Alternator Delete, plus some old tricks combined
 

So by now everybodys probably read about the alternator delete, but so far ive seen few people do it. Granted you probably wont save any money with it, but its a big difference for those that are doing this for enviromental reasons. Which leads me to this. Next week ill be testing on my 98 Neon the mpg difference of going alternator less. I'll post on here, although at this time i will not be driving the car more then needed, do to burning oil. So it will be a fairly loose test. 55 miles with the alternator, measured with my scanguage, in 78-80 degree temps. Then 55 miles without the alternator the next day. It wont be exact, but if its any kind of difference such as metrompg got, itll be obvious.

Next up, since ive already decided im not interested in saving cash, more with reducing my pollution output, heres some ideas im working on with my dad.

Lithium ion batterypack for power. Expensive, but my dad's company could probably get a discount.

Alternator delete.

Electric water pump.

Electric motor to power the A/C.

This leaves the engine free to only power the wheels.

Now the stock water pump cant be deleted since the timing belt runs on it. However the impeller can be ground off, and the casting smoothed out. The water pump more then likely uses much more power then the alternator wastes. For the motor powering the ac, the motor will mount where the powersteering pump usually is, since thats the point that tensions the belt anyways.

Any other ideas to help out?

What kind of motor is going to turn the AC compressor?

I thought they took like 3 HP ?

Dave

im looking at dynoing the car when im ready to put this together, once with air on and once with it off to find out. As far as motors, my dad has access to just about anything i could need. The company he works at builds power supplys and electrical components for a lot of major companies, plus the military. If you have a honeywell thermostat in your house, you have a power supply from his work.

Hes an electrical engineer, with a masters in physics. Built a robotic vacuum cleaner from scratch, that mapped your house and used radar to keep from hitting things, 3 or 4 years before the roomba came out. Thing was way overdone, used two motors, one on each driven wheel, i think they were like 1.5 horse each.

If its worth doing, its worth over doing! :)

Dave

Yes! That's why my next SBC build will be a 400.

haha thats prety much where im going with this neon, trying to work every angle on the efficiency side

A DC/DC from the Li-Ion pack will not only be more efficient than the alternator, it will probably keep your accessory battery alive for much longer.

Belt in an Etek motor where the alternator was, and you'll have regen, electric boost and an instant high-power starter for when you want to restart at a stoplight.

How are you going to install an electric water pump without removing the stock one? The only electric water pumps I have seen are bolt-on replacements for the stock one.

Why not just fit a solar panel to the roof of your car to do the day time charging and use your alternator at night you could fit a two way switch to shift from solar to alternator

stevet, they sell inline water electric water pumps that work pretty good, theres a drag racer with a neon that machined off his impeller on the stock pump, and then uses an inline water pump good for up to a 5 liter engine.

jarre, im working with my dad to use flexible solar panels on the body panels of the car, the need to be flexible to keep from ruining aero. I plan to removed the alternator completely, and plug in at night. Even switched off, the alternator has drag, both from friction and the cooling fan.