by "Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
Published 01/25/2017 at 12:30
by "Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
Published 01/25/2017 at 12:30
Tags: Tucker
STARS: 2
4,500 miles ago, my dear Tucker experienced a catastrophic oil loss and overheating, followed by what appeared to be a fire. The engine wouldn’t run on any more than 1-2 cylinders.
After swapping the plugs multiple times, swapping the coils, flushing the coolant, giving him a real oil change, and dropping some Marvel Mystery Oil in (MMO seems to have a rather astounding effect on damaged smart engines), the engine came back to life with the only reminder of the event being some cooked wires (fixed) and an oil pan leak (pending repair).
He then continued to be my daily-ish and my project car while the new smart (Phil) was saved from getting a billion miles. I plan to keep him purrfect like I did Tucker before the crap hit the fan in my life.
Over the past few days, I noticed something was amiss. The car vibrated so much more than it usually did. It almost seemed like the engine was misfiring...but I couldn’t confirm if it actually was the engine and not me being a drama queen. The smoking gun was the reduced amount of power coming from the engine, though I blew that off as me being too used to the new car. Well, turns out my first assumption was correct.
I ended up concluding that the car must have leaked out a quart or two of oil through the oil pan. Checking the dipstick revealed the car to be “full”...that said, the dipstick in a W451 is woefully unreliable (the tube has oil in it, so when you pull the stick out it’ll almost always read full) so last night I put in a quart anyway. I mean, it has had a slow leak (a few drops a day) for almost 3 months now, so it’s gotta be down at least a quart by now.
This morning saw me needing to race to work faster than I have in a very long time. I was working the little car so hard that I was peeling out at most lights.
Well, Tucker didn’t like that and the car shut down one of the cylinders right around 5k RPM as I merged on the expressway.
No problem, I’ve been through this before, I can just restart the engine and keep plowing on. And that I did. The car spent 20 minutes of the drive running just fine. Then again, I wasn’t pushing the car hard either...but I was even able to do a WOT start without issue.
Hmmm...perhaps my “fixes” were contingent on me not pushing the car too hard?
Well to test, I decided to push Tucker hard again. Single cylinder shutdown occurred within 10 minutes.
It seems the prediction made a few months ago may be correct. My engine has a compression leak going on. However, the leak is only prevalent when the engine is being pushed when it’s running hotter and pushing more pressure.
And, none of this scares me. I’d even be delighted to tear down the engine if I knew how. :) I also wonder how much an engine swap would cost. :D
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
Miss Tesla once said that the only way Tucker would ever die is by a crash or a mass extinction event. And well, Tucker is soldiering on!
Well once again I’ve solved the misfire! So, one of the contingencies about my original fix was that the car wouldn’t accept less than 91 octane without misfiring. I got 93 this morning, filling up at 0.0 gal. It took a few minutes, but the car got back its performance and the misfire skipped town.
I tested further by pushing the car very hard. The darn thing was an engine that could!
Final verdict? The tiny cute little petrol station I went to last week may have had either contaminated fuel, or the 93 octane I bought from them was actually 87 being sold as 93.
"bob and john" (bobandjohn)
01/25/2017 at 12:34, STARS: 29
this is what, the 4th time i’m saying this?
HAYA
BUSA
MOTOR
SMART
DO
IT
"Echo51" (echo2047)
01/25/2017 at 12:35, STARS: 1
Start with a fault code readout, and if possible data logging on a drive if you can reliably provoke the issue?
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
01/25/2017 at 12:36, STARS: 1
Wondering if it’s something wacky like heat soak leading to a partial head gasket blow, and a warped head that becomes more of a problem with heat buildup over a certain point.
"LOREM IPSUM" (lorem---ipsum)
01/25/2017 at 12:38, STARS: 0
Does that engine use coil on plug type coils? Is it the same cylinder shutting down every time?
If so, try this:
Pull the coil and spark plug from the offending cylinder. Clean up the spark plug with a wire brush to remove any carbon buildup that may have accumulated then reinstall it. Finally, swap the coil from the offending cylinder with an adjacent cylinder.
This may seem to fix the car for a while, but when and if the problem returns, check to see if the misfires have migrated to the cylinder where you swapped the suspect coil.
If the misfire follows the coil, it’s just a weak/failing coil pack. Grab a new one and some fresh plugs and bobs your uncle.
If the misfire returns to the same cylinder as before, you’ve potentially got bigger/different issues.
"OPPOsaurus WRX" (opposaurus)
01/25/2017 at 12:41, STARS: 4
swap in this thing’s 5.0
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 12:41, STARS: 0
Oh, I know this car like the back of my hand. Fault code (I don’t have my UG with me today) will most likely be Misfire on Cylinder 1 or Cylinder 3 (it always is when the engine goes into limp mode in a smart).
I’ll do more testing later, but based on the data I have now, it only happens at 4k rpm and above and only after the engine has been pushed so much that temps are in the 190s instead of the 170-180s. It also bears noting that it’s been warmer in my area lately, so the engine is running warmer than the past couple months anyway. :D
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 12:46, STARS: 0
I tried this back before I got the new car. Results were unchanged, swapping the coils and plugs around to different cylinders still led to the same two cylinders being shut down. Interestingly enough, the most oil fouled cylinder and the cleanest cylinder are always the two the engine shuts down, never the one that’s only partially oil fouled.
Eventually I just bought new plugs, swapped the coils, and performed the other steps I mentioned in the first paragraph. Such seemed to bring the car back from the dead.
I’ll have to check the plugs again, I bet they have oil on them again.
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
01/25/2017 at 12:48, STARS: 0
What caused the original problem with catastophic oil loss and overheating? Were they related? 120k miles seems pretty low mileage to me but maybe Smarts are different. I would imagine overheating could have screwed up the head (or just the headgasket). The problems occurring with excess heat and stress worry me the most.
"XJDano" (xjdano)
01/25/2017 at 12:51, STARS: 1
Off topic here, but my wife needs a new phone. I don’t new phones since I got a work iPhone 5c. She has galaxy S5 that’s about dead, mic is crappy on phone calls and camera just quit 2 weeks ago.
Will probably take her off the sprint unlimited plan because she is a stay at home mom that doesn’t actually use much data. thanks.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/25/2017 at 12:53, STARS: 1
Sounds like piston rings or melted piston and as a result more blowby (cooking the oil and damaging the internals further) when you dump more gas into it with the long pedal.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/25/2017 at 12:54, STARS: 5
This is still the best answer.
"crowmolly" (crowmolly)
01/25/2017 at 12:55, STARS: 0
Did you try moving fuel injectors?
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/25/2017 at 12:58, STARS: 2
If that isn’t the evil grin of “watch the crowd run,” I don’t know what is.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
01/25/2017 at 13:00, STARS: 1
Second.
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
01/25/2017 at 13:01, STARS: 17
We can sell Crazy Kanuck’s Juke to fund this project.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/25/2017 at 13:03, STARS: 3
That’s cruel. Someone else will get the Juke. We should torch the Juke and use the insurance money to fund this project and give him the driftbrick that is “10/10 would dd.” Everyone wins.
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
01/25/2017 at 13:04, STARS: 1
Alright, but we have to make it look like it was an accident.
We can put it in Washington D.C. and claim protestors torched it.
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
01/25/2017 at 13:08, STARS: 1
I mean I get what you’re saying but I think this is quite a bit more technically advanced than Miss Smart is looking for. Even the kits I’m looking at require dropping the entire rear subframe and thousands of dollars in parts.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 13:11, STARS: 0
The oil filter came off. No idea why. It was properly torqued and all that...only thing I can think of is that one of my (*sigh* many) enemies reached under and loosened the filter. The overheating happened immediately after the oil loss. I’m guessing it’s not easy to keep the engine cool without oil. Then again, it is rear engine.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 13:15, STARS: 0
Honestly, I would recommend something like a Nexus 5X or a 6P. You can get them for pretty cheap nowadays and they’re pretty nice phones. However, both phones come with silly caveats:
The Nexus 5X doesn’t really have enough RAM for standard Android. You would want to flash a new ROM like Cyanogenmod.
Earlier models of the Nexus 6P were apparently somewhat bendy, especially the gold ones. They also have a few “Chinese phone” quirks as well, but nothing terrible.
Outside of that? Motorola and LG offer some great phones at decent prices! I would avoid Chinese phones like OnePlus or Honor if you plan to be on Sprint, they tend not to work on the CDMA bands.
"Ike" (untitledcarshow)
01/25/2017 at 13:23, STARS: 1
You push cars hard? Nooo that doesn’t sound right? Is this a new thing?
/s
"Twingo Tamer - About to descend into project car hell." (oppisitelock)
01/25/2017 at 13:23, STARS: 0
Surely these must be a decent engine to learn how to rebuild on. Should be easy to handle due to the small size and not hugely complex.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 13:30, STARS: 0
Always the best answer....dammit man, I would need funding for such a venture! Well either that, or the build would take like a year or something lol
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 13:31, STARS: 1
I think this is quite a bit more technically advanced than Miss Smart is looking for
That’s why I would pay someone in beer to teach me lol. But yeah, waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay higher than my pay grade!
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 13:31, STARS: 0
I actually never thought about that!
(I also don’t know where they are, off to the service manual!)
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 13:32, STARS: 0
I actually think and EV conversion would probably be cheaper than a Hayabusa lol
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
01/25/2017 at 13:32, STARS: 2
That’s it. I’m suing ITT for a gorillion dollars.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 13:32, STARS: 0
Cars are the only things I push hard. :x
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 13:33, STARS: 0
And there are really handy smart owners not too far from me. :D
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/25/2017 at 13:44, STARS: 1
Wrong reply, but probably similar price just not as much fun.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/25/2017 at 13:53, STARS: 2
How hard could it be?
"brianbrannon" (brianbrannon)
01/25/2017 at 13:59, STARS: 1
If you get someone that knows what they are doing to look at things might go easier
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 14:02, STARS: 1
Just came to say that TheHondaCuck is one of my favourite variations yet!
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
01/25/2017 at 14:03, STARS: 0
I’d rather be a cuck than a deplorable.
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
01/25/2017 at 14:09, STARS: 1
How about fixing the motor that’s in there?
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
01/25/2017 at 14:09, STARS: 0
That’s not even a real number.
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
01/25/2017 at 14:10, STARS: 0
!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
01/25/2017 at 14:11, STARS: 3
ITT isn’t even a real school.
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
01/25/2017 at 14:17, STARS: 1
It’s a technical institute.
"The Crazy Kanuck; RIP Oppositelock" (jukesjukesjukes)
01/25/2017 at 14:18, STARS: 1
Sure, you can have the loan in your name. You sell it, and you’ll be under water. Then I get another Juke. I win, you lose.
"TheHondaBro" (wwaveform)
01/25/2017 at 14:19, STARS: 2
NOT ANYMORE!
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/25/2017 at 14:22, STARS: 1
Realistically (aside from silly dreams of a Hayabusa) that’s what I actually want to do. It’s also part of why I’m willing to keep him, fixing Tucker can teach me more than just the basics. :)
"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
01/25/2017 at 14:35, STARS: 0
True, I forgot about the rear engine aspect, that makes a lot more sense then. Who would do that?? I cannot imagine any other way a properly torqued filter could come off though. Especially if the threads were still in tact. Sounds like you have some bad enemies lol.
"shop-teacher" (shop-teacher)
01/25/2017 at 14:43, STARS: 1
So Tucker’s kryptonite is .... you .... or at least your right foot ;)
"CalzoneGolem" (calzonegolem)
01/25/2017 at 14:45, STARS: 1
Well ... rip his head off and see what’s gone wrong.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
01/26/2017 at 09:43, STARS: 0
Could you have a faulty knock sensor? The car should automatically retard the ignition if it’s detonating prematurely.
"themanwithsauce - has as many vehicles as job titles" (themanwithsauce)
01/26/2017 at 09:44, STARS: 1
But if you push it.....do you push it real good?
/s&p
"PotbellyJoe and 42 others" (potbellyjoe)
01/26/2017 at 10:12, STARS: 0
My wife just got a Moto X Pure for very cheap. Compatible with all networks and plenty of HP RAM. She had a Nexus 5 prior and was underwhelmed by the 5x and 6P.
We’re on Sprint.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/26/2017 at 10:55, STARS: 0
I believe the knock sensor still works, the more likely scenario is that the car just had really bad petrol, or the car is more sensitive to octane after whatever damage occurred.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
01/27/2017 at 07:01, STARS: 0
get a spare engine from a wreck and build it up so it’s a straight swap?
"XJDano" (xjdano)
01/29/2017 at 09:34, STARS: 1
About this.
I don’t even know where to shop for these things and how to get a new phone set up. I would be more inclined to get a nexus phone because the extra stuff from Samsung she never really used.
I like the google apps that are included, then add what apps you want. I have a nexus 7 tablet and like that. I use it for most of the streaming and casting races to TV and such.
Huawei Nexus 6P unlocked smartphone, 64GB Gold (US Warranty) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B019TWO7DU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_7YFJyb1FRYXHY
There is that, and my wife always uses a bulky case.
Not even sure where I’d research this.... thanks for the helps.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
01/29/2017 at 13:00, STARS: 0
I usually get new phones from eBay. :)
I do admit finding a new phone is hard, each one has advantages and disadvantages! I’ve resolved myself to only going Google recently, sometimes those silly Android skins are too much!
"XJDano" (xjdano)
02/18/2017 at 16:20, STARS: 0
Ok, so I know I keep going back to this and such, but how do the phones you get off eBay work out for you? I usually keep eBay for less than $100 purchases in case item is shit I didn’t get burned too bad, and since I’m looking at phones for over hundreds of dollars it’s hard to commit.
I’m thinking harder about getting a pixel since it’ll be new and I hope it’ll last her the next 4 years.
We are looking to cut the sprint unlimited plan and got with a set amount, but I need to figure what she actually uses to figure if I need a 2,4,8. If it’s 8 it may as well be unlimited. As of now I’d be leaning to Verizon’s 4/$50+fees. Right now bill is about $89total.
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
02/18/2017 at 18:18, STARS: 0
It’s perfectly okay!! :)
For me, buying phones off eBay takes a bit of time. I search for the phone I want, but for the lowest buy it now price while either being new or lightly used. I make sure I read the ad fully to make sure it has a good ESN/IMEI and closely examine the pics the best I can to spot any defects, damage, or whatever.
Then I check their ratings to see if their prior sales went well. I never deal with anyone with only like a rating of 10 or lower. Even if they have 100% satisfaction, usually people with a number that low and selling an expensive phone are scammers.
If I can’t find a satisfactory phone at a low enough buy it now price, I switch it to Auction only then look for good sales that expire very soon...then if I find something I like I’ll “snipe” it when it has 10 seconds remaining. lol
"XJDano" (xjdano)
02/18/2017 at 18:30, STARS: 0
https://www.ebay.com/itm/322421633771
https://www.ebay.com/itm/282362930009
The second one doesn’t say much.
Ok and onto the next question about when I do get a new phone can I just swap SIM cards and be done, or do I call sprint and switch it over?
"Mercedes Streeter" (smart)
02/18/2017 at 18:44, STARS: 0
First one has some dents and scratches, no type-c cable either. Normally I’d say “no big deal” if one doesn’t care about that stuff, but that price is too high (by about $40-$50 or so) for the damage it has and the missing cable.
The second is bent near the power button. The early builds of the gold 6P were notoriously bad for bending at the power button. Sneaky that they wouldn’t include that damage in the ad.
As for your second question, it should be a direct swap. Thankfully network locked phones are a thing of the past, so you shouldn’t have to worry there. Sometimes though, the network has a glitch and something won’t work after swapping the SIM. That’s fixed by calling Sprint’s tech support and having them re-register the SIM.
Since you’re on Sprint, there’s one more thing. Sprint/Verizon are CDMA carriers. It’s an old technology that some phone makers aren’t making phones for anymore. Your biggest issue here would be getting a Chinese phone like a OnePlus or a Honor. :)