Temp Gauge

[smarteh]

Maybe I'm anal but I like to know the actual operating temp of the engine coolant - has anyone added an after market temp guage - if so what kind and how difficult was it to install?

[mvaldes]

The scangauge will give you water temp and much more. It just plugs into the OBD port. And, there are plenty of threads about people's experiences: Here's one-
ScanGauge II 4 451 Setup

[pitstopautoinc]

smarteh yes, i put autometer in my car. here is the link on how to do it:
Adding Autometer Gauges to your Smart Fortwo

[Mud Pie]

I would prefer if one of the "pods" had a temperature gauge as opposed to an analog clock. Heck, there is enough room on the face to put a digital display of oil pressure, battery discharge AND coolant temp !

One of the drawbacks to owning a cabrio is you get to experience all the smells around you. Good while out in the country, not so good when in the city in traffic.

One day while plugging along in stop and go traffic, I began to smell anit-freeze. Is it me ? The car next to me ? I instinctually glanced at my dash to no avail. So on my whole way to work I kept hoping that it wasn't me.

It wasn't.

[mike-in-sa]

Scanguage is really easy to use. I learned that the engine runs cooler in stop & go traffic with the A/C on than with it off. The extra fan cools better even though the engine has to run the compressor.

[jimvw57]

There is a complete gauge set up in the LCD display on the European 451s I believe it is an add on option sadly it isn't availavle in the US yet.

[SubSlr88]

Originally Posted by mike-in-sa

Scanguage is really easy to use. I learned that the engine runs cooler in stop & go traffic with the A/C on than with it off. The extra fan cools better even though the engine has to run the compressor.

I was somehow given the impression that the compressor was electrically operated only with the engine running, but not attached to the engine.
Is that impression wrong?

[VinceLA]

SPA Technique gauge: oil temp + coolant temp.

[Flogler]

Yeah, they told me that too until I found the belt that goes to the compressor. The other thing was that they said you needed to drop the engine to change it. That says it too. I was told by another dealer that it was up front. Goes to show you how much they know about the cars they are selling.

[Evilution]

Originally Posted by jimvw57

There is a complete gauge set up in the LCD display on the European 451s I believe it is an add on option sadly it isn't availavle in the US yet.

No, unfortunately not. Mid way through 2008 smart forced the dumbed down USA display on all Euro cars.