Paul's how NOT to convert a Metro

[vpoppv]

No funny smells today, and the bilge blower isn't really all that bad as far as noise, but OH MAN the car is fast! I finally got around to putting in the PB-6 potbox yesterday instead of using the stock TPS that topped out at a little under 2K Ohms. I'd say that its faster than with the ICE in it taking off from a stop, and that's not full throttle! I sure hope I can keep my foot out of it or I really WILL fry my motor!

[bennelson]

Heehee! You were using a 2k pot instead of 5?

Thats like only being able to push the gas pedal down 40% of the way!

I always recommend that people test the full range of the potentiometer when hooked up to the throttle to make sure they can get the controller all the way to full on.

Whats the top speed now? Pretty happy with the acceleration?

[vpoppv]

Originally Posted by bennelson

Heehee! You were using a 2k pot instead of 5?

Thats like only being able to push the gas pedal down 40% of the way!

I always recommend that people test the full range of the potentiometer when hooked up to the throttle to make sure they can get the controller all the way to full on.

Whats the top speed now? Pretty happy with the acceleration?

See, now the Geo Metro throttle position sensor is SUPPOSED to be 0-5K, even says so in the Factory Service Manual, but I measured it on all 7 of my Geos and none were over 2K!! So I knew going into it that I was at 2/5 throttle, but it got me to the 25 mph I needed so I left good enough alone. I always had in mind that at some point I would install the blower and then I would put in the PB-6. I knew it would accelerate better, but I really didn't think that it would be better than what it was with the gas engine! Anyway, I haven't taken it out of town so I'm keeping it at the speed limit. Maybe I'll shoot a video this weekend and check the top speed. Should be exciting if I grenade the motor...

[MetroMPG]

That's great news. I seem to recall having a similar revelation when adjusting the throttle ramp-up rate with the controller's adjustment pots.

Of course this just means you'll be cooking batteries faster & more often.

[vpoppv]

I KNEW that EV's are unreliable! I KNEW that they just can't work! There I was just driving along when I lost power. I knew instantly what it was: the coupler. Luckily, this happened yesterday about a block from my house. So there you go, if it isn't a moth climbing into the contactor, it's a $6 homemade coupler that I chose to use set screws instead of welding. I had a feeling that was going to come back and haunt me....

Today is an absolutely GORGEOUS day! Perfect for working on an EV! There were a couple things I wanted to do if I ever needed to take out the motor, so this was the perfect opportunity. Taking out the motor was a little more challenging that I had anticipated though. For what it's worth: build your battery rack BEFORE you put your motor in. It was seriously getting in the way! One of the things I planned on doing was trimming the adapter plate a little. As it turns out, I think it might have been necessary to do so in order to reinstall the motor. I finally got to use my grinder I purchased for just this kind of task and it worked flawlessly. I'm quite happy The coupler came loose in a different spot than I thought it would. It was an area with very large set screws and no motor torque able to loosen them, just side to side if that makes any sense. Also, having seen how it's been functioning over the last year, I can see a couple ways to improve the design. I'm going to weld it this time, so I don't think it will be an issue again.

[bennelson]

Hee Hee.

Sorry, I laughed out loud when I read your last post.

My wife asked what I was doing that I was laughing. I explained to her "been there, done that...".

Seriously, the only major thing to ever go wrong on my car was the coupler! My original design eventually went bad. Set-screws and misalignment. User error.

I was just driving along and it quit working.

I then made a new, improved version of the coupler - WELDED together. Works great.

I also think it's hilarious that I instantly recognize Geo Metro clutch plates that have been significantly modified.

Here's my first coupler, right after I trashed it.


Here's the coupler I have been using for the last while now. Works great. One-piece design, solid, welded.

[vpoppv]

Originally Posted by bennelson

Hee Hee.

Sorry, I laughed out loud when I read your last post.

My wife asked what I was doing that I was laughing. I explained to her "been there, done that...".

Seriously, the only major thing to ever go wrong on my car was the coupler! My original design eventually went bad. Set-screws and misalignment. User error.

I was just driving along and it quit working.

I then made a new, improved version of the coupler - WELDED together. Works great.

Ben,
I figured you would get a kick out of this. I remember reading your Lovejoy coupler issues....

I have to say that things went really smoothly. The adapter plate now looks like an adapter plate instead of a square piece of steel with holes in it. The coupler has been welded together and the place where there were two set screws to keep it moving from side to side now has FIVE set screws: four opposite each other and one going in slanted to the end of the motor shaft to keep it from moving outwards. Not that these set screws were an issue in the first place, because it was the coupler separating in two that was the issue, and that has been welded. I don't believe that the coupler will be an issue again. I was shocked at how easily the motor slipped on this time. Slid right on the first shot! Took all of like two minutes. The newly trimmed adapter plate made all the difference.
It's weird, I have all these other projects that need to get done: clutch in the green Geo, wheel bearing in the white Geo, but every weekend I skip it. When there is something I can tinker with in the EV, I won't stop until it's done....

[MetroMPG]

Glad you got the coupler sorted.

I very nearly had coupler "issues" on the ForkenSwift, but not from breakage.

The 2 set screws on the FS don't seem to prevent the two halves from sliding away from one another, and on 2 occasions, I have peeked in the inspection window (which was intentionally cut into the transmission bell housing to keep an eye on the coupler) and noticed .... THIS...



Hanging on by its fingernails!!!

Amazing I didn't wreck it!

[vpoppv]

That's odd, I just never figured that there would be coupler issues in that direction, and yet that's exactly what happened to mine....

[Christ]

Machining 102:

Those "straight cuts" are only straight until you apply force. The end of the coupler gets loaded pretty good, forcing it into a slight angle in the direction of force application, which makes a tapered face, which forces the two pieces apart.