Admit defeat.

[Bobby 2000]

I've unfortunately found the water pump is leaking on my recently purchased Smart Fortwo Brabus .A bit disappointed that I've got a problem so soon , bought privately so no warranty.
It seems that when at rest it doesn't leak all the time, must depend where the pump stops. Anyway got a new pump and started to strip the car down, but after taking wheels off, the arch liner and a few other bits, the access to the pump is very limited, mine has aircon which I assume makes it even harder. have given up and booked it in with a local garage.
I still love this little car, and can't wait to get it fixed.

[tolsen]

Unwise trusting a garage to change your water pump.

[EmilysDad]

I've unfortunately found the water pump is leaking on my recently purchased Smart Fortwo Brabus .A bit disappointed that I've got a problem so soon , bought privately so no warranty.
It seems that when at rest it doesn't leak all the time, must depend where the pump stops. Anyway got a new pump and started to strip the car down, but after taking wheels off, the arch liner and a few other bits, the access to the pump is very limited, mine has aircon which I assume makes it even harder. have given up and booked it in with a local garage.
I still love this little car, and can't wait to get it fixed.

Assuming your Fortwo's water pump is the same or similar to my Roadster, then changing the water pump isn't too hard though fiddly. A combination of levering the engine up or down against the chassis leg allowed me access to all the bolts holding the water pump to the block. The alternator also uses the water pump for one of its pivot points.
Mercedes quoted me £330 and a local Merc/Smart independent quoted me 'twice as much' (as the Merc dealer)
It took me about an hour to remove the original & about the same to fit the new one ..... without rushing.

[Bobby 2000]

Assuming your Fortwo's water pump is the same or similar to my Roadster, then changing the water pump isn't too hard though fiddly. A combination of levering the engine up or down against the chassis leg allowed me access to all the bolts holding the water pump to the block. The alternator also uses the water pump for one of its pivot points.
Mercedes quoted me £330 and a local Merc/Smart independent quoted me 'twice as much' (as the Merc dealer)
It took me about an hour to remove the original & about the same to fit the new one ..... without rushing.

I'm not sure if the Brabus has more bits to remove than a standard engine, but I could only see 3 of the 6 bolts concerned and I just couldn't see anyway of getting at the others with out a lot more dismantling, the aircon compressor looked like it needed to be removed, I think with the heat at the moment I really couldn't be bothered at nearly 70 years old.
Merc have a time of 2hrs for the time of the job.
I've been quoted £210 by a local garage, it's being done as I speak.

[EmilysDad]

I'm not sure if the Brabus has more bits to remove than a standard engine, but I could only see 3 of the 6 bolts concerned and I just couldn't see anyway of getting at the others with out a lot more dismantling, the aircon compressor looked like it needed to be removed, I think with the heat at the moment I really couldn't be bothered at nearly 70 years old.
Merc have a time of 2hrs for the time of the job.
I've been quoted £210 by a local garage, it's being done as I speak.

A very wise decision :-)

The Brabus bits aren't that different and mine has a/c too

[Bobby 2000]

A very wise decision :-)

The Brabus bits aren't that different and mine has a/c too

Just rang the garage, he said that it's done, but having problems bleeding the system, I had read that bleeding can be a bit of a pig, another good reason to hand it over to someone else.

[Thrumbleux]

Bleed it via the temp sensor.

[EmilysDad]

Bleed it via the temp sensor.

Doesn't the 450 have a vent om the rad like a Roadster?

[tolsen]

Doesn't the 450 have a vent om the rad like a Roadster?

Better than the Roadster. The 450 has a radiator cap at top of expansion tank which sits on left corner of radiator.

Cap is not shown in above diagram but believe me it is there. Radiator is bled through expansion tank. Purpose of check valve is to allow air in radiator to flow to expansion tank but prevents heat from heater matrix circuit being lost through radiator.

[Bobby 2000]

I got Smartie back.
Been out for a test drive,taken in a couple of hills to get the temperature up, max temperature of 80 degrees showing. I will check water level tomorrow and keep an eye on it for a few days, but it all seems good at the moment.
Next job is to get my 2nd key programed, quoted £160 by MB, will try and get it done cheaper.

[tolsen]

Banchory Smart Centre programs keys for a good pub pint of ale.

[Bobby 2000]

Banchory Smart Centre programs keys for a good pub pint of ale.

I get the feeling they might be to far away for me, but sounds like a bargain, I would buy him 2 pints. 😆

[Thrumbleux]

Doesn't the 450 have a vent om the rad like a Roadster?

If it has, I've never had to use it. Bleeding at the temp sensor has worked everytime.
I'd expect differences between the 450 and Roadster due to the different heights of their radiiators.

[tolsen]

If it has, I've never had to use it. Bleeding at the temp sensor has worked everytime.
I'd expect differences between the 450 and Roadster due to the different heights of their radiiators.

On a 450 there are two air bleed points.
1) Expansion tank cap.
2) Temperature sensor at top of thermostat housing.

[Thrumbleux]

Then I've bled via the cap simultaneously while it was removed to permit the addition of coolant.
Never had any problems with my method - never the 'cold only' heater, or any cooling problems.