LIFE of ENGINE?
I woke up last night with a nagging thought! I've driven Toyotas and Hondas for 200,000 to 300,000 miles. Has anyone figured out how long the smart for2 engine lasts. I know rubber bands will break eventuality. I'm still waiting for the phone call to come pick up my smartcar.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bobby on -
Sorry I don't have the answer, but as a new owner you really have me wondering.
You might won't to post under the nuts and bolts catagory, where all of the mechanically oriented discussions are. I will be waiting to read the comments you recieve.
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Permalink Reply by greg on -
i dont know the answer but i have a mitsubishi montero sport and it s the best vehicle ive ever owned.it has 156,000 + miles on it and i would take it anywhere.your [our] 4-2 has a mitsubishi engine in it.though small,i have faith in this power plant.time will tell.also,i beleive our 451 model is the best they ever produced from what ive read.[for the us market]you could be safe and get rid of it with about 125,000 miles on it.
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Permalink Reply by John on -
My sister in law has a Smart in Hamburg Germany and she has 175K km (about 109K miles) on it and it still is running on the autobahn once a week to go to Sylt approximately 200 km away. She had it for 10 years already and it sits out side in the rain. There is hardly any rust on it at all except for where there is a scratch on the metal parts. None on the door panels.
I drive it when I am there on the autobahn with no problems what so ever.
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Permalink Reply by baubcadt on -
Sylt, cool, I have been there. Where is your sister's town?
Mentioning autobahn, what is the fastest you had her Smart going?
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Permalink Reply by Jim Yedor on
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Guy goes to the doctor. Doctor tells him to give up smoking, drinking, and sex. He is surprised and asks "Doc, if I do that will I live longer?"- Doctor says " No, but it will sure seem like it!"
Your first 50,000 miles in a smart will be so much fun that you won't care.
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Permalink Reply by Alan Perry on -
With any modern engine, with normal maintenance, 100k miles should be no problem.
As far as the Montero, a friend of mine had two engines replaced under warranty on his Montero, so YMMV.
Most of the Mitsubishi engines that I have direct experience with are in rally cars and tuned to the limit, so high-mileage longevity is not a concern.
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Permalink Reply by Robert Riley on -
I don't trust Mitsubishi engines, so I will be putting Amsoil European 5W-40 oil in when my wrench comes on. I am investigating if the Amsoil 75W-90 severe gear lube is compatible. I am guessing that it is since it's a GL-5.
As long as you don't abuse the vehicle and maintain it properly, it should run great. I use Amsoil P.I. religiously every 4,000 miles to keep the injectors and fuel system running perfect. Be sure to change the plugs every 30,000 miles or earlier. Change your air filter every 20,000 miles. Don't speed through deep puddles. I am expecting this car to go at least 400,000+ miles. It should last my lifetime on this planet.
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Permalink Reply by Fred Bauer on -
Robert Riley said:
No, it's not compatible, the transmission uses GL-4, not GL-5... and a very specific formulation (Castrol BOT 328). Check out http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f25/mobil-gear-oil-smart-tr... for a thorough discussion.I am investigating if the Amsoil 75W-90 severe gear lube is compatible. I am guessing that it is since it's a GL-5.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Randall on -
Do you really want to wait a few hundred thousand miles before you have a compelling reason to put the Hayabusa engine in?
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Permalink Reply by Robert Riley on
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I'm not going to spend that kind of money on a smart car. I just wanted reliable transportation. Very few people are going to sink another $10,000+ into a car to put that engine. They just want a cheap, fun little car to drive around. The smart is good at doing that.
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Permalink Reply by Robert Riley on
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Yes, that does appear to be correct. You should not be using Amsoil SVG 75W-90. After doing some research the kind of fluid that works in differentials can have different effects in a transmission, so a true GL-4 oil is needed.
Looks like this Amsoil 75W-90 is one that is compatible and is designed for transmissions and transaxles. The service interval is twice what smart recommends to change. Does anyone know what the factory recommended interval is to change the transmission fluid in these cars? I will be ordering this fluid after my car is broken in good enough or maybe when I am scheduled to do the first oil change.
It is nice having a car that is so easy to maintain. The thing I don't like about conventional transmissions is having to run all around town to find a place that has a flushing machine and the added expense of getting the torque converter flushed out. I love manual transmissions, but my wife doesn't want to learn how to drive one. The nice thing about the smart fortwo is that I am able to have a real manual transmission without having to teach my wife how to drive manual. It's no big deal for me to crawl under the car and drain 3 bottles of transmission fluid and add new fluid. I love this car.
I found this on another web site regarding GL-4/GL-5:
"Reason is, transmissions and transaxles have syncronizer rings and differentials do not. The syncro rings are made of brass or other alloys of soft metals. GL-5 has an additive that is fine for hardened gears but will corrode and shorten the life of syncro rings."
Fred, thanks for your feedback on this issue.
Fred Bauer said:Robert Riley said:
No, it's not compatible, the transmission uses GL-4, not GL-5... and a very specific formulation (Castrol BOT 328). Check out http://www.smartcarofamerica.com/forums/f25/mobil-gear-oil-smart-tr... for a thorough discussion.I am investigating if the Amsoil 75W-90 severe gear lube is compatible. I am guessing that it is since it's a GL-5.
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