2000 Insight - TLC and ecomodding build

[samwichse]

I just replaced the temperature sensor with some resistors that added up to what it was showing at about 25C. No more auto stop disabling.

[Ecky]

Some more goodies arrived. DDM tuning HID kit with low/high beams, and 2x 92mm fans - one as a replacement for one in my PC, and another for the solar panel cabin exhaust. My reading revealed that the Delta AFB0912H will start up with less voltage than just about any other fan SPCR has tested, and has an excellent power draw to airflow ratio.




The new bulbs (H4) are a drop-in replacement, but I had a terrible time getting the clips in place. The HIDs don't have an indentation in the same place the stock bulbs do, causing it to be much harder to press them (the clips) into place. I ended up pulling the bumper off to get the driver headlight out to get a good look at it. After getting a good look, I was able to mash the passenger holding clip into place without headlight removal.

Otherwise, installation was pretty simple - one wire to the battery, and a tangle of wires and boxes behind each headlight.




One new headlight installed:




Low beams vs high beams, which are magnetically actuated and work just like regular halogen low/highs:

[Baltothewolf]

Did you notice any mpg gains because of the bulb switch? I'm curious if it made a noticeable impact.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

Did you notice any mpg gains because of the bulb switch? I'm curious if it made a noticeable impact.

Haven't driven it yet. Power savings should be 40w. However, another update:

Friday, when my wife went to work it was warm - in the 70's - and she set an almost record low in gas mileage at 48mpg, so I pulled the throttle smoothing circuit out. I put the +12v tender on, in the evening a coldfront came through, and on Saturday when she went in to the office it was about 35F and she managed 63mpg. She reported no unusual circumstances on either trip.

So, throttle smoothing circuit + warm weather = 48mpg
Fully topped 12v + cold weather = 63mpg

EDIT: I did notice what johnlvs2run mentioned about the throttle smoothing circuit. For whatever reason, it seemed like I was needing to be in a lower gear to climb the same grades, though I'm at a loss for an explanation as to why. For now, I'm not recommending it.

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by Ecky

Haven't driven it yet. Power savings should be 40w. However, another update:

Friday, when my wife went to work it was warm - in the 70's - and she set an almost record low in gas mileage at 48mpg, so I pulled the throttle smoothing circuit out. I put the +12v tender on, in the evening a coldfront came through, and on Saturday when she went in to the office it was about 35F and she managed 63mpg. She reported no unusual circumstances on either trip.

So, throttle smoothing circuit + warm weather = 48mpg
Fully topped 12v + cold weather = 63mpg

EDIT: I did notice what johnlvs2run mentioned about the throttle smoothing circuit. For whatever reason, it seemed like I was needing to be in a lower gear to climb the same grades, though I'm at a loss for an explanation as to why. For now, I'm not recommending it.

Where did you order your block heater from? Also, can you make a post of the install? I still can't find out where the plug is for it on the block.

[cowmeat]

Hey people,

I'm back from vacation in Suwannee, so I'll start testing out the throttle smoothing circuit on my commute this week and see how well it works on mine.

Ecky, what is the purpose of the battery tender you installed? Is it to save the IMA system from having to charge the 12V?

Balto, how is the kill switch working out for you?

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by cowmeat

Hey people,

I'm back from vacation in Suwannee, so I'll start testing out the throttle smoothing circuit on my commute this week and see how well it works on mine.

Ecky, what is the purpose of the battery tender you installed? Is it to save the IMA system from having to charge the 12V?

Balto, how is the kill switch working out for you?

Kill switch is working great! Around town it's getting me about 10-15% better mpg, but for Highway driving (where stop lights are few and far between) I find running with the IMA system enabled results in better mpg, due to me being able to get up to 55-65mph faster. Around the back streets, no need for IMA as I never go over 40mph.

I am considering turning this car into a plug in once I get a OBD2C&C so I can see exactly what battery % my car considers full and stops regen braking at, because then with quick math in my head, I can just charge the car back to 'full' every night at work or when it's sitting at home with a simple timer. This way the car won't get charged to 100% to often, and I'll be able to use IMA in the city and on the freeway, and I'll be able to use it more aggressively, giving even bigger MPG gains.

Example, let's just use 10aH battery for a baseline. Let's say my car considers 'full' at 86.2%, or 8.6aH. If I use my IMA around town aggressively, and end up with 4.1aH by the time I get home, that's 4.5 aH I need to regain to be at 'full' again. So 350MaHx13 =~8.6aH. So I just charge for 14.3 hours (10% efficiency loss) and wazzam, I'm back up to 8.6aH. With the OBD2C&C I can force reset to full on the SoC gauge and be good until the end of the day again.

[Edit]: stock batteries are only 6aH so the charge times will be much, much lower. I think a perfectly healthy battery only gets 3.8-4.3aH of usage. That's why I love Bumblebees batteries because they are 8aH with less voltage droop under load so they last longer but alas, I don't have 2100$ for a new battery.

[Ecky]

Originally Posted by cowmeat

Ecky, what is the purpose of the battery tender you installed? Is it to save the IMA system from having to charge the 12V?

Yes. Since the Insight tries to maintain the 12v at ~12.5v, charging it up to ~13.5+ should act like an alternator delete for this car.

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Baltothewolf

Where did you order your block heater from? Also, can you make a post of the install? I still can't find out where the plug is for it on the block.

http://www.g1parts.com/honda/insight...=08T44-SV4-100

I'll let you know when I go to install it.

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by Ecky

Yes. Since the Insight tries to maintain the 12v at ~12.5v, charging it up to ~13.5+ should act like an alternator delete for this car.

EDIT:



HEATER, ENGINE BLOCK (4 CYL) for 2001 Honda INSIGHT|08T44-SV4-100

I'll let you know when I go to install it.

Oooooo I gotta look into getting the charger for my car as well then, that plus the block heater should prove useful in the winter, since when I drive to and frim fromwork, it's always under 50F.

How did you get your battery tender for 15$? The only ones I see on Amazon are 26$+.

[Ecky]

My bad! I must have been out of my mind when I posted that. Walmart has a tender for $15 but it isn't waterproof and thus you can't install the box under the hood. It's workable, but this is the one I bought:

Amazon.com: Battery Tender 022-0150-DL-WH Waterproof 800 Battery Charger: Automotive

I'll go back and edit my previous post.