Evilution's site has info on coolant changes and getting rid of trapped air in the system.

 

Thanks! I checked the site but wasn't sure what area to examine. I'll look again!

 

Evilution - Smart Car Encyclopaedia

 

Right -- I found that page after you alluded to it. I hope it's accurate (enough) for 451s.

Thanks again!

 

Here you go, official proceedure for bleeding the cooling system:

 

Does your mechanic not have a vacuum fill device for refilling the coolant?

Bleed the engine at the little curved pipe that comes out the left end of the cylinder head.

 

Way back in the dark ages had a Fiero..... had to purge the air from the system by getting the front of the car as far off the ground as possible, to get the radiator above the engine. It worked.

 

+1 that worked on my smart as well

 

How high is necessary to achieve this?

 

(Sorry... just trying to bring a little levity to the situation.)

 

Seriously though, for those folks who have done the "incline" thing to burp the engine, how steep does the hill need to be? Would a parking garage ramp be steep enough? Or steeper?

 

I did it on Tuesday. I was having trouble getting the air out with the car level. I drove the car onto a set of ramps that are maybe 8" high. The air came right out.

 

I am assuming you saw a drop in your coolant reservoir. How much of a drop did you observe and had you just changed your coolant? Did you rev the engine in neutral to pump the coolant fast enough to move the air?