Chip tuning the 451?

[SmartBob]

Originally Posted by lhoboy

I suspect, as with the older model, the bottom end was designed to be eventually coupled with forced induction (turbo) and is quite capable of withstanding up to 84hp, or even 118 hp without significantly reducing life expectancy.

I'd like to believe that. I guess as with any engine if you ride it hard it'll wear hard. We'll see...I know I'll be looking to add some mods.

[zodiac]

I'm also curious to see what MPG effects will come out of some of the engine mods.

[sisyphus]

If you mod it, you're going to want to see what it will do. Your fuel mileage will drop for sure, unless your mod is specifically intended to decrease fuel usage. More horsepower=more fuel.
Many mods on smarts are visual, or concern handling, sound system or other custom touches. Even those can have a negative impact on your fuel mileage. Example: wide tires=more rolling resistance=lower gas mileage.
But smarts are fun cars, so mod away, smartians! Have a blast! Just let us know here what you've done and the results of the mod!

[Rotary Roadster]

Being from the UK smart scene (now living in SD) I'm very familiar with modifying the old 450 and roadster models of smart cars, and I'm privileged to have recently driven a nicely modified Brabus 451 verified at 126 bhp. Coupled with proper shocks and suspension setup the car was much, much better to drive (factory settings give you lots of under steer into a corner then, click into oversteer and you've spun the car at 50 mph). Bigger gains could be had with larger turbo's, cams and aggressive mapping etc. But in all honesty a 140 bhp+ smart car would be unbearable to live with in a daily drive situation.

As for engine life....well I modded all of my smarts and would "cane the dibbles" off them every so often but mostly drove around as normal and used the new found power to overtake someone quickly and safely. But I modified with the acceptance that more power = more maintenance & care. That said the 451 engine is more resilient than the 700cc suprex predecessor, thus far I've only heard of oil misting from the gearbox and a few electrical gremlins.
Interestingly enough I know of the only person in the UK to have multiple turbo & engine upgrades ready to ship for the new 451 and the engine mapping to compliment them.

Fuel consumption won't be dramatically affected until you go to extremes of tuning the engine for maximum performance. Even at that level I would be surprised if any highly tuned 451 engine returned less than 35-40 mpg.

[WilyB]

Originally Posted by Rotary Roadster

Interestingly enough I know of the only person in the UK to have multiple turbo & engine upgrades ready to ship for the new 451 and the engine mapping to compliment them.

For US 451 engine?

[Evilution]

Originally Posted by sisyphus

More horsepower=more fuel.

Myth.

Horsepower affects the top end speed of the car so unless you drive really fast you don't use a measurable amount more than before.

My 450 was 61bhp. Flat out I would get 230 miles per tank and 320 miles per tank if I drove normally.
After modding it was 117bhp (nearly double the original power), flat out I could empty the tank in 210 miles but driving sensibly would see 400 miles per tank.

You don't need to use more fuel to cruise along at 50mph.

Anyway, back to remapping. Don't bother. It isn't worth the money.

On the 450, you could easily gain 30bhp solely with a remap.
On the 451, the most that has been got out of it is an extra 8bhp.

Even Brabus admitted they can't get more than 8bhp through remapping.

So even with a remap, a decent flowing exhaust and a decent air intake, you'll be lucky to break the +10bhp mark.

Supercharging is the way forwards according to BIG performance.
He has supercharged a 71bhp 450 and he said it was awesome.

[WilyB]

Originally Posted by Evilution

So even with a remap, a decent flowing exhaust and a decent air intake, you'll be lucky to break the +10bhp mark.

I fully agree. Unfortunately some people will believe anything.

Originally Posted by Evilution

Supercharging is the way forwards according to BIG performance. He has supercharged a 71bhp 450 and he said it was awesome.

It would nbe nice if BIG could give us more information about his supercharged kit and how it could - or not - adapt to the US 451s?

[jmartinsmart]

I'm not that interested in squeezing more HP out of my engine. The only "re-mapping" I would like to see is in the transmission shift points. Mine is always in such a rush to get to high gear I often find it bogging down. Even when I decide to take control and do some paddle shifting, that flippin' arrow is always saying "upshift - hurry, hurry - upshift".

Jeeze, let the engine breathe a little, get a few revs first, then upshift.

Am I the only one that feels this way?

Jim

[burtandnancy]

j. I agree with you 100%, so both wifey and I drive with paddles. Like to hold it in 1st a little longer, and when rolling a CA stop, to have it hang in 2nd. Hate 'lugging" an engine...

[Evilution]

Originally Posted by WilyB

It would nbe nice if BIG could give us more information about his supercharged kit and how it could - or not - adapt to the US 451s?

There is very little difference in the USA and Euro smart when it comes to the engine, apart rom the exhaust system. Obviously a supercharger won't use the exhaust gas like a turbocharger would so fitting isn't a problem.

The price however would probably be in the region of $6000.
Don't expect him to give up any info either, he is a secretive guy.

Originally Posted by jmartinsmart

Mine is always in such a rush to get to high gear I often find it bogging down. Even when I decide to take control and do some paddle shifting, that flippin' arrow is always saying "upshift - hurry, hurry - upshift".

Agreed. I drove mine in full auto for the first few weeks because I couldn't hear the engine over the stereo and had taken the rev counter out for modding. When I started driving in normal I noticed the upchange arrows were very early, the auto would never change up as early as it suggests in manual. On many occasions it would flash to change up but refused to change up because the revs weren't high enough.

I put it down to bad coding. Just ignore it and drive it like a normal car.