2000 Insight 5 speed repair & build thread

[Ecky]

I personally get lean burn when it's below freezing outside, without a WAI, and have seen it with intake air temperatures that have exceeded ~180F/80c. I seem to recall getting it in subzero weather once the car was warmed up, I can report back in a month or two and let you know.

[Daox]

So, hopefully you guys can help me make sense of how the Insight operates a bit better. I went to a lunch meeting today and the trip is about 2/3rd 55 mph highway travel, rolling hills, bread and butter Insight wonderland. I was able to maintain 75-100 mpg nearly the entire 2/3rds of the way there. The other 1/3rd is 35-45 mph country roads with stop signs all over the place. Great when up to cruising speed, but the dumb signs you gotta stop for every time. This gave me a lot of tries at tweaking my regen braking technique. However, regen doesn't seem to be consistent. Every once in a while it just will not regen. My technique is pretty consistent though. When approaching the sign I shift to neutral and when I get closer to the sign I shift back into gear (usually 3rd) to get regen. Most of the time when I let the clutch out I get the 4 bars of regen right away, and then more once I lightly touch the brakes. However, sometimes I get no regen when I let the clutch out. Sometimes after that I get regen when I brake, and sometimes I don't get regen when I brake. Its confusing.

Also, since I was doing a good amount of regen, for a short time, my battery SOC meter went to 100% full from about half. Continuing driving, it later dropped down to about half full which is where it seems to stay. Is this normal?

I realize a clutch switch and other mods will help me control the IMA system, but I would like to understand better how it operates to begin with in stock form.

Still absolutely loving this car even with its not fully smooth lean burn (yet)!

[NoD~]

I moved my intake temp sensor from where I had it laying by the fuse boxes to near the coolant bleed valve because since Fall came along with cooler temps, I noticed leanburn was being more of a pain to go into and keep. Since doing so, it's definitely improved all around! Especially the first 5-10 minutes of driving.

As for the reg braking, once in a while mine won't kick in. Not sure what causes it... obviously, won't do it if it thinks the battery is full. Sounds like yours does it a lot more, though. Keep us updated on this from what you find.

[Ecky]

To get regen when it does that, blip the throttle. Sometimes regen will cut out if you go over a bump too (or at least mine does) and blipping the throttle brings it back.

[Daox]

Thanks Ecky, I'll give that a try.

Another thing I've noticed is 12V still isn't charging correctly. A lot of the time when I was cruising around at lunch, my 12V (according to my SG which is not that accurate) was 11.9V. When I would get the RPMs way up (over 4k I'd say) it jumps up to 14.0V... Seems odd, and I don't want to be abusing my new 12V. Any ideas here? I think at the least I'll go over the grounds.

[Ecky]

I haven't had any 12v issues personally and don't yet know how to troubleshoot them.

[cowmeat]

When approaching the sign I shift to neutral and when I get closer to the sign I shift back into gear (usually 3rd) to get regen. Most of the time when I let the clutch out I get the 4 bars of regen right away, and then more once I lightly touch the brakes. However, sometimes I get no regen when I let the clutch out. Sometimes after that I get regen when I brake, and sometimes I don't get regen when I brake. Its confusing.

You seriously need one of those three-button Insight shift knobs. There's a guy on here that actually 3D prints them, I can hook you up with him if you need me to. In fact, I actually have a spare one from Ron Burgundy if you want it

I hardly ever touched the brakes in my Insight, and rarely downshifted to get regen. I just hit the button and let it regen as far down as it would go, then shifted into neutral so I didn't end up with a tranny downshift grind.

[Daox]

Haha. Oh, believe me I'll get around to modding the Insight. Its just a matter of time. But, I want to get it running and the quirks all figured out before I go about changing things.

BTW, you never did send me that fancy mirror of yours.

[cowmeat]

BTW, you never did send me that fancy mirror of yours

Yeah . . . . about those.

When I took them off I was going to see if I could pull the bondo off before I sent them to you and I ended up breaking the base of one of them

[Daox]

Haha, oh well.

Do you remember where you got the little mirrors from? And, where they even useful?