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[TD84]

As per most Smart ForFour 1.3 petrol owners I've recently had the low power/stalling issues well documented here and elsewhere. I fancy having a crack at cleaning the TVA but I'm hesitant because I'm not sure how to actually remove the throttle body itself. There's an excellent guide here but the photos are gone. Without the visual guide I'm concerned that I'll mess something up or just generally do more harm than good. I've had a good look around here and elsewhere online but I can't seem to find a guide. If anyone can suggest anything I'd be immensely grateful.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

UPDATE:- Pictures in the Guide were 'recovered'....they all now show.

[Ocracoke]

Welcome to the site!

It isn't just the 1.3 petrol engine that suffers this, it is all petrol variants (including the Brabus I believe?) that have this from time to time.

The throttle body is held on by 4x T30 bolts, the air pipework to it, so you'll need a flat screwdriver and a pair of nose pliers to remove the constant tension clamps that clamp the coolant hoses to the body (and it is this that I found the most arduous of the jobs). Undo in order:

• The air pipe work
• The T30 bolts
• The clamps and get a friend to hold the body whilst you undo the clamps
• The electrical connector

 

Once the pipes are undone, you'll need to stop up the pipes to stop the coolant from spilling out and have something to catch the coolant that does come out.

Installation is the reverse really.

[Problemchild]

I will try and redo the guide with pics (photobucket has fked up the internet)

In the mean time, download the photobucket fix to google chrome

JJ

[CrazyG]

No panic JJ...I've managed to 'reclaim' the photo's 
and the original Guide is now looking as it was when it
was first posted up by Kog.

[TD84]

Can't thank you all enough. Excellent work by the ensemble.

[TD84]

Finally had a chance to do this. I can tell you I would have been lost without the guide. The Torx screws on mine were so stiff I had to wear two sets of gloves to protect my hands. It wasn’t as dirty as I’d assumed (car has only done 80k) but it certainly looked better once I was done. I used carburettor cleaner and some paper towels. Some high revs once I started it but it evened out. Curious to see if it works, it seems like such a small fix!

Thanks again to everyone on the forum and specifically those who have provided such detailed guides. I’m tackling the radio next!

[ubuntupunk]

Can one reuse the 'constant tension' clamps? They look hellish to remove.

[CrazyG]

Presume by 'constant tension clamps' you mean the metal bands
around the coolant pipes connecting to the throttle body...?

The option is that you can carefully cut them off and replace them
with Jubilee clips.
I have taken throttle bodies off of my ForFour's and the ForFour's of
my daughter and ex wife at least 6 times or so to clean them, but
I have never disconnected those water pipes.  Ok, so it sometimes
has been awkward or inconvenient moving and twisting the throttle
body about...but even then it has still been possible to clean them.