[mpg_numbers_guy]

Originally Posted by Ecky

I get lean burn without a battery, and this is normal for an Insight. If you leave a failed battery in, it can cause lean burn to shut off (depending on the code), but flipping the switch on the IMA system or unplugging it entirely leaves lean burn intact. There isn't a lot of reason to shut off the CEL other than for passing state inspection.

So maybe what I'm seeing is no lean burn with a bad battery still hooked up. I'd think the Insight and HCH would have their batteries hooked up the same way.

Originally Posted by Ecky

As for double clutching, yes, you let the clutch out in neutral, then press it again before putting it into gear. There's one more step - when it's in neutral, you give it some gas to roughly match revs. Basically if the engine will be at 2000rpm in the new gear, rev the engine to 2000rpm in neutral before pressing clutch and dropping it into gear.

The reason this works is that the synchros in the Insight have a design flaw. They normally match internal transmission speed to engine speed when you drop it into gear. They malfunction, so the speeds don't match and the gears grind instead of coming together smoothly. If you roughly match revs when dropping from 3rd to 2nd (just blip throttle in neutral) it goes into gear smoothly because you're doing the work the synchros would otherwise be doing. And, it's only the down-synchro in 2nd (and sometimes 1st), not the up synchros or any of the higher gears.

EOC to a stop can be an issue *sometimes* with this problem. If you shut off your engine while rolling to a stop, but the light turns green and you're still moving a few mph, you can't blip the throttle to match revs and it'll grind when you try to put it in gear because the engine will be turning slower (0rpm) than the gear (more than 0rpm, since the car is still moving). My workaround is to drop it into 3rd and bump start the engine, tap the throttle, then drop it into 2nd (or 1st). If I come fully to a stop I just use my starter.

For what it's worth, I'll be fixing this flaw permanently in my transmission and selling it when I take it out of my car. One could in theory buy a fixed transmission, swap it for theirs, then fix theirs and sell it. Many Insights have had this issue fixed already too, and some don't develop it, but it's common.

Ok so how would you recommend doing EOC in an Insight or HCH, with and also without the battery? With a manual, of course, step by step.

Originally Posted by Ecky

EDIT: I sometimes see decent looking Insights going up for sale on IC, on Facebook groups, or on Craigslist. I'm sure something will come by if that's the route you take. I would not feel bad at all about an HCH though, they're quite solid.

Nahhh, I want an Insight now lol. Go big or go home.

Originally Posted by Ecky

Here's a 65k mile 2000 Insight (best year IMO) for sale for $2200:

https://newyork.craigslist.org/brx/c...669258639.html

Ad doesn't specify but the battery is probably good. It would likely have ~150k miles of operation before the transmission needed any fix. You might also have another 6+ years out of the battery, or could sell it for $6-800.

I WANT. But I won't be able to get one until May next year.

Honestly I'm to the point where like, screw it, I'll get an Insight with a functional battery. If it lasts 5-8 years, good; most people replace cars sooner than that, and I'd just be spending $2000 every 5-8 years for a 100 MPG car.

And if I need to transport people, well they can get their own ride. I only have one seat in my Civic anyway.

How would I store the hybrid battery during my "off months" so that it doesn't get ruined sooner?

Originally Posted by Ecky

Forgot to answer this. A 12v battery is less than 50% charge at 12v, and they don't like being at low charge. At full charge it's higher than 12.8v, and in order to charge it, you need to supply the battery higher voltage than it currently has. I suppose you could probably run the system as low as ~13v and everything would work fine, but it's standard for alternators to provide between 13.8 and 14.2v.

In my ebikes, a "72v" battery is actually around 84-85v when fully charged, and in the 60's when close to empty.

Makes sense, thank you!!

Originally Posted by Stacygifford

To bring up the early parts of this thread,

The internals of the crx hf trans swap direct into the 92-95 trans and will allow you to keep the hydraulic slave cylinder.

I have a federal crx HF trans (2.95 final drive) laying around if you are interested.

Oooooohhhhh.....but....I wanna Insight now

Wouldn't it still be more difficult to install anyway?