Major Surgery - Transplant

[jimmy]

Not strictly MB but the Smart is related and I thought some of you might be interested.

Bought myself a new toy with a poorly engine, had to remove the engine and replace it with another that I had already reconditioned.

Here is a Smart with the engine removed:

This is the rebuilt engine ready to be transplanted:

This is a picture of the broken engine, note the missing piston and damged cylinder head, the cause? low oil and poor maintenance, check your oil and change your spark plugs regularly!!

I have been driving round in my new toy for a few days, have to say it is great fun and makes you smile. I shall be parking up the MB until the novelty wears off!

 

[pluggers]

Didn't realise that the engine was in the rear,It's very small aint it?The spray can is nearly as big

 

[guydewdney]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10404&item=2480509797&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

chuck that in it and make it go properly. its a FWD engine, so should go in quite easily

220+ bhp

 

[GrahamC230K]

Nice one James.

 

[Sp!ke]

How much did you manage to pick up the dead smart for?

Sounds like an interesting sideline.

 

[Steve_Perry]

...It's very small aint it?The spray can is nearly as big

Looks like half a V6

S.

 

[PJH]

...It's very small aint it?The spray can is nearly as big

...unless the spray can is as big as a fire extinguisher !!

 

[jimmy]

How much did you manage to pick up the dead smart for?

Sounds like an interesting sideline.

That would be telling, let's just say it could be a very lucrative sideline if I could find some more dead ones. Getting a bit of an expert at it now.

 

[R2D2]

Well done! I wouldnt know where to start!

 

[NormanB]

Bought myself a new toy with a poorly engine, had to remove the engine and replace it with another that I had already reconditioned.

Hi Jimmy

Someone else posted on here a while ago, with a sick smart and could not source the rebuild bits and I believe ended up buying a new engine.

Are engine components more readily available now?

NormanB

 

[jimmy]

Hi Jimmy

Someone else posted on here a while ago, with a sick smart and could not source the rebuild bits and I believe ended up buying a new engine.

Are engine components more readily available now?

NormanB

That was also me. I now have two, after fixing the first one with a rebuilt engine I was looking out for another to fix. I heard about this one locally, the engine was seized and it had been badly vandalised but repaired. Somebody had poured paintsripper all over the car and melted all the panels, these have all been replaced and re-sprayed.

The engine parts are becoming more easily available but are still expensive from MB. I needed a new turbo and exhaust manifold, MB wanted £580 I got one for considerably less than that.

They are great little cars, I will definetly buy some more if I can find them at the right price. Keep searching ebay and autotrader but nothing as yet.

 

[Richard W]

How about the Haybusa option.....

Z-Cars

 

[smartbrabus]

Its a GSXR1000, not a 'busa Would be interesting to see what else fits though (new subframe required obviously...)

 

[jimmy]

Meant to post some pictures of the finished project in all it's glory.

Please note when I bought it the windows were already tinted and the wheels were painted gold, there were also MB stars on the front and rear!!! There are some subtle mods, the rear quarter windows have been painted, the rear light clusters are not standard. It also has quite a good ICE system with a DAB radio/CD and extra speakers.

I have been using it as my daily commute, quite nice to drive with the switchable fully/semi auto 6 speed gearbox. Gets used all day every day and does about 240-260Km a day on £13 of petrol. :bannana:

I am ready for another project, anybody know of a sick Smart for sale?

 

[jimmy]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10404&item=2480509797&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW

chuck that in it and make it go properly. its a FWD engine, so should go in quite easily

220+ bhp

That is a standard sized aerosol can in the picture. The engine really is small, about the size of my mums old Singer sewing machine, probably slightly smaller actually.

You really would not want much more power, trying to go around a roudabout with the gas on is errm interesting!! Did Jackie Stewart say he drives one becuase it is the only car he has driven that handles anything like a F1 car!! I wouldn't like to drive a F1 car then.

 

[jimmy]

Update:

Just to keep you updated, when I rebuilt the engine in No2 Smart car (this one) I fitted a new exhaust manifold and turbocharger, they are all one unit on the Smarts, the original one was semi-seized and the manifold had a crack in it. Evidently the crack is common and is the cause of what leads to premature engine failure.

During a routine service last week, the second service since the rebuild at 12K miles, I noticed a crack in the exhaust manifold. I sent the turbo back to where I bought it and they replaced it under warranty. :bannana:

So although the car was off the road for 3 days and I had to spend time fixing it, it is back on the road again. So any Smart owners out there, keep an eye on the exhaust manifold.

 

[smartbrabus]

Lucky escape - engine no. 3 could have been required if you hadn't spotted it!... From what I hear even the redesigned/reinforced Mk6 onwards manifold is not immune to hairline cracking.

 

[jimmy]

Found a picture I took of the cracked manifold, you can see the crack near the wastegate actuator arm. I guess when it is hot it expands and leaks.