01 Honda Insight Beat Up Beauty, leaks and main harness bad - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

rmay635703 · 10-30-2012, 10:31 PM

sWell I finally got my wish, I found a beat up beauty nearby, straight on the bottom but bent up top for a price I can accept.

Sadly I will need to use deepcycles to keep it running since the DC DC works and so does boost but the power doesn't make it to the battery. (battery drains with or without the BDC trick)

Very odd issue, I will need to find all the technical resources I can showing the various wires and grounding locations (and photos of them) so I can figure out what wires on the harness (which may be damaged) are not making connection.

The dash is water damaged (looks like LCD break when you push too hard in certain spots)

And a more pressing issue is the drivers door is a bit popped out and leaks along the top edge, not sure how to do it without breaking the glass.

Any insight enthusiest in Oshkosh FDL or Wausau willing to take a quick looksie so I can diagnose and fix her up more quickly?

I think I will need to run wires from the front to the back DC DC both hot and ground as I get no 12v power regardless of BCD setttings (and the DCDC was recently replaced, hence why I have the car)

I also have these issues
The four buttons in the instrument pod ( -, +, Trip, & km-mph) get corroded and/or dirty. While pushing in on the button, move your finger in a north-south and then east west manner. Do this 30-40 times and it will clean the micro film on the switch contacts. Throw in an occasional circular motion. Works.

If you have low mpg's, check the alignment especially 'toe' setting. Should be set as close to zero as possible.

Forgot about the wet seatbelt/damp floor issue, caused by leaks in the A to B
pillar trim over both doors . Will cause mold & musty smell. PITA to fix.

Pics showing the drivers side unibody damage, not decided what to do on that one.

Cheers
Ryan

MetroMPG · 10-31-2012, 10:47 AM

Photos! Post photos!

Sounds like you need a FSM (Factory Service Manual). I'd be heading over to eBay if I were you.

There were some diagonstic manuals posted on insight central a while back. I'll see if I can find a link. But the FSM is what you really need.

rmay635703 · 10-31-2012, 10:48 AM

I have some photos from my original trip (at bad angles) I will post here hopefully later today, I won't get new ones until I make the long trek back to wausau this weekend sometime.

Due to the issues and the lack of easy DC DC rewiring I figure a couple of my deepcycles in the tub will solve this my main issue well enough, also a good amorphous solar panel would probably be on order, too bad they are usually 4 watts or less for the dash, my kaneka gsa60 no doubt won't fit

My other thought was to somehow directly tap the 3 phase and build a 3 phase capacitor battery charger from motor run caps. These are actually very efficient but I would need to find some that handle up to 100hz and I would need to size a bit smaller than I really need and have a contactor cutoff. I am guessing 25amps at 2500rpms (would allow for moderate headlight use and a recharge after start) would be my goal, at 5k this would result in 100amps which would likely fry the caps so I would need a cutoff.

I was thinking an antique generator regulator like you find on old pickups could tame this down a bit and I already have Lead Acid BMS modules for 12v agm which would also tame it a bit.

Cheers
Ryan

MetroMPG · 10-31-2012, 10:59 AM

May help... (Maybe not...)

http://www.md92raid.100freemb.com/pub/insightindex.html

MetroMPG · 10-31-2012, 11:03 AM

Better: search through this thread for the PDF files "HondaInsight2000_2006.zip" and "HondaInsightPDFs.zip"

Download 2000-2006 Insight Service Manual PDF and Others - Insight Central: Honda Insight Forum

Daox · 10-31-2012, 11:31 AM

Woo, congrats on the find and good luck with the repair! I look forward to hearing about it.

MetroMPG · 11-02-2012, 10:17 AM

Quote:

I have some photos from my original trip (at bad angles) I will post here hopefully later today, I won't get new ones until I make the long trek back to wausau this weekend sometime.

I have the patience of a 4 year-old. Want to see!!

rmay635703 · 11-03-2012, 06:28 PM

My internet connection is slow so no photos until next week but I believe I have tested the DC-DC fuse (on the side of the battery between the DC-DC and battery) and it appears to be good. (which is bad news actually but not unexpected) The guy I bought it from was likely pretending to be dumb, he likely ran through the whole kabootle without a reasonable solution. As is the car works fine, much like an alternator delete car.

I am wondering what the best as found method of testing the DC-DC or 12v wires to the rear is since it seems to be tuff to fit in there.

I looked at this
http://www.insightcentral.net/encycl...njunction.html
No joy as I don't really see what I should on the 12v items I can reach.

My thought is if I want the car on the road in style nearly instantly, deepcycles are to go in the tub, and I will start work on the AC delete / alternator swap ASAP. Harnesses are not my strong suite and the more I look the more I think this really is the case.

Cheers
Ryan

rmay635703 · 11-03-2012, 07:01 PM

No sooner did I post this when I started to think, the big 12v lugs off the DC-DC show no voltage. Duh, bad 12v cabling assuming these are directly attached to the battery up front, now the best way to route front to back.

rmay635703 · 11-04-2012, 03:48 PM

I ran a quick test hooking the hot off the dc-dc to the battery up front the quick and dirty way, charges right up, red battery light goes off.

Easiest diagnosis ever, now the fun part of rigging a new cable through the tub, door and firewall. I will need to check the fuse block first (75amp right) my guess is either the cable, the fuse block or both are intermittant junk since the fuse appears to be fine, will double check.

Cheers
Ryan