them off. one would think 35 profile 20" wheels would be bad but the brabus rear tires are a real pain
the A/C has stopped working, took it to work and found ho gas in the system. regassed it and checked, still no cold air... turns out the compressor clutch has fallen off >:( . mercedes wanted close to £500 (with my discount) for a new compressor, managed to get one, NEW for £250 from a motor factors i use. was hoping to fit is this weekend but the mother dearest wants do something as its her 59th on Saturday.
i really miss the revvy-ness of the 1.1, the 1.1 loved to rev and felt light compared to the 1.5 petrol, dont get me wrong the 1.5 goes when asked but almost feel docile when pootling round town. i have cleaned the TVA and there wasnt much gunk there to begin with but it looks like one of the 6 previous owners have opened the throttle and cleaned the electrics as per this http://www.evilution.co.uk/index.php?menu=engine&mod=707
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If the bead is leaking then you DO NOT have to replace the tyre.
Go to ANY half decent tyre fitter (rather than one your garage has
an account with etc etc) and get the tyre removed, the bead sealing
part of the wheel rim roughed up (had 3 of my M5 wheels done by
a guy with a metal file...scary...but it worked)..and then a mastic
type bead sealer brushed round the rim where the tyre bead will
sit. The tyre's were refitted and pressured up, and they all held
air without any further issues till I sold the car.
Cost shouldn't be more than £5 each.
That is far far cheaper than buying a new tyre unnecessarily....
which also might not seal either !
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the reason i need a new tire is because his tire machine couldnt get the tire back on and damaged the tire, resulting it still leaking but rather than the front leaking it was the rear and it was audible.
he knew he couldnt get it off so i removed it from the wheel, but getting it back on proved a challenge with his machine as its suited more for bike tires and tires with a profile of down to 40
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My post was made without being aware of all the facts, such as it
was more a bike tyre fitting machine and that the tyre got damaged
trying to refit it on he same machine, it is understandable why you
need a new tyre.
I guess it's a good guide to other owners with 35 profile tyres on
their cars; basically Brab owners; to check that any tyre place they
may go to, to check that they can remove/refit 35 profile tyres first.
can
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every where that fits car tires will be able to do 35 profile tires, we have tires fitted to Jags that are 30 profile and we manage... just dont go to a bike place and get tires fitted
-
no one ever struggles with my tyres
even my stretched ones have been simple to do
JJ
-
sorted my A/C on saturday and bloody thankful for it... nice and cool, and noisy... iv only got a whine from the engine which comes in around 2000 rpm and goes in sync with the engine, as the engine speeds up the whine speeds up. iv narrowed it down to 2 possible things, the compressor i bought is noisy OR something is resonating through the gear box stabilizer link and in to the car
-
If you didn't have the 'whine' before you fitted the replacement
compressor, but you have it since fitting it, then I think that narrows
it down immediately to the compressor...
-
SODS law reared it ugly head... had a quick look before work' long screw driver (in this case, a 3 ft pry bar) and no noise >:(
driven it now and its there but intermittently >:( yesterday it was worse, it sounded like a mercedes sprinter van... oh the fun and games... was hoping to have a look on saturday but the good lady has given her go ahead for Gaydon
-
update.
iv yet to get back to the place i bought my compressor with the info i was asked to get.
im now thinking in regards to the low ride height it might be riding on just the springs and the dampers are doing dilly squat. my reasoning, i was giving it some shoe along the outer ring road and there is a point where the road goes down and then rises with a long right hand bend before going to a sweeping left before leveling and the car didnt feel very stable, it almost felt woolly.
now i know the car has been lowered and if been looking at how to diagnose work dampers and most of what they say to check, i cant do like bounce the car, it feels solid (no give), it doesnt lean as much cos of the lowered ride height.
-
If your dampers were gone the car would bounce
The car is a light car and doesn't take much to unload weight
JJ
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I agree it would bounce but its got lowered springs by i dont know who on standard dampers. When i put the car on the ramp at work the suspention drops a fair old way, but it looks a little un-nerving to see it drop the amount it drops.
But with it being lowered there wouldn't be much give in the suspention for it to bounce and the ride would be harder over standard... Thats my thinking anyway.
Good news, now that the re-audit has been done and we passed ill be getting it in and the clutch done, hopefully early September
-
Head light mod has been done... Im really surprised at how long it took me to do it from start to finish. About 5 hours in total. Could have done it in 4 but i had to go to work to get some extension i didn't have in my home tool kit. Really pleased with the result, although the lights might need adjustment.
After some tooing and frowing with the motor factors where i got my A/C compressor, they have finally ordered me a new one. That should arrive anytime this week.
Clutch replacement will happen soon. Need to service the honda before i get the clutch out of mine
-
civic serviced 2 weeks ago, last week helping sales/fleet department get out of the sh... had 60 cars going out by today and the car park and storage place was over flowing with new cars and customers had nowhere to park, having sorted that out iv planed tomorrow for the clutch change.
anyone know roughly how long it takes to replace a clutch on a forfour, so i can tell the family how long ill roughly be at work...
-
If you know what you're doing...(as in done one before...)
then 'guesstimate' 3 hours roughly.
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MrSingh, good luck with the clutch replacement.
Greetings, Eddie.
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Did it in about 8 hours. Had the box off by 12, clutch off and on by 1 and all built back up and running by 4. You do not realize how light the clutch is until its replaced. Had to tell my mum to be careful as she might stall the car its that light.
Things found that need doing... Track rod ends as the boots are perishing. And rechecking the gear oil level. You were right 'G' it did piss gear oil out. Managed to get some to top it up but it didnt dribble out of the fill plug but its definitely above the driveshaft... Pictures were taken. Ill post them when i can
-
pictures as promised.
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3488.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3488.jpg.html)
time when the battery was disconnected
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3483.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3483.jpg.html)
the flywheel and engine supported. i ended up removing the sub frame so i could have more room to get the gearbox off.
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3481.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3481.jpg.html)
flywheel side of clutch
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3486.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3486.jpg.html)
gearbox side of clutch
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3482.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3482.jpg.html)
new and old pressure plates.
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3484.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3484.jpg.html)
gearbox with new 'release leaver' as mercedes call it... and an XFR-S in the back ground for me to check over for sales on monday ;D
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3485_1.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/IMG_3485_1.jpg.html)
old release leaver.
i think i could have nursed the old clutch to 100,000 but by then we would have moved to our new site and i may not have had the chance to replace it then
-
Well done, and good pictures too.
-
Great job... well done! ;)
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Great job good pictures and well done
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Well done you , and Thanks for the pictures .... :)
-
priced up some track rod ends from Mercedes... they wanted £53 EACH :o
phoned Luscomb Mitsubishi, they tried but they said if i say order the parts then its down to me if they are wrong... they wanted £30 each, a little more reasonable than Mercedes.
went to my local motor factors who i use regularly, £33 for the pair.
one more thing... are there any products out there like engine flush additives for the gearbox? and if there are are they worth it?
-
excellent stuff - form a queue 8)
JJ
-
There is always a fine line between quality and price....
as you so often quote mr.singh.
You have to be quite careful in what products you buy from
local motor factors (like Eurocarparts & GSF)....as I have
personally seen items like brake slave cylinders being sold by
the likes of the above that are made of cast iron rather than
steel that have been fitted to a Smart that were bigger than
the original OEM parts (overall length and diameter), but
were not working anywhere near as efficiently...in fact they
were replaced with OEM parts when the rear brakes failed
the MoT just 2 months after the 'motor factor' slave cylinders
were fitted and bled 3 times.
The car passed immediately after OEM parts were fitted.
So...if what you see at a motor factor is a lot cheaper than
the OEM parts....be aware of the old saying which goes...
"You only get what you pay for."
-
i understand what your saying 'G' but i compared the 2 side by side, both exactly the same length, both exactly the same shape, and the bit that bolts to the hub came with a 17mm nut on the new one but manages to reuse the original nut off the old ones. the new track rod ends are made by a company called first line first line. iv used first line part before and they are of good quality, and i trust the motor factors where i get my parts from, iv used them since i started working on my own cars and thats over 10 years now.
and be right now... who is going to pay £53 for 1 track rod end for a 11-13 year old car? unless you took your car to Mercedes for the MOT and it failed on the track rod end.
i always say, check to see what the price is from the dealer and then have a look else where. in most cases dealer parts will work out cheaper overall. NEVER automatically assume that dealer parts will be over prices.
-
my 1.1 will be a year since i sold it and i will have had my SB3 for a year in 2 weeks, and it appears that iv fixed everything...
there are a couple of new things that have cropped up but im going to leave them for now.
the things that have cropped up are:
1) there is a squeek from the L/F when going over speed bumps and its been doing this for some time now, possibly a squeaky ball joint. i cant bounce the car to reproduce it cos the suspension is so stiff
2) the horn, id still like to sort out but ill wait till i acquire some horns of a Jag (and/or Land Rover when we move to our new site)
3) need to tweek the track as the steering is slightly of center to the left since i fit the new track rod ends.
4) handling still feels strange from time to time, and the steering feels heavy but thats down to wider wheels fitted over my 1.1
-
so when i went to Mercedes to pick my new door mirror. i spoke to a lad who i worked with who now works in parts and he will speak to there Smart specialist about the heated seats dilemma im having. i dont really want to shell out for all the heated seats parts and then find out that they wont program in.
on the way back i popped in to work to fit the door mirror and i found a connector that my old 1.1 didn't have... its pre-wired for tweeters ;D... but also got me thinking, is the wiring for the Smart sub there as well and if so would it be worth fitting my old clarion compact sub or try and get the smart original one?
looks like ill be getting a pair of tweeters from Mercedes.
-
Graham... any news with the heated seats question i asked?
the question was can i code the seats before fitting the elements? i dont want to fit and find out that iv spent all that money on fitting them only to find that they cant be programmed in.
-
When I was redoing my gearbox + clutch, I had a look at the barrage of menu items and stuff that was in STAR and I don't recall seeing a option for heated seats so I assume they'll work when physically connected.
I has bought a button bank with the heated seats option in them in the optimistic hope of fitting leather seats to my car (an idea to be resolved yet) and when I pressed the button to start them, it would light briefly and then stop because I don't have heated seats of course. Now that particular behaviour is listed in the owners manual but my point is that as my car doesn't have them and it attempted to start anyway, it makes sense (to me) that they'll work when electrically plumbed in.
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Sorry mr singh....that slipped my mind.... :-[
Ocracoke is correct though....they do not need to be coded in,
so if you have the switch 'bank' with the heated switches, then they
should work fine....but check that you have the relay fitted
in the fuse box. (It is in position 'R')
http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=64.0
As for the cable/wiring for the subwoofer......NO....
that was a separate bit/piece of loom. BUT...you may be lucky..
Have a 'dig' around under the carpet near the seat. Otherwise
it was only supposed to be fitted if the car was specified with
the the Premium Sound Pack when the car was ordered.
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ill confirm with mercedes, im not doubting the wealth of knowledge here but merc of leeds have a 'smart specialist' who by the sounds of things knows his shizzel. if 1+1=2 then ill slowly start collecting the bits i need.
i have the old underseat sub i had in my 1.1 'G', but i need to remember which speaker wire goes where... there are 4 signal wires and i forgot to label them up when i removed then and i thing i binned the wiring instructions.... might be worth contacting clarion for the information.
Ocracoke, i assume with the information you gave, you have a STAR?
-
i think i took a pic didn't i??
this thread should jog your memory
http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=1774.0
JJ
-
i cant remember which one goes where, there are 2 plugs one with 12v ignition, 12v live and ground and the other with 4 wires that go to the speakers but i dont know which wire to splice in to at the back of the radio.
-
its on that thread
and the wires from the ISO plug of the sub go into the quadlock of the HU have i got that right?
the wires from the sub connector block go into either the 2 x ISO connectors (Radio5) or the Quadlock (Radio6)
you have (from the sub connector)
Grey (Left Rear -ve)
Grey w Red (Right Rear -ve)
White w Blue (Left front +ve)
White w Red (Right front -ve) .... need to check this one as pics don't show v well
Black (Earth)
Red w Black (12v perm)
White (Remote) ....switches the sub on
thats it..... (i think)
does it make sense?
not sure what your other cables are though.
JJ
some pics of the Quadlock connector.....
here you can see where the sub wires double up into the quadlock...
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/problemchild1976/8c641b1e.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/problemchild1976/813e0a5a.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/problemchild1976/e562aed3.jpg)
and this one shows how the Blue signal wire goes to the white signal wire that goes to the sub..... (the switch wire)
<<.......bottom closest........>>
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/problemchild1976/501a3f10.jpg)
JJ
JJ
-
Perhaps i wasn't clear in my explanation
I know which wires to tap in to, but the wires that connect to the sub to the radio speaker wires dont have any information on the sub saying which wire goes where...
-
?????
But there is a picture of what wires go where
1 pic shows the wires going into the sub
1 pic shows the words going into the radio
And then I wrote it all out
JJ
-
If I am on the same wavelength as mr singh....
he is aware of which wires go where at the ISO/Quadlock end,
but there does not appear to be any info on which wire goes
where at the subwoofer end as he hasn't got that lead.
Maybe someone who already has the OEM subwoofer in their
car will find the time to pull the plug out of their subwoofer
and checkout/readoff the colours. And if they do so, could they
then pop a post up with the layout...preferably with a diagram
to show which colour wires go where...B U T at the
subwoofer socket fitting side...not at the plug at the end
of the cable.
Have I got that right mr singh..and explained it clearly enough ?
-
your partly there 'G'
i know which wires to splice in to at the back of the radio, no problem
the sub i fitted to my 1.1, a clarion powered sub, came with information as to which wires went where. there are 2 connectors at the back of the sub, 1 with 2 powers and an earth in a 4 way connector and 1 with 4 wires that go to, im guessing the speakers in a 6 way connector, however i either binned the information or its in my tool box somewhere.
now the 4 way connector with 3 wires is easy to understand, a live, an ignition and an earth. the 6 way connector with 4 wires has 2 gray wires and 2 gray with black tracer.
i may have found where to get the information for the wiring but the sub is in a box in the boot of my car and its cold out...
tweeters have been ordered and should be arriving soon, the parts lad at merc will hand them to his dad as he is our service driver or drop them off as he is passing.
-
oh right - so not an OEM sub??
(i did take pics of what wires went where at the OEM sub in that thread)
google the PDF dude.....!!
Download TFM haha
JJ
-
when i get chance ill download 'the flamin manual' ;D
anyone know how to replace the hand brake leaver? got it to a but of a kerfuffle on thursday, a combination being stationary, not being in the right gear on a hill when setting off, and cars behind me and rushing to set off... i ended up breaking my handbrake button :'( how i dont know as it all happened so fast.
iv got a new leaver on order today at the cost of £130 inc VAT
-
http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=2076.msg21461#msg21461
JJ
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thats just for the front half... its only available as a full lever from Mercedes.
the 'handles' ain't separate
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what do you mean by "front half"
you don't have the BRABUS one??
JJ
-
I have the 'leather' brabus handbrake leaver not the metal shiney one. Your guide refers to removing the handle half of the leaver (the front half) and not the whole mechanism, which is what i need
-
????
the whole leather/metal/brabus/gaitor comes off with that 1 grub screw
JJ
-
...and the button?
-
£
... i ended up breaking my handbrake button......
iv got a new lever on order today at the cost of £130 inc VAT
Rather expensive.....just to replace the button.....
even more so when there was a thread back in May on getting
a suitable replacement for it for just £18 !
http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=5335.0
(3rd post down from hei731...and 5th post down from lil.smartie
-
that is for a button for the standard handbrake leaver not the brabus versions 'G'!
-
well taking all that off is the only way to access the button.....
an engineering company would make you one for 1/10th of that
when you say the "whole mechanism" you mean the whole lever that the cable attaches to??
JJ
-
That is the price MB charge for the whole Brabus handbrake assembly,
or lever as it is known.
And I'm in agreement with you JJ...it'd be cheaper to have one made
than buy the whole handbrake...otherwise it's akin to buying a new wheel
and tyre because a valve cap has come off.
-
well its done now and there is no going back...
ill see what i can do, if i can remove the handle as in once removed and everything looks the same and not broken, then thats what ill do
-
Maybe get a few of them made as I'm sure there are bound to be
other Brab owners who have lost or broken the handbrake button.
I'll have one for sure, maybe 2 even, as the one on my Brab keeps
popping off/out....and I was never going to 'cough up' for a complete
handbrake assembly.
-
I would take two, mine is broke too.
I did look at the czt, but it's plastic. I think Mr Singh made a good call. I would rather have a metal one too.
-
I'm not promising, but now that it appears I am not the only one
who needs/will need these handbrake buttons (for the Brab handbrake)
then I'll see if I can get to speak to him in the next week or so and see
if he can churn out say 10 or more of them. He is a fellow Smart
enthustiast/owner, but more into 4.2's and Roadies, and recenty
retired. His profession was a mechanical engineer working with lathes
etc., and he has a fully equipped workshop at home.
If I can get hold of a genuine 'button' or somehow suppy him with the
necessary dims etc then we could be in luck.
I'll let you know how I get on, and...if ok, what it'll cost for them, ok.
-
I can send you my old broken button if you want 'G'?
-
That wud be handy and good to give him as something to work on/from.
Great, thanks. (Assume you still have my address etc ? if not, PM me)
-
how are people breaking the button ::)
JJ
-
Wear and tear......
Quite a few people just press it in and rather than release it
slowly back to the extend position they let it 'fly back', which
stresses it as it has a spring/sprung pressure behind it.
Or.........
it gets banged or thumped...by anything or whatever which
fractures it.....who knows.
Or....
it just suffers fatigue...age related or otherwise.
Schhh...don't tell everyone..but nothing lasts forever :o
-
... although looking at the body of the forfour, it looks like it might last forever ;D
i just yank it up without pressing the button and this instance i grabbed the leaver at slightly the wrong angle and pop, the button broke.
you also have to remember that the button is only held on be 2 tabs at 12 and 6 o'clock
-
Grab it at the wrong angle? It only moves in one plane
The additional stress from not pressing the button (as instructed in your driving lessons) will be the issue
Instead of the 1 soft "in and out" if you press you are getting 7-10 high stress high shock loading ones.
Your are accelerating the failure time by a magnitude more
It makes me cringe when I hear someone do it ;)
JJ
-
complete rubbish! in the hand book of my uncles civic it says NOT to press the button when applying the hand brake, which is 1 reason why Honda issued a recall on the hand brake leaver not latching as owners were pressing the button and the ratchet wasn't engaging properly and cars were rolling away, although in my mums civic it may say different as its a car that was built after the hand brake recall. the recall was carried out on his civic when the car has abut 6,000 miles on the clock but in 210,000 miles can you imagine how many times my uncle has used the handbrake, and he has never pressed the button.
the button has nothing to do with the ratchet mechanism other than to release the ratchet allowing it to move freely. when the MOT tester checks the hand brake they usually lift it up 1 click at a time until the brakes lock, they are doing 2 checks at once, seeing if the hand brake is working efficiently and how much leaver travel there is.
when the button broke, my hand was part over the button, as in the first finger was 'resting' on the buttons side and as i yanked up (as the car was rolling back, with a car behind my) you could say my hand slipped and popped the button.
i dont want to get in to a debate of should you press the button when putting the hand brake on or not, do it how you want, press and pull or just pull... although in a proper auto i wouldnt use the hand brake
-
Ah, the handbrake strangler syndrome! I hate it! Button in, pull lever up as high as you reasonably can, release button and then see if you can get one or two clicks. Saves ratchet wear. Simples! ;)
-
Handbrake ratchet wear is a myth. How often do you find you need to replace a ratchet wrench / spanner due to wear?
-
haha - so process is......
grip handbrake
press button with thumb
move thumb to side and apply lateral pressure to button until it breaks
raise handle to desired position
...i'm just teasing - i was just taught not to do the horrible ratatatatata (sounds awful)
if some were being made, i would take one just in case
JJ
-
Well, I try to treat my cars with mechanical sympathy. As well as pressing the handbrake button to minimise wear on the ratchet, I also try to avoid turning the steering wheel if the car is stationary. Turning the steering wheel when the car is stationary puts unnecessary load on the steering mechanism, and also wears the front tyres at the point of contact with the ground. It's the word unnecessary that is the key I believe. If you can hear the noise then it's causing unnecessary contact on the ratchet (the purpose of which is obvious). The wear will be infinitesimal perhaps, but if it's unnecessary then why do it?
:D
-
Handbrake ratchet wear is a myth. How often do you find you need to replace a ratchet wrench / spanner due to wear?
i agree with you gregk!!
the only time i have replaced hand brake leavers is when X-Type had the hand brake recall, the self adjust mechanism would not self adjust and as a result the manual versions would roll.
how would you use your ratchet? are you not wearing out the mechanism when you hear it ratchet?
you home DIY mechanics may only use your ratchets on a weekend however i use them day in day out at work and i have the same ratchets i started with, 1 ratchet did have the mechanism replaces but thats only cos i put too much strain and it broke a tooth.
-
Depends what something is designed for though
The clutch is designed to be pressed over and over but by keeping the pedal depressed you add unnecessary wear on the release bearing
Like a handbrake button is designed to be pressed in a certain way and not sideways haha
So I'm assuming G has been on the laithe all weekend
JJ
-
the hand brake mechanism was designed for both both button and non-button pressers, manufactures test there ideas for well over the equivalent of 1 million miles... but i agree the button is designed to be pressed in and not pulled sideways.
as for 'G'... ill send him my broken button after the postal services have returned back to normal
-
complete rubbish!
One should have said...."I think that is rubbish"...as that is
more acceptable and least likely to be taken offensively.
As for no debate or discussion...I think that has gone by the board...
But let's just leave it that how one uses the handbrake button is down
to the individual. I, like quite a few others were taught to ALWAYS
press the button in when pulling the handbrake up...it was to be fair
'the old school way'.
Times have changed, and so has the reliability of components such
as the handbrake mechanisms, so it is understandable that what was
once the norm is now no longer the case, and that appears to be so
in this instance as it does state in the Smart ForFour Owners Handbook
(section 6-22 'On the move') the following:-
Operating the handbrake
#Pull the lever upwards.
> The lever engages automatically
when pulled up.
> The brake system indicator light in
the instrument cluster lights up un-
til you switch off the ignition.
Releasing the handbrake
#Lift the lever up slightly.
#Push lock knob (A). [the release button]
#Push the lever down.
> The brake system indicator light
goes out
This proves the point that it really does pay to 'RTFM' :o
-
From now on my hand brake button shall be known as "Lock knob"
Hahaha
JJ
-
Wozat...you wanna be known as "Lock knob".... :-\ oh, ok :-* :P
-
we must take a 'brake' from all this blueness... ;D
any how i have received the new 'leaver'... along with 1 tweeter, the other one is back ordered, and i believe that i have cocked up. i thought id be getting the FULL leaver and ratchet mechanism or at least the handle with button... turns out all i got was the handle, leather cover, a new button cover and an Allen key :-X
what has ACTUALLY broken is the button on to which the silver cover sticks on to, looks like ill be taking it off and trying to glue/aradite the button back on :o
-
did you not take it apart to look first? like in my guide?
what bit did you order??
(http://images.neoriginal.ru/getImage.php?catalog=mb&filename=BM_IMAGES_ARC/B421/B42120000122.090715.png&scale=100&hash=553a82e8d1389b451a17eb4dc81d32ce)
JJ
-
i ordered part 300 with the assumption that it would come as part 10... and no i didn't take it apart as per your guide "Lock knob" ;D, as i was that pissed off that i broke it i went and ordered the part with out checking...
-
aaaaargh - thats why we have guides ;)
thats why i was confused
the whole handle comes off with 1 grub screw
the leather gaiter comes off as its held on with a rubber band
i am confused to the difference between 300 and 40 though
mine looks like 40
JJ
-
40 is the metal handle and 300 is the leather handle with a brabus metal inlay
-
300 is the standard handle?
have we seen a 40 before??
JJ
-
If the picture/diagram is anything to go by, then 40 shows it
with the 'lock knob ' (no, not you JJ....arf arf arf...)
-
real pictures would be so much simpler
JJ
-
Agreed....as looking at 300 it appears to be just a Brab replacement
sleeve and gaiter. Nothing showing of a button 'cover' or allen key.
What you got mr singh appears to be 40 as it shows the button
or at least the button cover.
So mr singh what colour is the 'inner' button that you broke..
green by any chance ?.....a picture would be so helpful.
The Mitsi handbrake 'cover' button can be bought off ebay for
what seems a grossly overpriced amount; even with free delivery;
for £17.99 ...but at that price it should include free delivery.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/262186491704?lpid=122&chn=ps&googleloc=9046102&poi=&campaignid=207297426&device=c&adgroupid=13585920426&rlsatarget=aud-133395220626%3Apla-146652033186&adtype=pla&crdt=0
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The inner button is black...
And im pretty sure i saw the picture on Mercedes parts screen and the only option for my car was part 300. The other 2 were grayed out.
Ill take a picture when i get time... Moving to our new duel franchise site is a real pain in the backside! Moving tools... Sorting out tools out i our new tool boxes... Arranging somewhere to store out old tool boxes... Working round others as there are 8 ramps and there are more than 8 jag and land rover lads in the workshop...
-
got a free 2 seconds to myself so i took some pictures...
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/IMG_0269.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/IMG_0269.jpg.html)
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/IMG_0270.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/IMG_0270.jpg.html)
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/IMG_0271.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/IMG_0271.jpg.html)
as you can see the button is silver BUT the inside is black... and the new one confirms that the silver part is only a cover that sticks on
-
That cover/button looks exactly like the one in the
link I posted above.....namely
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/like/262186491704?lpid=122&chn=ps&googleloc=9046102&poi=&campaignid=207297426&device=c&adgroupid=13585920426&rlsatarget=aud-133395220626%3Apla-146652033186&adtype=pla&crdt=0
Only 1 of them available now....
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iv ordered the button from t'bay... im going to regret paying £18 if it doesn't fit. im regretting buying the handle and stick on button from mercedes.
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Looks like the Mitsubishi one to me :)
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the button was ordered on the 22nd and the arrival date was 3rd Jan... got home today and it was here ;D
removed the handle and clipped the button in place and slipped the handle back over and a perfect fit. i was thinking about putting the silver cap that i got with the handle i ordered from mercedes but it looked odd when the handle is scuffed with use and there a new button fitted, so i might leave it for now as is cos the button is silver. might fit the handle and button cover at a later date...
-
Would have been nice to have seen a picture of all the parts that
you got in that order from MB (the button, button cover etc etc).
Oh well.....
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http://allegro.pl/colt-klawisz-przycisk-hamulca-recznego-mr955249xa-i5921107719.html
http://allegro.pl/colt-klawisz-przycisk-hamulca-recznego-mr955249ha-i6108309284.html
I've ordered a silver one. :) I don't think its metal just silver plastic.
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The parts that i got from mercedes havnt been fitted so i could still take a picture...
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without pics im totally confused what handbrake you have and what you have then fitted
JJ
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(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/IMG_0291.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/IMG_0291.jpg.html)
this is what i ordered from mercedes.
http://allegro.pl/colt-klawisz-przycisk-hamulca-recznego-mr955249ha-i6108309284.html
this is what i fit, albeit from it came from Celtic Mitsubishi in Swansea.
i removed the handle to fit the button, but i didnt fit the new handle or button cover. although i may fit them at a later date.
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after saying that i have pictures of my manifold heat shield on this thread, it seams that i may have mentioned what i did at some point and got lost when some threads and posts were lost last year.
anyway the original manifold heat shield was held on with what looked like green wire fence wire but was broken from the mount welded on to the manifold. after i made the decision not to remove the manifold for the main reason of shearing the manifold nuts and studs i had to come up with another way of protecting the brake pipes. we removed a rear silencer heat shield of a 2009 XK, there about 3'x1.5' so they are pretty big and thats when it came to me, i could cut and reshape an old heat shield and get it to fit.
this is the end result
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/image_23.jpeg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_23.jpeg.html)
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/image_24.jpeg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_24.jpeg.html)
... and this is where i secured it at the bottom. i used the existing fixing for the heat shield that was already secured there
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/Mobile%20Uploads/image_25.jpeg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_25.jpeg.html)
it all looks very crude but the pictures were taken with the service panel removed, with it in place, it looks like it came out of the factory with it fitted.
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as some mat know i fit braided brake flexes and all was well... until recently when i serviced it and noticed the R/F flexi has been chaffing on the driveshaft, its only gone through the outer sleeve and not the braided part, i knew id need a new one but they were only as either a pair or a set. on Friday a message came up on the message center saying 'service brakes. visit workshop'. now iv had that warning flash up some time back before i did my clutch and the L/R flexi was leaking at the caliper, i nipped it up and all seamed well until what happened on Friday. i checked the brakes and guess what... the L/R is leaking once again. so im now thinking that iv either cross threaded it or something isnt sat correctly. i had this once on Focus number 1 and i removed it and refit (same side flexi coincidentally) and that cured that. so looks like ill be getting a full set again :'(
here is the catch, for the next 5 weeks EVERYONE in the workshop has to work on Saturday, no if's, and, or but's :( . looks like ill be having a look either after work or out on the street
-
Sorry to hear of your bad fortune mr singh.....
I can only wish you all the best and that you manage to fix/sort/resolve
your problems easily and quickly.
-
Ring HEL direct
They do single ones if you ask
JJ
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i think if i have a couple spare to hand might get me out of future sticky situations
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as most will know i had a prat in a car park who knocked my drivers door mirror off i january. i got a replacement from merc of leeds and all was well. after i got back from my holiday in india in the last week in febuary i noticed that there was condensation in the drivers door mirror indicator. i booked it in at merc in the hope that they will say its parts warranty.
my mum took it on friday and they had a look. there out come was that its not parts warranty as the wiring had been modified and tape :o. i picked up the door mirror from mercedes, went to work, fitted it and then went home the same day bac in january. i had a look at the invoice that they gave my mum and they say it needs a new unit, they carried out a VHC and checked for outstanding service actions and recalls. i went back yesterday after work and asked to speak to someone in service. the service guy who checked the car in wasnt there.
i said to the lady i spoke to, if you do video VHC's you could have shown my in the video where the wiring has been modified and id be ok with it but the wiring hasn't been altered in any way. she said a VHC wasnt carried out as my mum was waiting. at work we carry out a video and a quick VHC when a customer is waiting. she said that she will get someone to ring me on monday.
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Mercedes are adamant that its been fitted incorrectly and want £80 to strip and show me... no thanks, ill do it myself when i get some free time.
new problem my horn has stopped working, before i drop the glove box and check the fuse and relay, are the fuses mini blade fuses or normal blade fuses?
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http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=63.msg33862#msg33862
JJ
-
went to the link and had a look before posting but it doesn't really answer my question, are they mini or regular blade fuses?
anyway i have a new question in regards to the factory fit under seat sub, does the connector look like this with these wires?
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/IMG_0339.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/IMG_0339.jpg.html)
starting from the bottom of the picture the wire colours are
gray
gray/red tracer
white/blue tracer
white/red tracer
black
red/black tracer
white
whilst threading the wires for my clarion compact sub i noticed the plug under the carpet and i figured rather than going to the back of the radio, if that connector IS for the factory sub then id tap in to that instead. if any one can have a look before tomorrow and PM me would be much appreciated.
found my answer and got confirmation from 'G' ;D ;D
as for the indicator, i recall fitting a new unit to my 1.1 and the old one had a connector where as the new unit didn't. ill pop in to Mercedes on saturday and have another word with them.
-
mini as there are 2 sizes shown and the horn is a smaller one
plus the link to show the glove box removal has an actual image of them ;)
JJ
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I did manage to get down to Mercedes and had a word with one of the service advisers. I said you order the ccorrect door mirror and if it looks exactly the same as the one thats fitted you replace it under parts warranty. If its different then ill will pay for them to fit a new unit.
Its booked in with them on the 27th and ill be asking for either pictures or a video of the 2 parts side by side so they cant pull a fast one and charge me for a part thats exactly the same.
In fact i had my dads mate have a quick look as i was having a look round his new 15 plate b class and the first thing he said was its a manufacturing defect as water shouldn't get in to a sealed unit
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good luck :)
JJ
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One thing that i forgot to mention was that i think a bearing on the left side might be getting noisy. I was at work yesterday to help out sales with an F-Pace that should have gone out on Thursday but could go cos of a software update. Whilst i was there i had a quick look at my SB3. I swapped the front wheels side to side and the noise is still there, so im thinking it may be from the rear but i can't swap the rear wheels side to side as they are fitted with directional tyre. The wheel that was damaged whilst on the way to Ace isn't running true either but not as in round. Its still buckled but its sort of running side to side, imagine a wheel cover which hasn't been fitted correctly and when its driven its waving as it goes round. I might get mercedes to look at the wheels when i take it in for its MOT in June.
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They say good things come in 3's
1) Got a result from Mercedes... I have a new door mirror... And i didn't pay a thing for it. Mercedes replaced it under parts warranty ;D....
2) got my insurance renewal and its just over £500
3) not sure if this is a good thing, buy my wife passed her driving test. 2nd time pass... Debating if i should put her on my insurance policy... ??? If already got my mum and dad on the policy...
-
how many tweeters does the forfour with the sound pack have?
i ordered what i thought was 2 tweeters but got 8, 4 in 2 separate boxes. iv fitted the 2 in the front doors but are there 4 fitted or only 2?
iv also added the wife to my insurance... with myself and both parents it was £566, with the wife added a grand total of £596
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Oooeerrr....
From what I can remember there are only 2 tweeters that
are fitted, one in each front door window leading edge point,
never ever any in the rear doors..or fitted into the dash !
So, I reckon you could sell one pack...if anyone's interested
in 'retro' fitting them. (But then they'd need the pillar covers,
the extra bit of loom is nothing special... if you're a DIY'er).
Re your 'wider' insurance cover....keep checking them wheels
every day as I reckon you'll need a quarterly booking for a refurb :(
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after a trip to maidenhead on saturday to pick a set of Mono A's from Scoobysook, which as he said its nice to put a face to a name, i have a strange conundrum.
they say good things come in 3's. well the wheels were one, after we picked the wheels up, my wife, myself and my daughter headed to coventry to meet my parents who were visiting my uncle who has from india. he got me a pair of horns which i asked as a joke. after converting indian rupees to £'s it came to £6.55, cheaper than buying a pair from halfords.
we came home to find 2 letters, 1 was something or nothing and the other was from the company that is building our new house, we how have a moving in date ;D.
this is where my conundrum starts. i managed to do some jobs on the side to get the money for the wheels but my mate has suggested to get the wheels powder coated at a place he was recommended and used. iv mentioned it here before about a company in bradford that charges £1 per inch to powder coat wheels. so in total its going to be £68 to get them powder coated silver, but with everything else thats happening im not so sure.
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Glad all is good, was nice to meet you to. Regarding refurbing if it were me I would leave them as is until potential tyre change or possibly more kerbing. Decisions decisions.
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I'd hold off until after the move personally, never know when the money comes in handy. I had a set of Fortwo Monoblocks knocking around here for well over 6 months or so before I got them powdercoated. Monoblock A's eh? Niiiiceee.
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couple of up dates.
Mono 'A's have been fit and strangely the ride feels different ???
it doesnt seem to crash like it did with the cheese wheels.
(http://i1198.photobucket.com/albums/aa453/nslall/IMG_0502.jpg) (http://s1198.photobucket.com/user/nslall/media/IMG_0502.jpg.html)
currently its sat at mercedes of leeds as its failed its MOT on 3 items. 2 of them are simple things.
Brake hydraulic reservoir retaining device missing (3.6.A.2d).
(the cap is missing, my fault for it being missing, mercedes fault for not ordering it)
Offside Front Brake hose twisted (found during steering lock to lock check) (2.2.D.2b)
(apparently the front flexies are too long and the r/f is stretching on lock ???)
Offside Rear Registration plate lamp not working (1.1.C.1d)
(its a bulb, they can go at any time...)
and 2 advisories.
Brake hose modified but not seriously weakened all (3.6.A.3)
(iv fitted braided flexies, how they can be an advisory i dont know)
coil spring modified but not seriously weakened all (2.4.A.2)
(its been lowered, again how they can be an advisory)
im also considering removing the lowered springs and fitting standard ones. it has the factory fit sports dampers, so will the springs be different or are they all the same?
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you may just have the brake lines positioned through the clamp incorrectly
i had that on mine
too far one way and they stretched
too far the other way and they tap tap tapped on the wheel
you will have the brabus suspension no? dampers and springs?
strange those being advisories
such a lovely looking car
JJ
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I agree with JJ...re the flexi hoses.
As for Advisories on non standard parts....that's really not on !
MoT Advisories are specifically for the notification of any
Items that need looking at or into replacing sometime before
the next MoT...not for any modifications or non standard parts.
Oh, and standard springs will 'jack' your car up 35 - 40mm
and spoil not only the looks of the car but also the handling.
As for the springs being Brab spec....l would expect so, but
without spare time to trawl through an MB EPC l can't say
that they are for sure.
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In theory braded cables do not pass the test. This involves whacking the cable repeatedly off a wheel until it fails. The cotton and more flexible hose will pass this test more readily. The metal braid will harden and fail. I do fail to see the relevance of that test to real world situations. I had a long discussion once with a MOT tester who wanted to fail my car for having them.......It passed.
The testers are asked to list more and more under advisories to justify the time taken for the MOT
With the brake reservoir cap missing - have you got polythene over it to help stop water ingress? It may be worth draining the reservoir and filling with fresh fluid when the cap turns up.
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Im with you on doing a brake fluid change when i get time, and yes i have covered the reservoir with polythene and a rubber band, cecil.
I tent to disagree with the whole braided brake flexies get hard. S-Type, XF and XK all have braided flexies and they seam flexable enough after years of use... Although when i have replaced them for being corroded, they have kept the shape they had been bent to, but still flexable.
I'll have to check on the springs tomorrow with mercedes if brabus and non brabus springs are any different. I know mine has the sports package as Mercedes have confirmed it when i went to ask which dampers it had fitted.
It appears that it has the factory sports dampers but after market lowering springs, as looking back at previous MOT advisories it states that all 4 springs were corroded.
There is a reason why i want it a little higher. The first set of braided flexies i fitted, the R/F started chaffing on the drive shaft... And when i had it on a 4 poster the drive shafts are pointing up instead of down which isnt going to help with brake flexi clearance!
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Looking good Mr S.
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You have the correct length brake lines fitted
I have no issues with my braided ones
JJ
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OEM sports springs are lower and have thicker coils than OEM normal springs. (aprox -25mm shorter and +0.25mm thicker coils)
I changed my front springs to diesel ones, +20mm taler and +.45mm thicker coils. I use (JJ's old) HEL braded lines with no issues,and also had them on when the car was on lowering springs without issues.
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the only thing is i dont know who manufactured the springs that are fitted. they are silver and have what looks like a Mitsubishi part number, but nothing comes up on google when i type the number in.
and it also depends on the lowered drop as well, would it not, on the flexi clearance on suspension travel.
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are the braided lines for the car or something you had laying around?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v355/problemchild1976/FORFOUR%20BRAB/P1050003.jpg)
you have the middle mount yeah?
JJ
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for the car, i would never think about fitting something what wasn't right for the car especially something as vital as brakes.
and yes they do have the middle mount, although the side the flexi screws on to the brake pipe was deliberately left short to prevent chaffing on the drive shaft.
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I nearly wore through to the inner rubber of my n/s braided flexi hose
that I had on my Brab. I have BC coilovers and they did not have the
same 'middle' mount for that rubber 'strap', so it was 'secured' to the
strut using cable ties. However, somehow it came loose !
Luckily I saw it when I had it up on S2's ramp...and quickly ordered
a new set and fixed the new one's in place using a custom fitting
that I made up to adapt to fit the middle rubber 'strap' on the hose.
Now I have no problem with the braided flexi touching on the driveshaft
even though the ride height is a lower than standard.
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I can't swear on it, but standard springs are usually black, and
Brabus springs are usually silver...
So if your springs have what looks like a Mitsi part number, why not
Google the part and see what comes up....could be Colt CZT/CZC..
-
i have typed the number in to google and came up with nawt.
even substituted some of the numbers like 5 and 8 for 6 and 0
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pic?
JJ
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There must be a thread here as i recall posting some pictures up... Unless they got lost when the server went pop.
Ill try and fin9the pictures and repost them
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iv ordered the button from t'bay... im going to regret paying £18 if it doesn't fit. im regretting buying the handle and stick on button from mercedes.
My current handbrake is more than crap. Have started with button which was gone when I bought car and cut on manual CNC of brass, my own button (like the goldish look when brass is polished). Unfortunately you had this problem before I bought Smart and found this useful forum, so I couldn't help and cut one for you.
(http://i.imgur.com/Ky2hOoN.jpg)
And inside:
(http://i.imgur.com/i0mttZM.jpg)
Later I added cut, row inside so the plastics clips hold button in place. Waiting for leather gaiter to cover old ugly plastic handbrake.
-
v nice :)
JJ
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Looks nice...
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Very nice....
If you made a few more then I am sure there would be a few
people willing to buy them (depending on the price..obviously).
If the price were right I'd have one for my Brab as mine is
broken...and maybe have another as a spare.
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They would be great for all for fours. As the brabus button is just a normal one with the metal stuck over.
I replaced the middle with a Mitsubishi plastic button and stuck the Brabus metal one over it and used superglue.
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its been a while since iv been here... we've finally moved house ;D
i miss the old house. it was an old Victorian house with plenty of space, but dont miss the area!
the new house is a new build with a drive ;D and we managed to get almost £400 back from the insurance companies. £350 for the civic ans £21 for mine
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Congrats mate :)
JJ
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Congrats mrsingh and all the best in your new house.
Eddie.
-
after an interesting saga with my gearbox and figuring out if a 1.3 box will fit a 1.5, which it will, thanks to the info from all. the noise has gone.
total cost of the repair...
2nd hand gearbox - £125
Genuine oil from Mercedes - £34
Labour for fitting - £100
Total cost - £259
-
That isn't bad going for a gearbox replacement. ;) I guess the clutch was in OK condition?
-
So what exactly caused noise in gearbox? Have you used MoS2 in old gearbox as additive?
-
clutch was replaces last year so that was fine.
i did use gear oil additive in the old box but didnt make a difference. it must have been the diff that was noisy as the noise was present in all gears. when i went to Ace the noise defiantly got worse, so much so that i was embarrassed to drive it in gear and my mum was worried that the car would stop, thats how bad it got.
the new box will be left as it is, as in just oil and no additive
-
glad its sorted - hopefully you don't regret buying it :(
JJ
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any regrets buying it, no
sorted, no. one of the gearbox output shaft seals is leaking >:(
-
Ha - I did say in my guide that anytime taking drive shafts out (clutch, gearbox etc) then replace seals as they are only a few £
Do it ASAP before the bottom of the car is drenched
JJ
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mr singh ! With your experience/skills, and you didn't
replace the drive shaft seals :o You do surprise me ;)
-
yeah... i didnt do the job, had a mate of mine do it as working on your own cars is now frowned upon at work, and if figured id take the risk. after all i did replace the clutch and the 'old' seals were ok and i havnt really replaced any output shaft seals on any of the clutches iv done.
noticed the leak yesterday, went straight to my mates who had a look and directly to mercedes to order the seal and more oil. should be here tomorrow.
-
output shaft seal replaced a week after the leak was noticed and the good news is no more leaks :).
i think it may need a new front wheel bearing but ill leave it till it gets worse, or it could be the tyres i have fitted on the front.
the gearbox has now done 2000 miles since its fitted and its running sweet as a sweet thing 8)
since loosing my job thing have been put on hold that need doing.
1- the creak from the L/F appears to be the ball joint so ill replace both lower arms.
2- might replace all the dampers as its now less than 300 miles till its done 100k. combine it with a pair of new front lower arms and it may fix stability issue iv had since i got it.
3- heated seats... need to order the pads and get them fitted. i could fit them myself but, i dont know if the seat fabric is glued to the foam or its separate, if the cover is separate, how is it held to the foam and my car need to be mobile during the week.
i have a little money saved from doing the odd side job, but not enough to do everything in the list
next thing to do, 'B'* service and brake fluid change.
*just an oil change this time, as when i got it 2 years ago, the service indicator showed it wanted a 'B' service so i replaced oil, oil filter, plugs, pollen filter and re-oiled my K&N panel air filter
-
i forgot to mention that my sister and bother in-law are coming to visit in august... iv also found out that my brother in-laws brother is coming with them. he has a modified Mercedes E Class AMG... he is as big a petrol head as i am, looks like ill be taking him for a spin in my SB3 on the B1224 ;D
-
with the odd side job that i have done with the time iv had out of work, i have bought a pair of new arms... for my forfour, not myself ;D, ill have to find a good day where its not pissing down with rain , windy or both to replace them and hopefully do a How to in the process.
also my steering rack is starting to play up but i want to try a few things before i get a 2nd hand one. mercedes wants £1100 for a new rack. i recall my mate when he had his Fiat Punto. his steering would play up if he was playing a track with a lot of bass. and he found out it was excessive current draw by the amps and subs which caused the issue, whilst i was in lidl i spotted a battery/alternator tester on sale for £4, as i have suspected the battery is incorrect or too old since i bought it.
it also needs a pair of front seat belts as they are slow to retract
-
New arms ? Wiper arms ? Suspension lower arms ?
-
Human arms ?.....lol.
-
front lower suspension arms, should have said... my bad
-
i knew what you meant mate :)
new job (i think i read)??
JJ
-
JJ you read correct, new job. not saying anything yet, although i will say it involves a short blast down the M1 for about 9 junctions
although a new pair of arms is what the wife would like. she wants 'big' arms :o
-
fitted the suspension arms and need to get it retracked.
found out the reason for the woolly handling, the big bush was split and the centre part of the bush can be pushed through. been for a drive and it feels better but once the tracking has been checked and adjusted, it hopefully should feel like my 1.1
-
so its been a month since i started my new job with Hatfields Jaguar Wakefield. its a 30 minuet, 20 miles (each way) door to door drive down the M1. so far iv filled up 3 times and averaged 31.05 MPG, the highest reading according to my MPG tracker app is 41.42 MPG.
all was going well on my commute till last week where the steering started to feel funny on the motorway, so i took it in to the workshop and found the L/F wheel bearing with excessive play :( so a new hub has been ordered. yes i know i could have replaced JUST the bearing but i dont have the pleasure taking my car in to the workshop as freely as i did before.
on another note me and my uncle have been going to U-Pull-It in York, a breakers yard where you pull the part you want, and 2 weekends ago there was a forfour, with the sound package, i made the decision that im not going to pull the factory sub, but this weekend gone im the proud owner of a factory sub, for the price i payed, it was hard to say no!
-
well done :)
JJ
-
New job, new arms and new sounds. Well done all round
-
Good on ya mr Singh.
-
I second all the above comments ;)
-
whilst driving down the M1 to work i noticed that the steering felt funny, put it up on the ramp and play in the L/F bearing :(
i know i could have bought just the bearing and pressed it out BUT i can't really work on my own car at work, even in my own time, company politics... so a new hub and ABS sensor later, good as new ;D
on the way from work whilst joining the motorway a lad in an astra (couldn't have been a VXR as it would have flown past) came flying up the slip road behind me... so i showed him what the SB3 could do. put it this way, judging by his reactions and the fact that he was behind me till the next junction he was impressed ;D.
-
Showing your rear to that Astra mr.singh 8).....very cool ;)
-
treated the SB3 to a quick wash on thursday, i still cant believe its 14 years old when its clean
it needs a good clean, polish and wax, but i need time and good weather to do it.
took it to Manchester yesterday and averaged just short of 50 MPG there and 53.3 MPG on the way back, not bad considering that the hand book stated the 1.5 could do 54.3 MPG extra urban. i imagine i could have go a bit more if i didnt have the A/C on.
any how next to sort out, the corrosion blisters on the rear arches and boot lid.
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......next to sort out, the corrosion blisters on the rear arches and boot lid.
??? the rear arches are GRP (plastic)....and that doesn't rust... ::)
As for the bootlid..correction 'tailgate'...where abouts exactly ?
-
Probably stone chips on the the tridion behind the rear doors? ;)
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??? the rear arches are GRP (plastic)....and that doesn't rust... ::)
what brabs said, there are blisters on the trid behind the rear doors where it 'flares out'. the plastic arches are also peppered with chips
As for the bootlid..correction 'tailgate'...where abouts exactly ?
tailgate, boot lid... tomato, toMAto. as to the location 1 blister is roughly to the center right of the boot release switch, and the other is in an obscure location, its is halfway between the boot release switch and the end of the boot lid on the right side and its creeping under the glass
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so i had my forfour MOT'd last week Tuesday at merc of wakefield, and it failed >:(.
it failed on the L/R brake flexi leaking. i fitted braided flexies and after getting some answers from Mercedes, it turns out that its been leaking within the outer sleeve and as a result its had swelled. after contacting HEL performance, i have to say that it should have been last week Wednesday i should have received the new flexies but its taken a full 10 days to receive them. apparently the pair they sent had been sent back to them due to some damage and they were making me a new pair, in the mean time i was still driving with a duff brake flexie which was getting me on edge every time i went to press the brakes. they turned up on Thursday and i fitted them this afternoon and will be re-MOTd on Wednesday.
it gets even better as the civic also failed its MOT on something that isnt as easy as brake flexies, it wants a full rear axle as the rear axle bushes have play in them :'(, bushes arnt available separate and its a dealer only part at £770 plus fitting.
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I feel your pain
The BMW went for mot Thursday
Garage had neglected to tell us their mot tester quit 2 weeks ago
Had to go Essex so booked a slot Friday near my dads place (last slot of the day at 5pm)
Failed on rear tyre damage
Spent the day ringing round but none available (275 30 R19) so had to order for Tuesday and all had to take an extra day off work! They are £200 per tyre!!
Thinking about it, 2 years ago on this BH weekend the alternator seized in the Friday evening driving to Essex too and the car had to go into the garage for the whole BH weekend
Oh dear
HEL normally do next day delivery and make them up to order - can’t believe they failed though - they are racing quality
JJ
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i take it your looking for run flats for your BMW, JJ? id personally fit normal tyres to it and throw a can of tyre weld in the boot.
the first set they sent out didnt even get to me! royal mail sent them back due to the packing label being damaged or something... told my uncle and he said the same thing as what i was going to say, i bet they didnt have any in stock and were blaging there way though.
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so as 'G' and JJ know, i 'bought' a pair of FK rear dampers, they have now been refunded as i changed my mine, and because of what JJ said, buy cheap, buy twice.
so iv got a full set of dampers, and poly rear top mount bushes for less than £300.
iv also got new engine and gearbox mounts which will be ready to fit once i receive the poly gearbox mount insert.
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Probably the best choice tbh :)
I think they were a tad overpriced anyway as those type of shocks are regularly on the fk site for £9
JJ
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Anyone had noises coming from under the instrument panel?
Vaguely noticable when going over the bumps, sounds like when cable is hitting plastic cover or something.
Just wanted to ask if someone had this before I start dismantling the panel myself.
Its no big issue, I know, but drives me crazy
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Can you be a bit more specific? Which instrument panel are you referring to?
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Seems like it is coming from underneath cloth covered panel behind the instrument cluster; driver (LHD) side. Sounds like when you take a normal USB charging cable (as an example) and you lightly knock with it over a plastic surface (say printer surface or anything made of hard plastic). Sorry I cannot be more specific.
BTW anyone ever took the cloth covered panel off?
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Hmm, sounds like you say, something which has come adrift and is tapping. The dash panel has been removed by some folks on here and I believe that it’s a bit of a PITA to do! Maybe just turn the radio up, drive over some very rough roads to shake it about... or live with it?! :(
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id go with turn the radio up and live with it.
i have a sticking blend flap actuator, and for the time being i live with it until it packs in.
oh and the rear poly top mount bushes have arrived, shockers are at the motor factors ready for me to pick up, gearbox mount poly insert has been dispatched, so all in all its coming together nicely.
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Might check ALL the panels on the inside as well; perhaps it just transfers the tapping from somewhere else. Or Might just learn to live with it :D thanks lads
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Found the culprit. You wouldn't believe what it was...
https://youtu.be/YhAWFawi1R8
Perhaps due to the excess heat lately (32c outside and keeping the car in underground garage afterwards plus I kept my sunglasses under the shield)
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Glad you found the source of your annoying 'rattle'.
Soon fixed I guess...tape round the spindle, or just jam a
bit of something between to stop it vibrating ?
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replaced the engine mounts yesterday, the one on the engine side was torn, and the gearbox side was in a similar condition.
with the polly bush insert in the gearbox mount i have to say it certainly sounds different, the resonating noise that is now coming through the car its almost like a performance exhaust up till about 3000 rpm where it quietens down.
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I found that same harshness noise when I replaced the dogbone gearbox strap on my Clio Cup with a polybushed one. It did prevent driveline windup when accelarating hard away from rest though.
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i have noticed a couple of times that there have been knocking noises whilst driving, i am fairly sure that i tightened all the nuts and bolts that i took off.
ill have to monitor when it knocks, there is a knock when i let the clutch out but has started after i replaced the mounts and it sounds different to the one when it happens when im driving. its definitely not shockers knocking.
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the knock is present when i change gears so ill have to adapt my driving to suit.
anyone had any experiences with a sacs and borge dampers (i think the front pair are sacs and the rear are borge) as well as suplex springs? i cant do anything now as i have them ready to fit, just want some feed back on the parts iv bought.
iv yet to pick up the front top mounts from mercedes, so once there here, i should be all set to rebuild my suspension.
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One day I may fix my knocking noise, but at the moment it's the only thing I have to complain about on my 454 , my knocking is the air intake box hitting the plastic engine cover, the box has a lot of play on its rubber mounts and does not take much to make it hit the engine cover ,did take the air filter box out and checked the rubbers all good may get new rubber mounts, but one day.
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mr singh...Sachs and Boge are both well known maufacturers
and used by MB/Smart, so you can rest assured that the parts you
have will be perfectly ok.
jmariog....re your 'knocking' airbox against engine cover....
I suggest you find a bit of expanding foam; like half of a car wash
sponge; and jam it between them as I did on my daughters 1.3 as
that had the same 'symptoms' and it has worked a treat (so far).
Obviously the foam will degrade over time, but hey...car wash
sponges are cheap.
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but what about the suplex springs...?
i understand that sachs and borge are standard fitment on MB vehicles.
as for the engine cover knocking on the airbox, id go with what 'G' has suggested. wedge some foam between the 2, paint it black to blend in ;)
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Borge ! Boge actually...but all nit picking aside, from info that I've
gathered over many years points to nearly all car springs made in
Europe being manufactured in a very small number of factories (2->3),
in Germany ! scandalous but true, the only difference is the box they
are eventually packed in and the price 'Joe Public' is asked to pay
for the privilege of having for example H&R's as against as set of
possibly cheaper Sachs or even Suplex ones.
I can't speak for springs made anywhere else in the world, but I'd
tend to think along the lines of "a spring is a spring is a spring",
so I'd not be too concerned about your Suplex ones.
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tomaato, tomAto.
the only reason i ask id because iv never fitted springs to any of my cars, hard to believe but my city coupe has transverse leaf springs... and at work iv only really fitted genuine springs.
interesting to know that all springs come from a handful of factories in Deutschland.
so i started stripping 1 side yesterday and i ended up refitting the old strut back as i needed more parts >:(. kinda pissed off knowing the state of the old bushes that i replaced. i should have known better and order everything new for the front struts. iv got to phone mercedes tomorrow and order the top strut bearings and spring isolaters all round.
so far the suspension count stands at 2x front dampers and top mounting plates, 2x rear dampers and top mounts, 2x front springs and 2x rear springs
whilst i had the front strut off i noticed that it had a red 'stamp' on one of the coils reading 'smart BRABUS'. i highly doubt that the original brabus springs are silver and allow the car to sit as low as what mine is sitting. i think i might find out more once i rebuild the suspension
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Should have a part number on them
JJ
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mr singh...original Smart Brabus springs are silver....and...
they do have Smart Brabus printed on them !
:o
So...not only did your car have the SB3 engine upgrade when it
was delivered to the customer from the dealer, but it also appears
to have been spec'd with Brabus springs.
If memory serves me correctly, you did state that it has long
front drop links from the strut to the lower suspension arms
meaning it didn't get Brabus shock adsorbers. Maybe it had slightly
stronger shocks..or..this was Smarts' idea of the 'Sports Pack'...
namely stiffer Brab springs but with standard shocks ?
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but what about the suplex springs...?
I had a pair of suplex front springs and one snapped after a couple of years. And they were the thick version, for the cdi. Wasn't very pleased with them.
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mr singh...original Smart Brabus springs are silver....and...
they do have Smart Brabus printed on them !
:o
So...not only did your car have the SB3 engine upgrade when it
was delivered to the customer from the dealer, but it also appears
to have been spec'd with Brabus springs.
If memory serves me correctly, you did state that it has long
front drop links from the strut to the lower suspension arms
meaning it didn't get Brabus shock adsorbers. Maybe it had slightly
stronger shocks..or..this was Smarts' idea of the 'Sports Pack'...
namely stiffer Brab springs but with standard shocks ?
it may be the case with it having the option of 'sports suspension' being fitted, BUT having a look through the past MOT's online, there was an advisory for all 4 springs corroded. the following year and subsequent years, there is no note of the springs. so one can assume that the springs were replaced. and your memory is holding you correct, i do have non brabus dampers.
if i do have brabus springs fitted then why is the car sitting so low? its on standard dampers with standard brabus springs, but if you look at the rear springs they are compressed to within an inch of there lives. the springs cant have sagged that much that its 'sat on its a*s' and if the dampers are shot the springs should hold it at normal ride height.
I had a pair of suplex front springs and one snapped after a couple of years. And they were the thick version, for the cdi. Wasn't very pleased with them.
thanks for the feedback on the springs. ill fit them and see how they go and how long they last.
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The rear Brabus springs are like that though
Have a look for the part number :)
JJ
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ill definitely be having a good look at the springs for any part numbers, i do recall seeing an MN part number on the rear springs but nothing came up in google when i typed it in, plus some of the numbers looked like they had faded, or been rubbed off.
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Surely the dampers would have been factory
matched to the springs originally
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Not sure that’s correct
JJ
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so the dampers and springs have all been replaced, the car sits higher than before, rides better than before... over all im happier than before.
the dampers were all shot, more so the R/R. i suspect the springs and dampers were the original one from the factory as mentioned before the brabus has silver springs over black ones. rear poly top mounts have also been fitted with a bit of modification. the original top mount washers went round the old rubber mounts and the new bushes were bigger. i had a couple of big washers that i had to make the holes bigger so they would go over the top of the damper.
as i may have mentioned before my SB3 came with sports suspension according to mercedes. so it could be a case that the first owner wanted a brabus, but the brabus wasnt available back in 2003/4 so they went to the expense of ticking everything that said brabus on the options list.
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G'day mr singh, I've gone over your list about ''things wrong with my new forfour'' and found that there were a lot of things wrong with yours compare to my forfour, that i bought nearly 4 years ago with about 76000km and has now about 114000km on the clock, so ive done about 38000km without much problem.
I have had sofar only a solenoid on the starter motor and the front windscreen wiper motor replaced and for the rest nothing gone wrong, so i wonder how come yours has had so many problems right from when you bought it ?.
Was it a lemon or are you so fussy, as you must spend a lot of money on yours that other forfour owners dont have too to keep it running, so my question is, was it worth it ?
Good luck with it and Greetings,
Eddie.
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Glad its riding better now.
Do you have a list of the part numbers for the front and rear suspension that you changed, eg not the spring or shock but the bearing, rubber seats, bumpstops etc. I was trying to find it in search but to avail.
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front bump stops are incorporated in to the shocker boots, i got them non genuine.
the top mounts, bearings etc came from mercedes. in total id say i spent around £130 for the front extras.
boots came in at £36 for the pair from my local motor factors, about £42 for the bearings, top rubber isolators, and spring mount, about £60 for the top mount plates from mercedes.
i did make a mistake and not order the lower spring isolators for the front and rear , but they will have to do for now.
i kinda knew that there would be issues with this one as it has had 6 previous owner and no service history, although i did manage to get information as to what was carried out during its warranty period along with a dealer code. i has no idea as to how it was looked after, no idea as to how it was driven. when i test drove it before buying it i knew there were things wrong compared to my 1.1 i had then, the woolly suspension, the clutch, the metallic rattle i had only when i accelerated hard.
i would have to say given the state of the dampers and bushes its been driven hard or the dampers have been fooked for a very long time BUT the engine has been looked after as when i carried out an engine decontamination flush treatment the filter in the machine that i hooked up to the engine, looked clean.
i do however think that i might be getting to the end of what might be wrong with my forfour. the only thing i know that needs fixing now is the horn, as its now on its last legs due to a crazy Vectra driver that decided to cut me up about 3 weeks ago.
after doing a bit of investigating on the springs, the front springs, i was unable to get anything more than a faded Smart Brabus stamp and a lot of corrosion as the silver powder coating has crumbled off. the rear springs i did find another MN part number, so ill google that when i get time.
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horn never worked well anyway! ;D
SB3s are exceptionally rare. Therefore worth it.
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My forfour has also had 6 owners here in New Zealand but i dont know how many owners in Japan before it was imported secondhand to here, i did get some service history but only from 59000km , it has been here since 32000km in NZ.
Eddie.
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horn never worked well anyway! ;D
SB3s are exceptionally rare. Therefore worth it.
both points are true
the SB3 is a rare beast, no matter what every brabus owner says the SB3 is rarer!
the horn is pathetic as standard but it worked, now its wheezing and iv got a pair that my uncle brought from India ;D which i really need to fit... along with the brabus grill i have once i get some 2K laquer... and the pressed plated i want.
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horn replaced with a duel tone horn my uncle got me from India, works a treat!
grill replaced, but it seams it may be the wrong grill as there is too much of a gap on the ends, should have looked at the part numbers to see which Smart it was for :-X
i also bought a CZT steering rack and module, and front brakes.
rack fitted but had the ABS and ESP lights on was on on friday, got the ABS light switched off by a garage in Wakefield that one of the valeters knew. steering wheel was well off center which resulted in the ESP light on, went to Krap Fit and they said they wont do the tracking as the ESP light was on and the steering wheel was 'too far out'. told them the reason the ESP light is on is because the the wheel is off center, they still refused and said that i need to sort the ESP fault out first before they track it up :o, my reply to that was give me a set of spanners and ill do it myself... i think you know the answer to that statement.
anyhow went to a place that my dad knows and guess what they tracked it up and the ESP light is now off ;D
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i got an email from Smart UK for this winter health check campaign a few weeks ago, and had it booked in on Saturday gone.
there are several issues that have arisen.
1) the brake discs need replacing but the pads have enough meat on them, so ill let the pads go 'metal to metal' and replace them.
2) the right front tyre 'is showing cords' on the inner edge, it has worn on the inner edge but i cant see any visible cords showing and i have had it tracked up.
3) the mid exhaust section 'has a hole' and the exhaust clamp is heavily corroded.
4) the rear axel bushes are starting to perish but ill see what the MOT says next year.
points 1 and 2 ill keep an eye on but its point 3 that id like to address asap. dont thing ill need a new pipe, just some exhaust paste and a new clamp will be sufficient i think (famous last words)
any one know the diameter of the 1.5 petrol exhaust as my motor factors will more than likely ask me the size.
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well i got impatient and ordered a set of disc and pads all round for it.
iv fitted the CZT/Brabus brake calipers along with the larger disc and pads. went to fit the rear brakes and i managed to damage one of the torx bolt for the caliper mount >:(... why on earth do smart INSIST on using torx screws and bolts its beyond me, really pissed off i couldn't fit the rear brakes.
looks like another phone call to Mercedes and a trip to work 1 Saturday to fit the rear brakes
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brakes sorted and the wheel alignment was rechecked and adjusted, as the steering wheel was slightly off centre to the left, and on the whole it feels almost like my 1.1 but with bigger wheels.
i managed to get a genuine brabus front grill for what i think was a bargain. it was brand new from a german seller on ebay and it cost my the princely sum of £37, all i need to do is get it painted, but i think ill get some of the corrosion on the trid sorted at the same time.
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had my car up on the ramp at work and it turns out that there was never any hole in the centre exhaust section, it was just the heavily corroded exhaust clamp that was causing the it to blow ever so slightly. I also found the clamp on the rear silencer wasn't even attached. it had cleanly broken from the silencer. 2 clamps fitted and it seams to sound quieter.
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Cheap fix then... ;)
Good that you've sorted that out...what's next ?
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whats next... get the heated seats working. if any brabus owners can confirm of there is a relay fitted in the fuse box in a slot 4 from the right would be much appreciated. iv asked JJ as if he could have a look but any other brab owners or owners with heated seats fitted, feel free to let me know.
there appears to be what looks like a 'bridge' fitted in the space where I suspect a relay should be fitted.
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access very restricted this may help.so starting top right from red Relay top row full, second row first two empty rest full,third row 4 and 6 empty,
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Thanks and sorry I’ve not got to the brab yet (it’s tucked up all nice and warm at the moment)
Do I remember someone saying there was a separate relay in the dash area?
JJ
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The heated seat relay is relay 'R' in the diagram here:-
http://www.forfour.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=64.msg85#msg85
Which jmariog quite rightly points out will be the empty 4th
slot in row 3 of his photo.
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question if the Relay is the fourth one the empty one in my photo how come my heated seats work?????
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looks like they don't have a relay but a Bridge both heated seats and Trailer hitch have this it's the black pin/bridge in my photo
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this is what I was afraid of. I have the same bridge in my fuse box. iv got everything fitted, button bank with the appropriate switches, the heated pads on the drivers seat (for now), and the 'controler' aka the blue heated seat relay, and they still dont work. looking in to limited ones build thread, he had to get his activated by mercedes but he knew someone at his local merc center.
anyone know of any independents around Leeds that can activate the heated seats?
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Have you tried Melvyn Scott? I have his number if you don't.
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if you could PM me his number would be appreciated.
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the heated seat activation has taken a back seat for now as the rear axel bushes on my SB3 are getting past there best and as a result there is a likely chance of it not passing the MOT, so I bought a 2nd hand rear axel from ebay, willotts no less.
I am still considering which poly bush to fit, Power Flex or Super Pro, although I am leaning towards the Power Flex ones. just need order the desired bushes and a decent week to take off to replace the bushes.
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i ended up buying the powerflex bushes for the rear axle, so they will be fitted one weekend. i also ended up buying a pair of anti roll bar bushes and a new yellow poly insert for the gearbox mount, again all from powerflex. i also need a pair of anti roll bar links as the left one has some play in it.
i did have a polly insert in the gearbox mount but it was the black one rather than the yellow one, which was the reason for the intermittent knock i got when i changed gear.
by the time iv fitted the poly bushes, the whole suspension will have been renewed.
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well its been a productive day for me.
removed the rear beam and fit my 'reconditioned' beam. did it all on the drive in 3 hours 10 minuets. would possible have been less if I had fit the passenger hub the right way round. there is a right way and wrong was, there is an arrow which should pointing towards the front.
went for a 30 minuet drive and cant really tell the difference in handling, but at least it should pass it MOT next month
I also fit the new speakers I had bought. I also found out why the drivers rear speaker wasn't working... the connector was half connected and fell off when I removed the speaker.
I have to say the sound has improved but tomorrow I should know if its any better as I had a quick listen before finishing.
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mr singh, good luck with your MOT next month,glad for you the sound has improved.
Greetings,
Eddie.
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Well done mate
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Well done :)
JJ
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Remember to 'fade' the front to rear speaker setting to +1 to the rear.
That will give YOU a far better 'sound stage' as it will move the sound
more around you....AND....if you ever have back seat passengers they
will appreciate that set up too.
Why ?
Well the rear door speakers are low down in the door, so 'fading' it by
+1 to the rear will have raised the volume level a bit for them.
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Remember to 'fade' the front to rear speaker setting to +1 to the rear.
first thing I did was have a play with the sound ;D and ended up with +1 to the rear
as you all know I opted for the powerflex bushes but the instructions and tech support from powerflex were useless. I had one of my mated fit the bushes (who is a bike mechanic) and it took him the best part of 3/4 days to fit them and even his boss said they were a pain to fit.
they tried pushing them in using a bench vice which was difficult as they both were afraid that they might damage the bush and split it or worse, push the metal rod out. they tries warming the bushes hoping that it would make them softer and easier to push in, that didn't help much. in the end they machined the smaller lip down enough to make it easier to start pressing the bush in. my mates thinking was that its still got a lip on the inside of the beam and once its fitted it wont be going any where, and having driven it, the back end doesn't feel loose like when we had a garage incorrectly replace 1 rear trailing arm bush on Focus number 1.
its not something that id want to do again but I have no regrets fitting the new bushes as I know that area will pass the MOT.
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so having done around 200+ miles since fitting I haven't noticed any difference in handling although there appears to be more tyre noise transmitted in to the car from the rear.
iv also noticed that the fuel gauge has started flashing... like my 1.1. when it was flashing I flicked it over to the range display on the multifunction screen and the range was showing '----miles', when it stopped flashing it stayed on showing '----miles' then started calculating how much range I had.
it was an experiment that someone had said might be worth trying with my 1.1 if it had the multifunction display. they said if the range still shows then don't bother doing anything, but that is out of the question as that also disappears. looks like ill be getting the soldering iron out before my trip to my aunts in Germany in july.
another note MOT is due next month so fingers crossed itll pass.
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had my SB3 round at merc of leeds for its MOT and it passed ;D with 2 advisories, which were that the brake pipes were covered in grease (they have been covered in grease since 83k and its now done over 116k) and sight play in the RF lower ball joint.
the loan car they gave me was nice... till I got it on the motorway to get to work, bloody dangerous!
it was an 18 plate A 200 petrol and it had no power, as iv there was a blockage in the CAT. put my foot down to get up to speed and it took forever to get from 30 to 50 up the M621 slip road and took a life time to get from 40 to 70 after the road works on the M621. it was ACTUALLY loosing speed with the cruise set to 70 going up slight inclines. phoned them and got a replacement and apparently the car they originally gave me was ok for the driver ??? as i asked what the driver thought when i picked mine up.
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Took a happy brabus on a trip to the Midlands at the weekend to bringing it home with a crack in the exhaust just in front of the back box, a squeak in the front wiper mechanism somewhere and a tapping tappet. Talk about things coming in 3s.
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last 2 weekends back I figured that id try and fit my quarter glasses, only to find out that id left them at work >:( so I figured that id fit some things that id been putting off for a long time.
I managed to get another tow hook and chopped it to fit my tow strap and my F-Type SVR splitter.
there not the best pictures because the shadow is hiding the splitter, but it doesn't look out of place.
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa453/nslall/0/526d5285-d666-4312-ab48-c591951ec4bb-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://beta.photobucket.com/u/nslall/p/526d5285-d666-4312-ab48-c591951ec4bb)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa453/nslall/0/84441317-4e29-4b50-914a-3db72cf91f56-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://beta.photobucket.com/u/nslall/p/84441317-4e29-4b50-914a-3db72cf91f56)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa453/nslall/0/071f3794-5e10-4a5a-ba0a-bb1120d97c78-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://beta.photobucket.com/u/nslall/p/071f3794-5e10-4a5a-ba0a-bb1120d97c78)
I also ordered a new silicone induction pipe from Dynodaze which arrived today so that will get fitted tomorrow ;D and im going to have to investigate a knock that has developed on the R/F corner... although ALL suspension components have been replaced, which has got me a little baffled
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rear quarter glasses have been replaced.
the seals on the old ones had split and as a result had started digging in to the paint where they touched and they had to be replaced as to not cause further issues. as Mercedes wanted around £100 for 1 I managed to get a pair of 2nd hand ones for less... result ;D
the old ones were flyeyed but I spray tinted the 'new' ones. the look like crap from the inside but look great on the outside.
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa453/nslall/0/837ce87a-f16f-43b9-98f4-ac292773eff3-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://beta.photobucket.com/u/nslall/p/837ce87a-f16f-43b9-98f4-ac292773eff3)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa453/nslall/0/1a390531-0e2b-4a01-9f5e-b90235b19050-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://beta.photobucket.com/u/nslall/p/1a390531-0e2b-4a01-9f5e-b90235b19050)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa453/nslall/0/d38c827f-e478-4344-9287-0f7ed05fd0ef-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://beta.photobucket.com/u/nslall/p/d38c827f-e478-4344-9287-0f7ed05fd0ef)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa453/nslall/0/1b5a9d07-34b8-4afc-ad43-f2b1e4185499-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://beta.photobucket.com/u/nslall/p/1b5a9d07-34b8-4afc-ad43-f2b1e4185499)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa453/nslall/0/67eb854c-7ab2-4886-8ca2-70a798f44824-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://beta.photobucket.com/u/nslall/p/67eb854c-7ab2-4886-8ca2-70a798f44824)
(https://hosting.photobucket.com/images/aa453/nslall/0/31953358-2bda-472b-8647-bca5262b1979-original.jpg?width=1920&height=1080&fit=bounds) (https://beta.photobucket.com/u/nslall/p/31953358-2bda-472b-8647-bca5262b1979)
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I hate the size and position of those dam Photobucket 'logos'...
they're too big and actually obscure way too much of the images.
Anyway, nice work mr.singh...looking good on the Monoblock A's.
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Are there any guides on replacing the rear quarter-windows?
Mine are sun-damaged (anti-UV coating is giving up) - and while only cosmetic and thus low priority, I'd love to know how much trouble is involved in replacing them before I consider giving it a go...
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pretty easy to be honest.
remove the door panel, drop the window down and pull the window channel seal out of the quarter glass then push off the top. drill both the rivets and remove. fit your new windows, rivet and refit everything.
removes and refit took what felt like 15 minuets, but possibly took 30-40 minuets as I didn't time it.
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Guide?
JJ
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never took pictures along the way... only when the panel was off and the windows were out.
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im back after my trip to Germany... and what a trip. the things that could go wrong did go wrong.
the engine stabilizer has started rattling like before even though they have poly bushes fitted and was the one where 'G' did a group buy from a member on here who has/had a CZT.
the fuel gauge had started acting up as I ran out of fuel on the autobahn (whilst showing it had a range of 70miles when it ran out), which if the police found out would be a BIG shafting and a fine. lucky where I broke down, there was a small road that ran along side the autobahn and couple of Germans helped me out and took me to the nearest town with a fuel station... which was 500m away.
I got a stone chip whilst driving on the autobahn, which I got repaired whilst staying with my aunt.
and the drivers headlight bulb went pop 3 days before I was due to come home and couldn't get it sorted as I noticed it on Friday night, on the saturday my cousins and I were driving 5 hours north to the Nürburgring for our Jaguar Taxi experience (which was phenomenal), ALL the shops were shut on sunday, apart from takeaways and restaurants... and the fact that I have HID conversions fitted.
new stabilizer link has been ordered today and new HID bulbs should be arriving tomorrow or Thursday, and ill try and sort the fuel gauge issue on the weekend.
I also maxed my SB3 on the autobahn and my signature has been updated.
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G'day mr singh,..only 122mph, that is 195kmh,...lol. Thats what my old forfour supposed to do while yours is a SB2 as far as i remember, she must be a bit worn out i think as they supposed to do 210kmh or over 130mph.
Have fun and Greetings,
Eddie.
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Unlikely to do 130mph on only 122BHP. Are you confusing it with Brabus which has an advertised top speed of 137mph?
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Is that 130 mph as shown by the speedo? In which case it’ll be at least 10% over the real speed I’m thinking. :D
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Roads get bendy and very bumpy at those speeds - so I’ve heard ;)
JJ
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Had my 924S flatout on autobahn ,coincidentally also at 137mph, from rev counter. Road was fine. Been quite a bit faster in other cars, but on the track.
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in KPH it was reading 196 on my sat nav, which when converted to MPH is 121.7 so I rounded up.
the brabus has 170 BHP and my SB3 only has 120 BHP with a STANDARD 1.3/1.5 box, as a result the gearing will be different from the brabus and the 1.3/1.5 gearbox, plus the extra power the brabus has will allow it to achieve a higher top speed.
you try going flat out when there are drivers pulling out in front of you, but you feel you can achieve such speeds as the roads are MUCH better planned than the UK ones.
as I have absolutely NO record of when and where it was serviced I cant be fully sure it is an SB3, the only way to find out would be to remove the cams and compare with a normal 1.5. yes, I have started referring to it as an SB3 but even im not 100% sure.
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Get it on the dyno at tune4performance
JJ
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im going to have to do something to find out... iv always wanted to get it on a dyno.
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If you put your vin into the parts catalogue does it not tell you want the car is with some added options??
JJ
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There is a Mitsubishi specialist in Lincoln with a Dyno, much nearer to Leeds
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If you put your vin into the parts catalogue does it not tell you want the car is with some added options??
JJ
I have the options list but I haven't a clue what what means. I did have a mate who worked at Merc of Leeds but he has now left and is working as warranty admin at Farnell Jaguar Leeds. I have a couple of parts which iv ordered from Merc Leeds so when they call, depending on who calls me I might ask them.
might google said mitsi specialist in Lincoln.
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PK Motorsport
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You can jump on any rolling road though
JJ
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Might as well use a Mitsubishi Motorsport specialist to remap a Mitsu engine though
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Remaps are 99.9% for turbo lumps. For N/A (Normally Aspirated) power
units there is little if anything to be had, part from a drain on your wallet.
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It ain't necessarily so. A rolling road tune found me 13 BHP and better mid-range response on my hillclimb car
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We aren’t talking about remaps though - just testing mrSingh’s BHP
JJ
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correct JJ. iv no interest in having my 'SB3' mapped. might try RS tuning in Leeds as they have a dyno.
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Paul Murray has moved RS Tuning to his dad West End Garage in Hyde Park
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… and they don't open on Saturdays.
ill try FR&R in Bradford as they are open till 6 on a Saturday.
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I cant seam to get a break with my SB3... something else had gone wrong.
I replaced the poly bushed engine stabiliser which I bought from 'G' as I thought it had started rattling for a standard one, well its not rattling as much but I think that the joint from the exhaust manifold and CAT is blowing under load. it doesn't make much noise under light throttle but when I put my foot down it sounds like an old V12 XJS at idle, it sounds thirsty.
looks like ill have to get some new exhaust studs, nuts and springs, but im also debating on replacing the CAT for a new one as I think mine is on the cock. when you look at the exhaust hangers one is compressed and the other is stretched, almost like the CAT is twisted but it isn't, as a result the tail pipes are not sat straight.
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Cough!! Stainless system
JJ
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just one of those questions: Have you checked the engine mounts?
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Cecil, all have been replaced, all bought from Mercedes, the gearbox mount had the yellow powerflex insert.
JJ... tempting, it is tempting
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You probably know this but there was a thing if I remember correctly.when building a kit car about tightening engine and gearbox mount's with car on its wheels or the ride height as if in the air it can twist the engine when back on its wheels. Or was I dreaming.
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Sounds like JJ 's advice rings true. Time for a new exhaust.
Is it possible the exhaust was damaged by road cushions or was put on/ refitted off kilter putting strain on parts of the exhaust that have since cracked under normal movement. Could the noise be the crack opening shutting and getting bigger with engine movement and thermal expansion?
Jmariog - I came across that advice as well. I think it (in part at least) depends on how stiff the bodywork is and how the car was jacked up.This could place a twist in the body meaning the engine mounts were still loose even when tightened to the correct settings. Generally the more modern the car the stiffer the body is in order for the suspension to work properly.
Mr Singh Hopefully you are near the end with all these faults.
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in the case of a kitcar, the exhaust will be chassis mounted rather than body mounted.A kit car with a flexible chassis would these days come under the category of Rubbish.
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its a car... there are always going to be issues. just when you think you've got it sorted, another issue crops up.
the exhaust tail pipes have been bent from day one but its never really bothered me... well it has but not enough to justify me rectifying it. I do suspect that there is a crack of sorts close to the manifold/cat joint.
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its fab to have a project 8)
JJ
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today would have been the day that I was taking my forfour to the place I had booked it in for its exhaust fitting... but I had an accident in it on Tuesday :(. I ran in to the back of someone (at about 15mph).
I have infirmed my insurance and its currently sat at the bodyshop (of my choice) awaiting an outcome. the owner of the bodyshop seams to think its going to be a write off :'(
'G' and JJ have seen pictures of it, and having priced the parts i think it need and so far it does seam it could tip the scales either way.
it doesn't look like any of the chassis legs were damaged so if it came to it ill buy it back from the insurance company or get them to pay me to fix it myself, just so it doesn't have that black marker against it.
lucky i bought another forfour which i can use till i find out whats happening with mine.
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I looked on ebay for what I consider are THE necessary parts...
basically the body panels, as I think you said there was no other
damage.
Ebay is the best source...although none are in white unfortunately.
Cheap too ! I've sent you a couple of links...one not that far from you.
Other parts; if required; can also be found on ebay....so it won't
cost a great deal to fix your car. Spraying to match might be the most
expensive part if I'm honest...
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apparently the right panel is painted but the centre and bonnet panel require painting :o, this is the impression I got when I called Mercedes of Leeds.
im (trying) not to jump the gun on buying parts just yet till I hear its fate.
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Sorry to hear this. Whatever happens it will get sorted.
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Hope you get it fixed to your satisfaction
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Cat D (or whatever it’s called now - CAT N) isn’t really a bad mark for a car of this age. Most cars over 10yrs old that have an accident are “written off”
You just have to remember that the term written off isn’t a mechanical statement but a financial statement.
So weigh up all 3 options
1. They repair it all back to factory
2. They give you the money to repair it yourself
3. They write it off and they give you £
Clearly 1 is the best option but most costly
3 isn’t a bad issue as they may pay you £2k and you buy it back for £500
Keep your mind and options open
You are lucky with this car as all the panels can’t be painted off the car which makes the paint guy happy and you are a mechanic with access to tools :) should be a doddle
As for the headlamp washers - I still think a normal panel will work
JJ
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...You are lucky with this car as all the panels can’t be painted off the car ...
Think you meant "nearly all the panels CAN be painted off the car..."
....As for the headlamp washers - I still think a normal panel will work
Every front wing has the markings/'indentations' on the inside so you
can clearly see where to cut out the triangular 'filet' section to fit in
the headlight washers if a wing ever had to be replaced..a great design
feature, as why make 2 types of front wing when 1 can be made with
molded in 'cut lines' that does and will fit all models.
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What panels can’t?
I can’t think of one
JJ
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Try the Tridion! I think that would be hard to get off!
I hope, given its rarity, that the SB3 can be repaired. Not withstanding the amount of thought and effort you have put into it already
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Pretty much every panel is plastic and can be removed except the bonnet, scuttle (metal) roof and trid, I think.
I spent the last 2-3 years replacing a bunch of panels which were damaged and it’s both cheap and easy to sort. Paint was the biggest expense.
As mentioned, if the legs are straight and sound it’s not hard to change anything else mounted on the front. Mine did bend a bit - millimetres- and I think it is designed as a crumple zone. Check the radiator support - if the frame is out of whack this will also be - it mounts direcly onto the chassis legs and locates the bonnet catch dead center (or off center if there is any distortion in the frame).
Given the price I’ve seen cars go for there wouldn’t it be worth looking for a cheap worn out 454 with the same colour and buy the whole car to scavenge the panels?
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Bonnet (or front lid as Mercedes/smart like to call it) is easily removed and plastic. ;)
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White panelled 454's are a little harder to get hold of, not mention the Brabus specific trim if that is damaged. Personally, I'd get a non matching panel and either spray it or vinyl wrap the whole car to make it match though the latter is pricy.
The roof will also come off with a bit of work to remove the bonding. ;)
Sorry to hear about your 454 mr.singh, never pleasant to be in an accident.
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Trid isn’t a panel though is it?
JJ
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id say if been lucky as all of the damage is above the number plate... im going to have to up load a picture.
using this 1.1 that iv got is handy but I don't like it, hard for me to say as I had a 1.1.
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I hope this works
it worked. this the extent of the damage
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ouch
Thanks for the picture
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Doesn't look too bad. Near side panels seem ok. Splitter will be ok. Grill and middle panels are worst off.
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Definitely looks repairable though.
Did you get a chance to pull the front end off and inspect the damage? For sure the impact bar, radiator and rad support structure are done for but it don’t look like it went far enough to damage the engine and from the position of the impact, look to me like it probably left the frame arms intact and in the right place...
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everything in the engine bay is as it should be.
I didn't get time to remove the front as it happened on the Tuesday and dropped it off at my body shop on the Thursday. the initial look, looks like the rad surround, centre and right panels, grill. the a/c condenser has taken a small hit but I think it'll be ok.
the impact looks like its all above the number plate, so I doubt the crash bar will be damaged.
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small up date...
im still in the 1.1 but my SB3 is in the process of being repaired, and there is a story behind that. im not going through the insurance.
the accident happened 17/09 and I took it to the body shop (of my choice) on the Thursday. the estimate was forwarded to my manager who showed me it and also forwarded it to the insurance claims department on the Friday and rang them to say that I had seen the quote and forwarded it to them.
the following Monday I rang and informed them that the car was no longer at the body shop as they needed space (it was only a small, 1 man band, body shop). they told me that they had not received the estimate, so they rang the body shop to send them it direct. rang on the Tuesday and was told that they had received the estimate and it was with there assessors. I rang back on the Thursday after about 7 failed calls, only to be told that I had been given a wrong number so they gave me the correct number to ring. rang the correct number on Friday for an update. it had been 2 weeks at this point.
I rang the following week Friday for another up date and still no change and told them that is been 3 weeks and I will ring back on the Monday if they hadn't informed me of anything that I will be cancelling the claim.
Monday came and I figured that ill wait till the Thursday as it would be 4 weeks. I rang them again and was then informed that they hadn't got the estimate, at which point I lost it and told them that every time I rang I was not told anything and was told that they had the estimate and was with there assessors >:( so i told them to cancel the claim, at which point they tried to get me to change my mind.
anyhow i managed to get a FULL white front end, bonnet, rad surround and a/c condenser for less than £230 and im getting another body shop that we use, to do the repairs. I could have done the repairs myself but I don't have the time :(
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It's horrible being messed around like that, but I'm glad you have good news in the end and your car is getting fixed.
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Hope that it’s soon back in the road :)
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Dare I suggest that when you get your next insurance renewal
that you check to see if they have 'loaded' your premium based
on the fact that you admitted having an accident and making a
claim..even if you later withdrew the claim.
As far as they are concerned, you've had an accident.
That is in itself enough for an insurer to raise the premium.
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That's great news. You got a bargain on those parts.
A testament to the modular design of the ForFour body panels.
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Dare I suggest that when you get your next insurance renewal
that you check to see if they have 'loaded' your premium based
on the fact that you admitted having an accident and making a
claim..even if you later withdrew the claim.
As far as they are concerned, you've had an accident.
That is in itself enough for an insurer to raise the premium.
I am aware that my renewal will be bumped up next year.
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It shouldn’t be if you haven’t made a claim
Mine went down after I was rear ended in the brab
JJ
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either way im not looking forward to my renewal.
as 'G' said and what I was told by an old boy who I used to work with, if you inform your insurance but don't claim, it will go down as a mark against you, but we shall see what happens next year.
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It will also depends on whether the person you had an accident with claimed and the cost of their claim.
At least you can say at renewal you didn't claim. It may not be as bad as you think.
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Exactly - if your current one increases then look around
JJ
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ITS BACK... I got my forfour back on the 20th after telling a white lie to get the body shop to hurry up.
there are a few niggles that need sorting, the radiator is curved and has a broken peg on the drivers side so its 'insecure' at the top, the bonnet is not sat correctly on the drivers side as its lower than the passenger side, and the old retrofit projector unit need fitting to the new headlight.
I also need the red sticker that was on the front slam panel, in front of the bonnet catch. went to Mercedes today and they typed the part number on it and they came back with a price of £250 :o
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im SB3less again :(… for the next 2-3 days. is gone for new exhaust fitting ;D so its back in the red 1.1 again
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Need pics :)
JJ
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JJ I agree pictures are needed but when things are finished...
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I’m using IMGUR for hosting now - works really well
Still struggling with photobucket
JJ
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iv uploaded a couple of pictures straight from my laptop to the site with ease, just have to remember to adjust them to 800x800 size
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as it was a good day yesterday I managed to fit the Hardrace lower arms and had it wheel aligned today at Krap fit, and boy did they live up to the name!
they tracked it up as a 453 first, then the lad came out and said that he had to heat up the track rod ends to carry out the adjustments at which point I told him he has tracked it up wrong as I have a 454. they retracked it and all seamed well... until i set off home and the wheel was off center, turned round and they retracked it AGAIN. got there at about 11:30 and left at 2. considering they tracked it up 3 times at the cost of £65, I don't think its bad value.
plans for next weekend, replace the right rear bumper corner, as someone from one of the other units reversed in to it 3 months ago and iv been waiting for a good weekend to remove and replace it
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mr singh...thanks for once again confirming that KrapFit still live
up to the nickname that they have for their service and experience,
however, you made no mention if there was any noticable/worthwhile
improvement by fitting them !
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there was a reason as to why I hadn't noted any difference after fitting them, I had only driven it just over 3 miles to krap fit and back.
driving it today I have noticed that it feels noticeable tighter at the front, but saying that the bushes in the old arms had started to tear and I fitted the roughly over 2 years ago.
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after driving it for a week with the Hardrace lower arms, i really have to say that it does definitely feels tighter but it creaks during slow speed manoeuvring.
seeing as yesterday was a good day I figured id do a Brazilian butt lift to my SB3 seeing as one of the lads from the unit opposite reversed in to it and broke the L/R bumper corner on 4th January. i was waiting for a good weekend that i was free to swap the bumper corners over.
you can also see the tail pipe that is currently fitted in the pictures which will be removed and the original brabus tail pipes welded back on
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Job well done.
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Now you've got to wash the rest of the car to match that
somewhat far cleaner replacement n/s/r bumper corner ;)
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nice!
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Now you've got to wash the rest of the car to match that
somewhat far cleaner replacement n/s/r bumper corner ;)
seeing as we have now been dismissed from work, I may give it a wash and good polish and wax... all depending on the weather.
this is what our site looks like now, just before we were dismissed.
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after waiting for my new jack to arrive as my old one decided to stop jacking (after 15 years of use), it finally arrived last week... 2 weeks after ordering it from a UK seller on amazon... after I went and bought another one as I desperately needed one to replace the brakes on my mums C-Max. so I now have 2 jacks.
having looked at the forecast for this weekend, i might loosen the arms, put some load on them and tighten them up, in the hope that they stop creaking.
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Dismissed of furloughed?
JJ
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Dismissed of furloughed?
JJ
yup... daft as it sound I cant wait to get back to work.
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loosened the lower arm ball joint and the front bolt going horizontally into the subframe, loaded the suspension and tightened it all up and went for a quick drive and it has stopped creaking. ill keep an eye on how things go, but it could be a while before I report back with any updated as im not using it as much as I would normally. going from doing 190 miles a week to less than (what feels like) 10 miles in the same period, so it may take some time to confirm anything.
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this weekend has been an interesting weekend.
iv ordered a new short shifter and I figured that id strip it ready for the new one to go straight in. turns out that the carpet needs lifting/removing in order to remove it so I thought might as well have a go as im not going to use it during this lockdown. whilst stripping it I figured that I might as well try and get some of the oil that was spilt in the drivers rear footwell soaked up and cleaned as best as possible, which turned out hard than I thought as the foam was well and truly saturated :'(. I also found a seatbelt buckle under the front half of the carpet but I didn't think much of it.
this morning I bought a 2nd hand rear section of carpet and figured now was as good a time as any to rectify the rear seat fault iv had since I purchased it 5 years ago. I have been unable to lift the rear seats up, which never really bothered me. it turns out the right hand catch wasn't disengaging properly, so I jimmied it up and once the seat was up i notices £20 in a plastic sleeve taped to the metal frame :o. I had to call my wife, dad and mum to have a look and see if I wasn't seeing things. turns out there was 15 Euros along side the £20 in the sleeve. iv narrowed it down to a possible 4 of the 7 owners its had that may have done it.
im the 7th owner and I know its unlikely that the 6th could have done it as he only had it for 3 months before I bought it, and its also unlikely (but a slim possibility) that the 1st owner could have done it, so it could have been the 4 owners after the first and before the 6th. and with the car living in Manchester for many years (I had a look at the previous MOT to see where they were carried out), could it have had a dodgy past??? ? is the seatbelt buckle that was under the front half of the carpet connected, hence me thinking its had a dodgy past?
the car itself it legit as the chassis number etched on the floor tallies up with the number in the front screen, but its making me think that I should try and dig in to its past and find the previous owners details and contact them :-\.
on the plus side, seeing as I had the seats out, I did the lounge concept mod on the front seats ;D
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I think it was someone’s emergency £20 for fuel in case they got caught short ;)
Did you spill the oil?
JJ
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£20 emergency funds I can understand, but the 15 Euros?
it was a combination of my mum and I resulting in the oil spill.
my mum put it in a flip top bottle, and I didn't notice until I got to the recycling place that the bottle had the flip top and not a screw top and that it had fallen over.
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As you have the carpets removed are there any wires for the sub woofer or cd changer that I could use for a power supply
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all depends on your wiring harness. some cars came pre-wired for features they didn't have, in my case, under seat sub, tweeters, and heated seats (which still need programming)
it really would be a case of removing your seats and having a look to see what wires you have under the carpets. if you do have any extra wiring and its on the drivers side, that is where the CDC is located BUT the wiring is far to thin to be used for anything substantial.
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taped to the metal frame :o.
But why did he tape it, there's a pocket just to the right...
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possibly didn't see it?! ???
I had a proper look at why 1 of the seat lock mechanisms wasn't working, it turns out one of the lifters isn't engaging with the leaver, there isn't any signs of it being tampered with or broken. is there anything I can do to refit the lifter into the leaver?
anyhow, iv refit the interior along with the new short shifter and a/c control panel, and cleared the codes in the SRS module as I had to switch the ignition on to check I had plugged the window switches correctly.
I went for a drive and the short shifter made a real difference in the way it drove, although I really need to do the stiff selector mod. I also found that my Parrot isn't working anymore. I did have a look at the wire going from the aux power supply and that was a right has job, the live wire had only been half stripped and then the fly wire taped to it, so I wrapped the fly wire around the wire and re-taped it. in the process I must have touched the metal frame work under the carpet and popped a fuse. ill have to confirm this by plugging in my dash cam into the power socket. the old power adaptor fell apart when I pulled it out during the strip.
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yesterday I fitted my new gearbox shifter with the BMINI pin, really straight forward job.
I was at my mates work on Friday helping him replace his clutch master cylinder on his X reg astra van and figured that it might be best of I replace the selector pin there, rather than attempting to replace it at work (I went in on Saturday for a couple of hours as sales has sold a couple of cars during this lockdown), and even he was surprised at how much of a difference it made, before and after fitting the pin
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as its been nice during this lock down the a/c has been getting gradually warm. after having a look to see what the issue could be, I located a leak on the condenser to pump pipe has rubbed through on the a/c pully, all because the coolant radiator is bent and insecure, even though I did my best to secure it with cable ties as best as I could to prevent any issues.
looks like I will need a new rad and a/c pipe
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I love how you are looking for things to fix now ;)
Yeah wifey, dunno how but the pipe front he thing to the whats it for bent somehow honest ;)
Gotta spend a week fixing it while you look after the kids ;)
JJ
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sounds about right! :)
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I ordered a new rad for my SB3 and decided to fit it on the 30th... only to find that the rad that my local motor factors ordered was for a Brabus :o. I took it back and they are arranging a new one for me, I figured whilst its in bits id fit a new A/C condenser.
the cable ties did there job of securing the radiator but didn't stop the a/c pipe rubbing on the compressor pully.
I got a 'new' condenser to compressor A/C pipe from u-pull-it in York (<- great place) from one of the forfours they had on site, unfortunately its a little longer than the one fitted as it came off a 1.1 rather than a 1.3/1.5. I did have a mooch round the Colts they had there weren't many and the ones that were there were all 1.1 apart from a facelift 1.3/1.5 but the pipe was different.
during the tear down I found a couple of things that really surprised me, the impact sensor on the left side was connected but left dangling and not connected to the impact sensor that was fitted to the rad surround. had that impact sensor seen something and set the air bags off, that would have meant that my SB3 would surely have been a write off.
to make matters worse im back at work and im now confined to fixing it on the weekends, weather permitting :(
on the plus side i am using one of the cars i recently added to my fleet. ;D
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At least it’s summer mate 8)
That poor block paving though haha
JJ
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That poor block paving though haha
JJ
I know! cant wait to get a garage up so I can save the drive!
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its been a while since iv updated my progress.
the front ends has been rebuilt, coolant blead and a/c regassed.
the exhaust has been finished... sort of.
and im glad to be out of the brabus that i was using whilst it was of the road as its become dangerous to drive.
the exhaust has been finished but it needs a new cat as the sports cat fitted kept failing the emissions on the MOT at 2 different test stations. it failed twice at mercedes of leeds and 'failed' at the test station we use for our MOT's. after speaking to the tester who did the last test he said that it wouldnt pass with the current cat fitted even tough he got the cat stinking red hot, but he gave it an mot ;)
its going back to the place that fitted the exhaust for a 400 cel cat fitting instead of the 200 cel that is currently fitted.
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With your skills and experience you should start a business specialising in forfours... I'd trust you with mine
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With your skills and experience you should start a business specialising in forfours... I'd trust you with mine
i might think about it once we get a garage built ;)
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Although 27 pages and he’s still not fixed it ;)
Hahaha
Best looking ForFour in the U.K. though
JJ
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its kept me out of trouble... apart from the missus and parents saying im spending too much on it and i could have bought a 'better car' given how much iv spent on it. my argument is, yes i have spent a lot but its over a period of time. if i were to fork out what iv spent on my forfour over the time iv owned it in one go... well lets just say it would take me longer to save up and possibly wouldn't get the car i wanted.
i still want a Jag though, which one iv yet to decide. i have narrowed it down to 2 potential models and possible engine choices.
all i need now is to find a garage that will do some engine work. i need the valve stem seals replacing (iv started another thread) but iv contacted 3 garages, the Smart indi basically said no, the mercedes specialist said get a replacement engine and the mitsubishi specialist hasnt even quoted me. iv asked the garage that does the MOT's for our customers if they would be willing to do the job, they didnt exactly say no.
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just a bit of an update.
i managed to get hold of a genuine Comand APS radio, that has now been fitted, although it does need a new GPS connector at the back of the radio. i managed to plastic weld it back on but it broke when i went to fit it.
the burning oil/valve stem seal saga will hopefully be resolved next month.
after messaging several garages and being turned away, i messaged Rob at s2smarts, who, i am pleased to say has said he is willing to rebuild the head AND whilst its stripped down compare the cams fitted in mine with a set of SB3 ones he has.
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Good news mate
As for costs - just start saying to others you’ll start monitoring their spend on their hobbies ;)
Soon shuts them up
JJ
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exhaust has been tweeked a little from the initial set up. the original set up was straight through with a rear silencer and that was 'loud'. i opted for an active exhaust set up but the valve that was arranged for me turned out to be faulty. 6 months later i had the valve fitted and it was LOUD but very raspy so that was tweaked so some of the raspyness was removed, but after firing up the Brabus which was deep and burbley, i asked for the sound to be deepened. i played with it on the way home yesterday and im chuffed to bits with it. it sounds stock when the valve is shut but its loud when its open.
ill see how it goes with this latest set up but i think i'll be able to live with it.
as for the trip down to s2smarts next month, im a little on edge, so much so the workshop controller noticed my attitude was different, in a quiet kind of way, im possibly on edge as itll be the first time iv had my car so far away being fixed.
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I’m sure rob will help out if needed
He gives good snuggles
JJ
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an update regarding the SB3
the exhaust has now been sorted, noise wise. it been deepened when the bypass valve is open and im chuffed with it.
its been over a week since i dropped it off at s2 and progress appears to be going well. engine has been removed and head taken off and machined, new sump, water pump, thermostat and other parts that i didnt supply have been ordered. im also hoping the EML/emissions issue has been sorted as i had a hunch the exhaust manifold gasket was blowing.
i asked Rob to compare the cams fitted to my engine with a brand new set of SB3 cams he has and... its good news ;D ! i have an SB3. the doubt has been removed whether or not i have an SB3 or not. i can finally say that i have the rarest forfour, or at least the rarest option fitted.
i have some pictures that 'G' has very kindly sent me, which will be added once i have it back.
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Good stuff mate :)
JJ
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Thank you for good news in these times.
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Top shelf stuff. Glad to hear the burning oil saga has coming to a close... a lot of people would have just given up and sold the car. Congrats for sticking with it.
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its been a while since iv been here... but thats a story for another post.
while others would have binned it or fitted another engine, i felt that trying to keep original engine was better as i know its history and its been trouble free, fitting a 2nd hand engine would have met that i would have lost the SB3 cams or it would have had to have the head off to rework the head for the cams anyway.
i picked it up on the 5/12 and 30 miles into the trip back home the EML came on, and after stopping at warwick services, cos i decided to take the long way home, the car wouldnt let me in... because the outer door cable snapped.
the cable was fixed the next day with a 2nd hand one i acquired some time back.
i rang rob on the monday and told him that it drove fine all the way home and that the EML came on with the code relating to 'cat efficiency below threshold'. he suggested to get a spacer to space the downstream O2 sensor, which i bought and it did help with the EML but the CO emissions are still high as i had them tested today.
its going back to the place that fit the exhaust, STG Performance, next month for a larger cat fitting, in the hope that it will bring the CO levels down.
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it seams that i will be without my SB3 for the next week.
took it to STG Performance and he fitted a cat with a higher cell count (up from 400 to 600 cell) and then took it for an emissions test... and it still is failing the emissions :(. as a result he is going to fit a cat that is larger in dimension and with a higher cell count an 800 cell, but it may end up with a 'standard' cat being fitted.
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Might be quicker to nip down your local VAG parts counter and acquire one of their emissions cheat devices.
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and what may that VAG emissions cheat device be Snooky, because, as far as im aware the emissions cheat device was on the map on the PCM
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Whoosh.
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Might be quicker to nip down your local VAG parts counter and acquire one of their emissions cheat devices.
What??? Tbh merc are the first ones getting ready to pay out - just to be balanced.
We know they were all at it but as per usual you only repeat a very narrow view of the world - probably picked up from social media.
Instead of chucking around conspiracies in every post maybe offer support and guidance?
Good luck mr S
Have you read the codes? No lambda issue
How hot was the CAT on test (you’ll remember the fortwo days)
JJ
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"...chucking around conspiracies..."?
Ffs. Talk about a sense of humour bypass.
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What, what, what? A short post from Snookey. Irrelevant.
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Have you read the codes? No lambda issue
How hot was the CAT on test (you’ll remember the fortwo days)
codes logged... P0420 cat efficiency. both up stream and downstream O2 sensors have been replaced, i even bought a spacer hoping to fool it but the code still crops up
how hot was the cat, i have no idea but when it was initially tested with the 'original' 200 cell cat the test station (after it failed ad mercedes twice) said they got it stinking red hot and it was still high. i took it back with the 2nd replacement and it still was high and the engine was up to temperature and i was there for a good 15/20 minuets revving the nuts off it.
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Put any fuel treatment in the tank?
TVA clean
MAF?
JJ
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fuel treatment - always run on V-Power and its up and down the motorway everyday.
TVA - looked clean when i cleaned the K&N panel filter, but i did give it a wipe whilst it was exposed.
MAF - cleaned that.
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Definitely no cracks or leaks anywhere from the manifold downwards? Pipes are all sealed up tightly I guess. Nothing in the pipes themselves causing a blockage perhaps? You'd see that with a thermal camera or similar.
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i asked rob to check the manifold for cracks, and he didnt see anything when the head off.
pipes are all tight although i might ask him to reseal the joints.
pipe work should be clear as its a new system with a bypass valve that makes it louder but that isnt in the main pipe, its t'd off the main pipe, but the CO emissions were high before the valve was fitted.
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.....pipe work should be clear as its a new system with a bypass valve that makes it louder but that isnt in the main pipe, its t'd off the main pipe, but the CO emissions were high before the valve was fitted.
Where is it T'd off exactly ? It should be after all the Lambda's.
Irrespective of that, as you say the exhaust system is new pipework
could there be a problem with the rear 'box' (presume it has one)...
or both the centre and rear boxes. There may be a blockage or a
problem with the innards of one or both that is causing a build up
of CO emissions in the system ?
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the exhaust valve is T'd off before the rear silencer so it shouldn't have interfered with the emissions or the exhaust flow through the cat.
its been 2 weeks since iv had a standard cat fitted and it passed the emissions when it was initially fitted and the EML has stayed off.
i ended up buying a HJS cat as recommended by Bari, so ill get the exhaust place to fabricate a down pipe and see if thats ok, but i will be keeping the new 'standard' one for MOT
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iv done close to and maybe more than 600 miles since the 'standard' cat has been fitted and the O2 spacer was removed and the EML has stayed off. im calling into work tomorrow to regas my A/C, and i might call into out MOT station to get the emissions tested before calling at the exhaust place to get it booked back in for them to fabricate the down pipe with the HJS cat
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quick update.
i has the EML come on twice with the 'standard cell' cat. it was flagging cat efficiency. i had it booked in with the place that did my exhaust and i mentioned that to him and even he was surprised. he welded the HJS cat so its a quick swap if i ever need to put the 'standard' one back on, but its been over a month and over 1000 miles and its running well with no issues.
iv also ordered a new set of retrofit lab projection units as the hi/lo flap in one of the units is starting to stick, so i figured it better replace them before its next MOT.
i will also be refitting the original anti roll bar back on as the CZT/Brabus one i had fitted is too close for my liking to the RH drive shaft when the suspension is relaxed.
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its been a while and things have progressed somewhat.
i did get a HJS cat, it had been fitted, and it has passed the emissions.
HID conversions have been removed as they are now an MOT failure. i have bought a new set of retrofit lab projection and they have been fitted with regular halogen bulbs.
the headlights have been cleaned and lacquered them so they look like new.
passenger seat from the brabus has been fixed as it had some damage in the netting area of the seat back and is now sitting nicely in my SB3
its also had the the corrosion around the windscreen and other paint work issues sorted and for a 17 year old car, it looks brand spanking new. the shine is unbelievable, especially after using some turtle hybrid ceramic wax
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Good stuff - my fortwo just passed with LED retrofit
May try the Brabus end of the month
JJ
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all has been well with the SB3. the missus is now using it as i have a 3.0 TDV6 XF which has been added to the family fleet of cars.
i am (very) slowly in the process of swapping the interior from my brabus into my SB3, the dash top and front seats are fitted. now iv been looking on how to get the heated seats working as i have all the parts fitted but the seats didnt heat. Rob at S2 told me that it couldn't be done, as the cars were programmed from factory with the options and it couldnt be altered. after another owner, who is on here, went to Smart technic in Birmingham to get his heated seats working, the owner of Smart technic got in touch with me for advice. after telling him what to remove and what to fit i asked him to message back if it worked...
... today was the day i took a trip to Birmingham and had my heated seats activated and they work ;D ;D... and whilst he had the STAR connected, i asked him to switch on the daytime running lights as well.
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Wahoooo :) ;D ;) :D 8)
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its been a while since iv updated this. nothing much has changed, its not doing the mileage it used to do since i bought my Jag. i serviced it in January and its done about 4500 miles since it was last serviced. whilst it was on the ramps at work, i took the opportunity to start under sealing it, albeit on the cheap. i left the exhaust and rear beam in place.
i have a bypass valve fitted to my exhaust just before the rear silencer but i think i might ask the place i had the exhaust made to remove it. the rear silencer seams to twist with the weight of the 3rd outlet. the other reason is that since all our cars were nicked, the vacuum actuator arm has been bent and keeps the valve open enough to annoy me.
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its been a while and progress has pretty much ground to a halt, but i bought a new leather gator for my gear leaver about 2/3 months ago as the original one was looking a bit worse for wear. i finally pulled my finger out and fitted it after my wife and i driving round for the best part of 2 months with an exposed metal gear lever.
really happy with the result but what a pain to fit as the leather is thicker than the material originally used
since the kids have been off school my wife has also been off, as she to works in a school and it was looking a bit sad sat on the drive, so iv been using it and iv forgotten how hard the suspension is, so iv had to readapt my driving to avoid potholes and slow down for speed humps as my XF glides over them in comparison.
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the old girl hit a mile stone back in march. the mileage ticked over to 150,000 miles and she is still going strong. here's to another 50k and beyond.
so with the brabus i bought looking more like a skeleton of what it once was, the rear seats and bolsters will go in at some point and i might get Rob to fit the door cards to my SB3.
i have managed to get a set of winter tyres for the spare set of wheels i have and they will be fitted when i get my wheels refurbished, im thinking i might get them power chromed as one of the lads at work had his mk1 golf cabriolet wheels done and im really impressed with the finish.