Mid way between MOT's I had the emissions checked on my 2011 fortwo 451 turbo and it looked like it would fail when the MOT came around. It was a 2nd hand Brabus exhaust that I had put on in 2012 so it had lasted OK. I didn't really want to put the standard exhaust...
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Roadster Starter Motor Fix
This is the starter motor removed from the car. Actually removing it is a terrible job. Annoyingly, it's rarely the starter motor that fails so removing it is usually unnecessary. So, if you go to start the car and you only hear a click from the fuse box, you have a...
450 Starter Motor Fix
This is the starter motor removed from the car. Actually removing it is a terrible job. Annoyingly, it's rarely the starter motor that fails so removing it is usually unnecessary. So, if you go to start the car and you only hear a click from the fuse box, you may have...
Roadster Thermostat Valve Change
What Are The Symptoms Of A Failed Thermostatic Valve? The thermostatic valve starts closed which only allows the the water to circulate around the engine. As the engine temperature increases, the water temperature also increases. Eventually, the thermostatic valve...
450 Thermostat Valve Change
What Are The Symptoms Of A Failed Thermostatic Valve? The thermostatic valve starts closed which only allows the the coolant to circulate around the engine. As the engine temperature increases, the coolant temperature also increases. Eventually, the thermostatic valve...
453 Engine Cover
453 Fortwo & 453 Forfour Engine Cover Some people had problems with the single quarter turn fastener in the previous Fortwos and Roadster. The 453 replaced the single fastener with something easier but takes ages to undo. Here is the 453 engine cover. There are 6...
451 CDI Alternator Belt Change
Getting The Old Belt Off Take a 15mm spanner and under the alternator tensioner nut and swing the alternator down. The old belt can be removed (if you don't have AC, if you do, remove that first) and the new belt fitted. Re-tensioning The Belt - The New Way This is...
451 Coolant Radiator Removal
If you have a leak in your radiator, fit a new one, don't rely on fluids like RadWeld. Changing the front coolant radiator is easy but actually getting to it is a long task. If you don't have air conditioning, it'll be the only time that you are glad that you don't....
451 54BHP CDI Losing Coolant
54BHP 451 Fortwo Diesel - Losing Coolant As of early 2015, this became a common problem that will affect all 54bhp 451 diesels eventually. The 54bhp diesel 451 was the October 2009 onwards model with the DPF (diesel particulate filter). Important This is an issue that...
451 CDI Exhaust Pressure Sensor
What Happens When It Fails? Initially the car goes into a "kind of" safe mode. Normal safe mode severely reduces the power from the engine which normally limits the top speed of the car to about 40mph. When the exhaust pressure sensor fails, you'll get a reduction in...
Roadster AC Pipe Replacement
The Roadster has a nasty habit of snapping the air conditioning pipes.
Roadster Starter Motor Removal
Fully lower the engine using the engine lowering studs. Click here. The starter motor is down the back of the engine behind the inlet manifold. Disconnect the 2 coolant pipes that run over the top of the starter motor. It's hard to see what the hell is going on as...
451 Valve Clearance Specs
Sometimes, information doesn't need to take up loads of pages. Sometimes, the information is really all that needs to be on the page. This is one of those pages. I could use a massive font to take up more room I suppose but I won't. Important These clearance readings...
451 CDI Intercooler Removal
Should you decide to change the problem EGR cooler on your 54bhp CDI, You'll need to remove the intercooler. Before you do this I would recommend not bothing and just bypass it instead. Do You Wish To Continue? Mad man! Loosen both hose clamps using a 7mm socket....
452 Roadster Fuel Tank Drain
Fuel Filter The fuel filter is quite well hidden, it is behind the nearside rear wheel arch. Jack the car up, remove the wheel and remove the arch liner. On each end of the filter is a connector with an orange clip. To disconnect the pipe you just have to push the...
451 CDI Fuel Tank Drain
OK, so you put the wrong fuel in your car like a total moron. You know this already. You need to empty the tank so you can fill it with the correct fuel. Fuel Filter The fuel filter is quite well hidden, it is behind the offside rear wheel arch. Jack the car up,...
450 Fuel Tank Drain
Fuel Filter The fuel filter is quite well hidden, it is behind the offside rear wheel arch. Jack the car up, remove the wheel and remove the arch liner. On each end of the filter is a connector with an orange clip. To disconnect the pipe you just have to push the...
Roadster Alternator Change
Get The Right Alternator When I initially fitted a replacement alternator to my Roadster it didn't actually work. I thought I had misdiagnosed the fault but actually I had been sold the wrong alternator for my car. On the smart there seems to be 6 different...
451 CDI Engine Removal
In the history of evilution, I had never had to remove an engine. Just my luck I had to start on the hardest one. Even then, I wouldn't go as far as saying it was hard, just time consuming, awkward and daunting. Including taking photos and notes, I achieved this in...
Throttle Body Orientation
I get this question a few times a year. "I can't close my engine cover" When I first heard it back in 2006, I thought they were just being a mong with no dexterity. Then I received a photo. After that, every photo has been the same. I have no idea how they end up like...