The growing TO DO list on the Electric Booger is becoming quite long. My insurance will run out sometime in August, when I can hopefully tackle most of these things before the fall/winter commuting begins.
1. Vacuum accumulator - It does not have one right now, which means the vacuum pump runs for a second each time the brakes are applied. I would rather have it run for a few seconds after every 2 or 3 brake applications.
2. Vacuum pump indicator light - once the car is rolling, road noise is such that I cannot hear the vacuum pump. I will wire the [unused] engine oil light into the the vacuum pump circuit so I know exactly when it runs. I will then be able to react accordingly if I notice anything abnormal, indicating a vacuum pump failure.
3. Left door mirror - it is cracked. Has been this whole time. I am a procrastinator, what can I say....
4. Right axle - the right CV joint is clicking like crazy on left hand turns. Maybe I can use my leftover [unused] radiator as trade in value at the auto wrecker.
5. Battery monitoring - eBay parts are on their way for the new and improved system.
6. Battery hold downs - something better than my current tie down straps would probably be a good idea.
7. TPS potentiometer - I am getting very erratic throttle signals after the car sits for a day. After a few cycles of the accelerator pedal (before or after turning the car on) and it is fine. I am going to try some good electric contact cleaner, and if that doesn't work I will have to buy a new pot.
EDIT: DONE.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...tml#post384998
8. Redundant throttle return spring - for safety in case the return spring in the pot box breaks.
9. Cooling fan - I cannot justify buying a new, bigger motor. So I will install forced cooling. I am thinking of using a marine bilge blower like this:
Bilge Blower Buy 1 Get The Second 1 Free 12VDC 3" Opening | eBay
I can't decide how I will switch this fan on/off. Two options I am throwing around are:
a) epoxy a 165F (or so) thermal switch to a motor brush that turns the fan on once things get hot
b) switch the fan on/off with my [currently unused] pot box idle microswitch. The fan would turn on as soon as the accelerator is depressed.
Which is the better option??
10. Turn (machine) the commutator - in my great haste to get this thing on the road, I may have overlooked the fact that the comm is in in pretty rough shape. I am pretty sure it has a raised bar or two by the way the brushes move around when it is spinning and by the amount of noise they make. The brushes have lots of length left, so can I reuse those with a proper break in or will I need new ones?
EDIT: #9 & 10 are moot, as I am now going to install a different series wound motor into the car.
11. Heater core - barely any air comes out of my heater vents because the [unused] heater core is plugged solid with crap - dust, dirt, leaves, etc. Removal takes days - a very nasty job - so I will try to cut into the heater box to dissect it out of there without disturbing much else. There's no hole that duct tape cannot patch!
12. Tachometer - it would be cool to have it working. Maybe weld some pickup tabs on the motor coupler, install a passive magnetic pickup and wire it into the ex-distributor position sensor wiring? Should work.
13. Lower grill block - I cannot believe I haven't done this yet. That's all I have to say.....
14. Controller cooling fans - I have two small 12V fans all ready to go.
I will EDIT this list as it grows over time, as I know it will.