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[Feeble]

It seems like literally every time I drive my Brabus something else is wrong with it. Seemingly, the car was not content with a slipping clutch, fan controls that dont work, doors that dont open every time. Just driven home from work and I'm sat at 30mph, i looked at the revs and they were about 500rpm. I thought it seemed low so I dropped to 3rd gear. No change in revs. And then slowly the rev needle dropped and dropped and just sat on zero rpm. Turned the car off when i got home and the needle is stuck at 800rpm. What the hell?!   

Car still seems to drive fine, and the speedo is alright. I'll have a search on here for rev counter not working... What problem will I encounter when I drive it next!? 

Matt

[Feeble]

Well I just removed the instrument cluster and the plug seems fine. Put it all back together and I still have a problem. The needle does wobble a little when I rev the car, but nothing more. 

[El Tel]

My needle wobbles a little when I rev as well... nothing else wrong though.

I think this happens only since I changed my binnacle- so worst case scenario, you can replace the binnacle entirely. However if you install a used one, get one with less km on the clock than yours currently has because the ´new´binnacle will adopt whichever mileage is higher, from your car or the one it was in before.

[El Tel]

It seems like literally every time I drive my Brabus something else is wrong with it.

Have faith. I bought mine with doors that didn't lock, a repetitive ECL light (due to a sticky TVA), a failed ESP sensor and a hidden corrosion problem in the TVA itself, which finally popped last year. (coolant hadn't been changed for yonks) - I fixed almost all of them Gremlins myself and I fixed them cheaply enough.

However once I worked through my little gremlins I am very happy with the car. Rust free, solid chassis and a bullet proof engine. Yours is probably suffering the effects of a previous owner who didn't take care of it so well.

[Feeble]

My needle wobbles a little when I rev as well... nothing else wrong though.

I think this happens only since I changed my binnacle- so worst case scenario, you can replace the binnacle entirely. However if you install a used one, get one with less km on the clock than yours currently has because the ´new´binnacle will adopt whichever mileage is higher, from your car or the one it was in before.

Yeah, that's what I was afraid of. If that is the case I will probably just buy an aftermarket rev counter and leave the clocks as they are!

There are several things I need to look at on the car. If it was summer time I would be out working on it all the time, but who wants to be out in the cold for hours on end?   

[CrazyG]

Forget changing the speedo/rev counter binnacle as that is
not the issue but a symptom of a problem that you have.

Did or does the yellow EML light come on (Engine Management Light) ?

Next, I would obtain an ELM327-OBD2-Car-Diagnostic-Scanner-Tool.
It is WiFi so it can connect to a smartphone once you have downloaded
the relevant App.  Torque (free version) for Android...Dashboard for
the iPhone (you have to pay for any iPhone App !)
Plug the EML327 into the under dash OBD2 port, open the App on your
smartphone and then connect to it via WiFi. (I think you will need to
have the ignition on to position 2 to get the OBD2 port to work).
Check for any error codes, then compare those with a list which you
can find on the Internet.  If you can work out from the de-code of the
errors what the problem is then you're on your wy to fixing the problem.
Failing that, call and chat to a Smart 'indie' and discuss the problem
and codes and what it says the errors are, then take it from there.

[Feeble]

Hey Graham

That sounds like a good idea. Do you have details of a good one, or are they all ok?

Does this one look like a good purchase to you - https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F283645981441

Matt

[Feeble]

And the engine light is not on or anything like that mate, no other issues apart from a dead tacho...

[CrazyG]

I'll see what I can find out from 'my man' at S2 re the dead tacho...
Glad to hear it runs ok otherwise mind.
What mileage shows on the speedo at the moment ?

As for the ELM327....that's the big bulky one...a mini one is neater
and can be had for less (£5.49), and it's in the UK...:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Mini-OBD2-ELM327-V2-1-Bluetooth-Car-Scanner-Torque-Android-Auto-Scan-Tool/232988014440?epid=23026729464&_trkparms=ispr%3D1&hash=item363f2af768:g:adIAAOSwoupaq-3S&enc=AQAEAAACQBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qV0Rn1vdR%2FA%2B1WebiLM5ctwr5EHd41yahdBtYHEMIaS1joIB4qGXlbE7p2PfhqPE%2FPTu6wMeVsdRxZXs%2BZ%2B%2FmTXf0HagkQgDrfK%2FsRjKdB5%2FL9MeC4PK3Wsjd7Rk2VmlHv6q2vo%2B07JSkCFYcMzVgUggM4ZX2Y3Krl8irGXQrCqHx%2B7hRYW6d20KOwQz8PWodsvmn4zVTfSK6Ms%2BVxofy0%2B8StOfq1Vtwo1kV%2BwvYuL2ehwXHt2hjVC7bmWR1YrrGLsVa%2Ba8cPH8fYLy4WmwJY3QOa5J8KmjA%2FXTVFpLc48l0kaI5mfHIYV7Z2TuigPxmFAuOv9sze1McPcGTHFcZfSmad7c9VvA8lc2NWmAmd942VER0ZcbLW6BRrL16oHXve5M1vk%2BmtiD2Fjfr40Wf1XCnCOX80iQzx3dDaQw%2Bxl03QWPUD4Ghyca7KSiclurtE2Dv34j%2BKfp6nHvpD6qEvv4DD1Y3KYGg%2B3VlXrQc0A17ou9dHGJQ3qB1CB%2FFrG16qxcRJ5dn8HWBzEXSGBBJaFFNoPU0iI53VMmj24JvznDw5B9TBHMicsuNuSspnaeQdQ3m8zGCAJrZNwmOB1Qh%2BERFGsdfhQPnYB2an4%2BSimLURcaqI1CLkh5QYEHJ4OPDii0I1c4wlpuKHURCnPjdA95AtpoCV2pGcbpjIStu3jlu4QLrk1oi9YtlS5db672PDUHPQdzDLgo3B0FDG08ioKVHYYmANSskvzGiG9Jp91ow%3D%3D&checksum=232988014440c71df5aed909445fb66ba46920d26a84&enc=AQAEAAACQBPxNw%2BVj6nta7CKEs3N0qV0Rn1vdR%2FA%2B1WebiLM5ctwr5EHd41yahdBtYHEMIaS1joIB4qGXlbE7p2PfhqPE%2FPTu6wMeVsdRxZXs%2BZ%2B%2FmTXf0HagkQgDrfK%2FsRjKdB5%2FL9MeC4PK3Wsjd7Rk2VmlHv6q2vo%2B07JSkCFYcMzVgUggM4ZX2Y3Krl8irGXQrCqHx%2B7hRYW6d20KOwQz8PWodsvmn4zVTfSK6Ms%2BVxofy0%2B8StOfq1Vtwo1kV%2BwvYuL2ehwXHt2hjVC7bmWR1YrrGLsVa%2Ba8cPH8fYLy4WmwJY3QOa5J8KmjA%2FXTVFpLc48l0kaI5mfHIYV7Z2TuigPxmFAuOv9sze1McPcGTHFcZfSmad7c9VvA8lc2NWmAmd942VER0ZcbLW6BRrL16oHXve5M1vk%2BmtiD2Fjfr40Wf1XCnCOX80iQzx3dDaQw%2Bxl03QWPUD4Ghyca7KSiclurtE2Dv34j%2BKfp6nHvpD6qEvv4DD1Y3KYGg%2B3VlXrQc0A17ou9dHGJQ3qB1CB%2FFrG16qxcRJ5dn8HWBzEXSGBBJaFFNoPU0iI53VMmj24JvznDw5B9TBHMicsuNuSspnaeQdQ3m8zGCAJrZNwmOB1Qh%2BERFGsdfhQPnYB2an4%2BSimLURcaqI1CLkh5QYEHJ4OPDii0I1c4wlpuKHURCnPjdA95AtpoCV2pGcbpjIStu3jlu4QLrk1oi9YtlS5db672PDUHPQdzDLgo3B0FDG08ioKVHYYmANSskvzGiG9Jp91ow%3D%3D&checksum=232988014440c71df5aed909445fb66ba46920d26a84

[Feeble]

Ah, even better. Do you leave it plugged in at all times or just when you need to diagnose a problem?

The mileage is 91k or so Graham.

Thanks

Matt

[Feeble]

Just ordered that now. Bet it'll highlight loads of faults lol. 

[CrazyG]

...Do you leave it plugged in at all times or just when you need to diagnose a problem?

I myself have one that has an on/off button. I did at one time have
a ScanGauge plugged into my OBD2,  but I noticed one evening a
faint 'glow' coming from inside the car...it was the ScanGauge...
so the OBD2 port was still live !  Finding and seeing that explained
the occasional struggle to start the car some mornings.

So...I would recommend that you unplug yours when you are not
using the car. Ok, it's a bit of a fiddle unclipping the underdash
panel each time..but I found on eBay a short OBD2 extension
lead so that I can place/fit the ELM unit up to the left of the
steering column where there is that wee 'shelf' space. The
cable slips easily into the gap between the column and panel.

It can be useful to have the EML unit working when using the
car as the Torque/Dashboard Apps can display RPM, boost,
oil pressure, oil temp, mpg, and lots of other stuff. What you see
displayed is down to your choice, as is the size and style of each
item you want to display ! (Your screen is the limiting factor)

It really is neat...PROVIDING you have your smartphone in a cradle
where you can see it easily.....NOT in your hands or on your lap !
BUT..to be totally honest with everyone, the 'novelty' soon
wears off, and your full concentration returns to the pleasure
of driving rather than taking your eyes off the road to 'oggle'
the pretty coloured moving displays.  Soon it will only take
your interest as and when you think something is amiss or
it takes your fancy to try to 'impress' your mates....LOL

[Feeble]

Hey Graham

I have just plugged in the OBD2 reader for the first time. It links up fine and is kind of interesting... But I have no idea what I am looking for here! There are no faults with the car apparently.

I went out for a drive today, the rev counter worked fine from the off. It was only after about half an hours worth of driving that it started playing up again. It was stuck on 3k rpm and when I turned the car off it sat on 2k rpm.

When I went out to use the reader the car had cooled down somewhat and the rev counter is working again.

Scratching my head here... I like the novelty of the reader though and look forward to using it a bit more regardless!

Matt

[Alex]

The fact that the car runs just fine and OBD reports no faults means it's not the crankshatf sensor, and you can verify that by yourself.

When the instrument rev counter stop working, just go into torque, and read the RPM from there (realtime information menu).

[CrazyG]

Hmmm...makes me wonder if someone might have taken the
binnacle out at some time to fix the dreaded fuel gauge problem
(a known issue that can be cured with judicious use of a fine
  tipped soldering iron)..anyway...if that's the case then the
rec counter needle might be bent/curved, or...it's not been
fitted far enough back down the shaft and is touching the back
of the clear acrylic front panel.  Have a real close look/check.

If all appears to be ok then do as Alex has suggested...
or contact Rob at S2 to see if he's decided what he wants for
the speedo/rev counter binnacle that was out of the original
Brab before it was converted to the race car yonks ago.