Y2K Honda Insight Repair and Mods

[arcosine]

Well, the first thing is a tune up is in order, an oil change to 0w20 synthetic and fix the clutch cylinder. Then I can play with aero and lean burn and battery mods.

I didn't see a mpg bar graph, how do you enable this?

The Saturn engine has 115 ft lbs of torque at 2400 rpm and the Insight only 66 ft lbs at 4800 rpm, so yes maybe I have to down shift and rev the little engine up, but that wasn't an option yesterday however.

The Insight is at 2122 rpm at 65 mph.

relative displacement, Liters/hour at 65 mph:

geo metro 3 cyl with 4cyl trans----2511
satrun sc1 with 205/70r15----------3816
CRX HF 48 state---------------------2841
Insight first gen,manual------------2112

[arcosine]

Wife is saying No No No, you have to get it running first before ecomodding.

[MetroMPG]

HA! Looks like you planned this all along! How is the tail for width?

MPG bar graph: I believe you get it by pressing the round FCD button on the left side of the steering wheel. Did the car come with an owner's manual? It's in there.

FYI, there are 5 different factory fuel economy gauges in the car:

1. Lifetime (resettable)
2. Trip "A" (resettable)
3. Trip "B" (resettable)
4. "Segment/Section" (access via the FCD button) - effectively this is a Trip "C" (resettable on the fly)
5. Instantaneous MPG bar graph

FYI, the "Segment" MPG number updates roughly once every minute (or half minute, I forget). But it's calculating constantly. When looking at the Segment display, you can "force" an early update by pressing FCD twice in a row (tap tap).

[MetroMPG]

We should update the thread title if this is going to become your general "build thread"...

[arcosine]

I change the title.

FYI here's the craigslist add, I didn't have the heart to talk them down. The owner listed it in the Madison Wisconsin site by mistake, so there was no local competition. It was a 14 hour round trip.

http://madison.craigslist.org/cto/3491921021.html

[MetroMPG]

Doh! "This posting has been deleted by its author."

I don't suppose you can copy/paste the details if you still have them in your cache...

EDIT: never mind.

Five hundred bucks!! You win!

[HyperMileQC]

Boat-tail fits nicer on the Insight!

Can't wait to see it even more modded.

[arcosine]

I fixed the clutch problem, it just needed to be bled, it had air in it, the fluid was black. The clutch isn't that great, it has 150k on it. I put the air intake in back by the exhaust manifold so it takes in warm air. Aired up the tires and drove it around for 29 miles and averaged 61 mpg in 30F degree weather. The CVJs are clicking a little. There were sunflower seeds in the air filter from a mouse. One ground strap to the engine was broken.

The engine compartment is dirty and rusty. The same mechanic that told them it needed a new clutch, and probably drained the fluid out, took off the inner fenders so all the road debris, salt spray, grit got in the engine compartment.

First mod will be to put on the fender shields and seal the engine compartment from the wheel wells. Then a belly pan.


Warm air intake:


I have the ad cached, don't know how to link to it, basically this is the text:

2000 Honda Insight
• $500
• 156,783 miles
• Silver
• 2-seater with hatchback
• needs new clutch -- can't be driven
• 60 mpg
• located between Geneva and Madison, Ohio

[MetroMPG]

$500 bucks = major score. (I got a very good deal and still paid 3x that.) You know what these things are worth! Had you been watching for one for a while?

The ad is funny:

"Needs new clutch." Wrong! (Sort of.)

"Can't be driven." Just watch me!

---

I had a clutch cable break in busy Toronto traffic at a traffic light. Coincidentally there was a tow truck right behind me when it happened. I immediately put on the 4-way flashers and popped the hood - he saw something was wrong and lit up his emergency lights, and hopped out to see what I was checking under the hood.

"Clutch cable just snapped," I confirmed.

"OK," says tow truck guy, dollar signs dancing in his eyes! "Let's wait for a break in traffic, I'll swing around in front of you and hook you up to the truck."

"Uh, that's OK. I'll be fine, but thanks for the offer." And in I hopped, got moving with the starter, and went on my way. He followed me for a while, maybe just checking to see if I could really drive in traffic without a clutch. Eventually we parted ways and I got home & ordered a replacement cable.

(I'm sure I've told this story before.)

[arcosine]

Yea, I had a clutch cable break on a subaru and drove it home, no biggie. If you have 13,705 posts in 4 years that's 10 posts a day. I don't believe that!