Ben Nelson's Electro-Metro Build thread - Page 33 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

ttoyoda · 06-26-2008, 07:10 PM

Quote:

Man, I sort of wish I would have gone to a shop too. He does really nice work. I bet your car will actually work!

Your car is going to work fine. And for your next car, you will have an excuse to buy a metal lathe. Once you have one, you will always wonder how you got along without it.

MetroMPG · 06-27-2008, 10:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bennelson

He cut an access panel into the bottom of the transmission houseing so that we can get a hand in there to make the spider and everything line up. Then it will have a little custom cover to keep anything else from getting in there.

We did the same thing on the ForkenSwift's bell housing. Not big enough to get a hand in (a smart idea) but big enough to shine a light in to at least inspect the coupler should we need to (haven't needed to).

MPaulHolmes · 06-27-2008, 11:36 AM

I would have cut a hole in the bell housing, but there was already one there, where the starter motor was attached! Those Germans thought of everything.

bennelson · 06-29-2008, 09:36 PM

I just sold the gas tank and radiator from the Geo Metro. The parts are all going to a another black Metro. Hey, the more of these we can keep on the road, the better!

After selling all the various parts, I have just came out a little ahead on the cost of the Metro.

Yea!!!!

I still have some money in the forklift, mostly because of the cost of transporting it.

Anyhoo! Free car frame to convert to electric!

bennelson · 06-30-2008, 10:40 PM

No, that's not my Geo Metro - rather, it is the Chevy Metro I sold the gas tank and radiator to.

Notice it has a different grill and headlights.
The guy said he doesn't like those headlights and would really rather have the sealed beam headlights like I have.

I kinda like the grill on his car. That car is a 4-cyclinder automatic transmission, with air conditioning. The engine looked HUGE compared to mine.

I also thought his hubcaps and semi-silver window tint looked really nice.

bennelson · 07-17-2008, 08:48 PM

Daox · 07-17-2008, 10:20 PM

I moved your metro update post to the metro thread for you. This is just a bump for the thread.

MetroMPG · 07-17-2008, 10:51 PM

Cool - glad to see an update. Looking forward to seeing the e-motorcycle this weekend, too.

Johnny Mullet · 07-18-2008, 07:10 AM

Yeah Ben! Keep this thread rollin.

bennelson · 07-18-2008, 12:03 PM

Anyone have suggestions about bearings?

I figure that while the motor is apart, I might want to replace the bearings.

Doesn't really look like there is anything wrong with them, but the commutator doesn't look in great shape, and I figure the bearings haven't been changed since the commutator was new. On the other hand, are bearings in electric motors designed to last forever?

The only moving parts in the motor (literally!) are the two bearings on either end of the rotating shaft, that's it!

I figure that since the motor is apart anyways, now is the time for new bearings if I am going to do them.

Is anyone familiar with turning a commutator on a lathe? I guess this is what people used to do with starter motors to fix them. Put the motor shaft in a lathe, and turn down just a tiny bit off the commutator, so it is shiny and smooth. Nice, new, clean surface for the brushes to rub against.

Anyone done this before?

07-17-2008, 10:20 PM	#327 (permalink)
Daox Administrator Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Germantown, WI Posts: 11,203 CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E 90 day: 51.49 mpg (US) Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius Team Toyota 90 day: 49.53 mpg (US) Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight 90 day: 64.33 mpg (US) Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE Mitsubishi 90 day: 56.69 mpg (US) Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt Thanks: 2,501 Thanked 2,585 Times in 1,553 Posts	I moved your metro update post to the metro thread for you. This is just a bump for the thread. __________________ Current project: A better alternator delete

07-17-2008, 10:51 PM	#328 (permalink)
MetroMPG Batman Junior Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada Posts: 22,515 Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro Team Metro Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US) MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata 90 day: 52.71 mpg (US) Even Fancier Metro - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage top spec 90 day: 70.75 mpg (US) Appliance car - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base) 90 day: 52.48 mpg (US) Thanks: 4,062 Thanked 6,959 Times in 3,603 Posts	Cool - glad to see an update. Looking forward to seeing the e-motorcycle this weekend, too. __________________ Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage. Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown EcoModder has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget

07-18-2008, 07:10 AM	#329 (permalink)
Johnny Mullet Hi-Tech Redneck Join Date: May 2008 Location: Ashtabula, Ohio Posts: 1,436 Thanks: 6 Thanked 49 Times in 42 Posts	Yeah Ben! Keep this thread rollin. __________________ GeoMetroforum.com - got mpg?

07-18-2008, 12:03 PM	#330 (permalink)
bennelson EV test pilot Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Oconomowoc, WI, USA Posts: 4,435 Electric Cycle - '81 Kawasaki KZ440 90 day: 334.6 mpg (US) S10 - '95 Chevy S10 90 day: 30.48 mpg (US) Electro-Metro - '96 Ben Nelson's "Electro-Metro" 90 day: 129.81 mpg (US) The Wife's Car - Plug-in Prius - '04 Toyota Prius 90 day: 78.16 mpg (US) Thanks: 17 Thanked 663 Times in 388 Posts	Anyone have suggestions about bearings? I figure that while the motor is apart, I might want to replace the bearings. Doesn't really look like there is anything wrong with them, but the commutator doesn't look in great shape, and I figure the bearings haven't been changed since the commutator was new. On the other hand, are bearings in electric motors designed to last forever? The only moving parts in the motor (literally!) are the two bearings on either end of the rotating shaft, that's it! I figure that since the motor is apart anyways, now is the time for new bearings if I am going to do them. Is anyone familiar with turning a commutator on a lathe? I guess this is what people used to do with starter motors to fix them. Put the motor shaft in a lathe, and turn down just a tiny bit off the commutator, so it is shiny and smooth. Nice, new, clean surface for the brushes to rub against. Anyone done this before? __________________ 300mpg.org Learn how to BUILD YOUR OWN ELECTRIC CAR CHEAP My YouTube Videos

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