Got a new UFO*: 2000 Honda Insight 5-speed (ailing IMA hybrid battery pack)

[RobertSmalls]

I'm glad to see you're enjoying the new car. I'm looking forward to see what you'll do to it.

Regarding the delay in starting, mine does that too. If I turn the key straight from Off to Start and hold it there, it takes a second or two to boot up and charge up its various systems before the engine starts. Actually starting the engine takes about 0.1s, and that's the biggest reason you should fix the IMA battery. It allows you to turn off the engine even if it's only for five or ten seconds.

A possibly worthwhile project would be to tie the Neutral switch to your engine kill switch. Shift to N = auto-stop automatically engages. Tap the throttle and the engine starts back up as usual.

Yes, the car is totally great without the battery, but it's even better with it. You can deep cycle and grid charge for a small but worthwhile bump in fuel economy. Also, on the rare occasion when you need to brake, it's nice to have regen and know that you're not wasting 100% of the energy.

Any impressions on who would win a "drag race", a Metro or an Insight?

[Angmaar]

I think the Insight would win if it had a full battery.

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

I'm glad to see you're enjoying the new car. I'm looking forward to see what you'll do to it.

Me too! Modding starts in ~1-2 weeks, after I do its 2nd fill-up.

Any impressions on who would win a "drag race", a Metro or an Insight?

The aero-modded Flea might tie a stock Insight. But I have the impression that rolling resistance is much lower on the RE92's, so the Insight would pull away at the very end. I plan to compare the 2 cars' rolling resistance soon. Maybe I'll do a higher speed drag race as well. Will report back.

[War_Wagon]

We should have a Metro/Insight grudge match night! There is a nice stretch of empty road out in the farmlands near here, I can line my Insight up against my 3 cylinder Firefly - now all I need to do is find one of my friends that wouldn't be embarrassed to be the other driver in possibly the slowest street race ever seen in these parts! Though we may attract crowds as seen in this video, making it all worth it. I think there are cars in this race but I have trouble remembering:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpxZOdE_-ck

From the times I have had the IMA functioning in the Insight I think it would clean up on the Firefly with a full battery pack.

[morphector]

If you're about to do a drag race could you also do a ''coast race''

[MetroMPG]

That's actually what the "drag race" is that Robert Smalls was referring to: the "drag" part of the competition is aerodynamic + rolling drag.

Get two vehicles (equal mass, if possible) up to speed, then ... coast! Whichever rolls furthest wins!

eg: http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ion-13549.html

[MetroMPG]

First fill up...

I went until the last little bar (of 20) disappeared from the digital fuel gauge display.

1389 km / 863 mi.

38.5 L / 10.2 gal (US ) / 8.5 gal (Imp)

= 2.77 L/100 km / 84.9 mpg (US) / 101.9 mpg (Imp)

Not bad for a dead hybrid!

This tank was under pretty ideal conditions: sub/urban and (mostly) rural driving on roads where the max limit is 80 km/h (50 mph). Main driving techniques used: driving with load (to maintain lean burn as much as possible) at the speed limit (or a bit under on ascents, if nobody behind me); engine off coasting up to most stops & some turns.

Of course pulsing & gliding more would have netted far more dramatic numbers, but I find that technique to be tiresome, and it's arguably harder on the car than not doing it. P&G is OK with me for short durations, or in competition, or just to see what is the max you can wring from a car for fun. Not fun in constant use though.

So, there's my "baseline." Let the modding begin!

[silverinsight2]

Most excellent, congratulations.

[War_Wagon]

Wow, good show Metro! My goal was to reach those kinds of numbers once I got the battery exchanged with the one from the other twin! I will have to check and see if there is in fact a piano dragging behind my Insight.

[ecomodded]

(quote)
Not bad for a dead hybrid!

Far from dead I would say, excellent mpg you pulled off in the Insight
They are a cool looking car as well,which is a step in the right direction
kidding I have owned a 1.L Geo metro myself.