Electric Assist Project: E-charger (2000 Subaru Outback)

[Patrick]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jerryrigger

If you were to red line it; it would only be a strain on the bearings, and just for a few seconds, so I see no danger in "gearing" it low.

If you overspeed the armature it can "explode" due to centrifugal force.

[dcb]

if you could spare a couple amps and a couple bucks for an AC clutch then you could disengage the electric motor when not used or in danger of overspeed. I wish I knew a simple/common manual clutch you could use instead of constantly wasting electricity on the clutch. Some sort of sliding in-out(engaged-disengaged) coupling w/a rev match could work too, electric motors can rev match all the way down to 0 rpm

[brucey]

I think this will be something I'll consider once I get it running. I think a magnetic clutch would solve the problem of over spinning, but don't know if they will hold the power. I know some superchargers have them, so maybe it can. But for now, 6k = 7.5k is what I'll go for.

[brucey]

Didn't get a lot done today, but I did have time to copy that plate...



Ah well, progress is progress.

I don't plan to attach this plate in any way directly to the motor.

Instead, this will simply help carry the weight of it (since the motor only attaches at the front)

I DO plan to bolt this plate to the front one, however. So it should be majorly solid.

[ShadeTreeMech]

by all means I'd overengineer the support for your motor. Make it much stronger than necessary and you'll be less likely to have issues.

Have you taken into account the maximum ambient temperature spec'ed for your motor? It would be a shame to burn up a good motor from a lack of appropriate cooling.

[brucey]

Of course, it's going to be double triangulated with 2 bolts to the engine heads, 2 bolts on the intake manifold, and 2 on the engine block/power steering pump. There is also going to be an L bracket up against the heads to help even the weight out. I don't see it going anywhere. Right now, with that plate alone, I can move the whole car with it.

Now I have to find a 2X2' 1/4 steel plate and get to work on the front piece. Lowes ain't sell anything that big, so I might have to go to a machine shop or the local steel place and hope they don't rape me on price. (Not that Lowes is doing much better)

As far as cooling, the gauge for the electric motor can show temperature/rpm/battery remaining, I plan to get a reading when it's operational and ask the guys I got it from what they think if I need extra cooling. I was thinking a fan sucking out to the fender should do the trick if need be.

[brucey]

I had someone start the car up and rev it while I watched in the engine bay, even with the extended bracket the motor twist doesn't contact anything with the car. Should be good to go with the next plate now.

I've got to find out how to get the power steering pump pulley off first. I think it might be welded on, looking at it. Which is a major problem. Surely that's not the case though.

[3dplane]

@brucey!
To get the P/S pulley off,you will need a P/S pulley puller/installer. If you got a mechanic friend maybe you can loan one. If not,well I forgot what I paid for mine but maybe harbor freight or something similar has them nowadays.

You can check engine twist ( torque ) by your self just leave the car in gear,stand in front of it and rock it back and forth. That's how I check for loose motor mounts.

About over revving protection: Today I had the engine out of a GMC Acadia and while playing with the alternator,I discovered that the alt. pulley is a freewheel! Only the engine can turn the alternator but not the other way.

I think they do that so when driven like morons,the belt won't chirp as the tranny shifts and bogs the engine rpm down ( and the momentum of the high revving alternator slips the pulley ) The point is,maybe you could use a freewheeling pulley like that installed backwards on your motor shaft so the engine could never drive the motor but the motor could assist the engine!?

Barna

[TomEV]

If you can find one heavy duty enough, would a sprag clutch work? Basically a clutch that engages one way (motor applying torque), free running the other (motor not powered / off)

Example here -
Sprag Clutch

[brucey]

Glanced through the factory service manual, and it looks like to remove the pulley I will have to remove the pump completely and disassemble it. What a lame design. On other subies the pulley has a nut on it. It looks like it is welded to the shaft on mine.



I'm going to ask my local Sube Shop if there is a way I can remove it to be sure and then look into how hard it would be to do a swap with the different style pump. This would also solve the problem of the reservoir being in the way, too.



TOM/3D: That's a great idea. I'll have to look into it once I get the motor bolted in place. One problem at a time it seems. I would absolutely love to have the extra torque available from the e-motor. Would mean even less gas used to accelerate.