Project IRX: CRX-Insight Renaissance Experiment

[SVOboy]

Originally Posted by RobertSmalls

The 2000-03 Insight has an oil-to-water heat exchanger, mounted between the filter and oil pan. 04-06 models do not. You could delete the heat exchanger, which is ~3cm thick, but I bet you'd need a shorter oil filter base bolt off an 04-06, unless you can cut yours down and cut threads in it. See page 8-9 in the FSM.

I thought about this, but it wouldn't have worked, there was too much overlap. Plus, I want that exchanger! Even though one of the lines on it is leaking coolant right now...but I have hose to fix that!

Also, Ty, I plan to make a custom xmember, some people have done it, it's just a pipe welded to two plates that bolt up to where they go, basically. I'll do it when I have some more time.

Anyway, back to trying to put the front end of the car together. Not every task in the engine bay is done, mind you, but I'm putting it back together in the hopes that none of the remaining tasks really require me to pull it apart again

[Christ]

The custom front cross member is a 3mm wall pipe welded between two plates that replace the front tow hooks. None of the stock bolt locations are used, and the radius rods get replaced with bars that have heim joints installed.

[SVOboy]

Wanna post a pictures for me? I don't necessarily have to follow that example do I? I'm fine with it since I took my tow hooks off ages ago...

Update: Headlight wiring nearing done. Switch works properly and the tailight/license plate/marker lights work. More work to come figuring out the headlights though

[Christ]

Here's one from innovative that uses the OE mount locations:



Here's the one I'm referring to, which is universally lighter, and doesn't use the same radius rods as yours:

This one's from Full Race:



Apparently, it uses two of the original mount locations, as well, for stiffness. Note the new radius rods, specifically.

[SVOboy]

A picture for topher to help me diagnose my headlight issues:

[SVOboy]

Since topher needs glasses, here's some notes on that diagram:

The two blobs in the middle are lights. The wires going up lead to fuses/relays. The wires going down lead to (1) the low beam switch and (2) the high beam switch.

[Christ]

I'll leave Ben to post up what we figured out, if he feels like it...

I have to say that it's not what I expected from Honda, though...

[SVOboy]

Well, I have literally worked myself sick, so here's my final update for a while:

I got the car together, exterior, suspension, everything. I fixed what I thought were all the coolant leaks and got at least one set of lights working, so I went for a 4 mile spin around the block.

Here's what happened:
- Terrible mileage
- Overheating (But not too bad)
- Hood release broken

Ergo, I give up for now.

Here's what actually happened. I noticed the car was overheating, so I coasted hard to my driveway to keep temps down, killed it, and popped the hood so I could throw some coolant at it. However, instead of popping the hood I just popped the hood release out of the actual mechanism. I know I can still open the hood, but I couldn't figure out how to, so I just said screw it. The temps were dropped pretty fast so I figured I was fine and just pushed the damn thing in the garage.

I might be able to fix it, but given all the other things I would need to do to drive up in today's snowstorm (lights and wipers), it wasn't going to happen. Also, I just have no idea what would cause the insight to overheat so quickly while moving with a huge radiator in the middle of a freezing winter night. I just don't know. Something is obviously wrong. Any ideas?

Anyway, in a few hours I will leave for school (of course I haven't packed or showered or slept or anything, so this'll be fun) and the car will sit. Probably outside. Waiting for me to return and fix it. Dunno when this will happen, but it will. I'm very excited to be driving this thing at some point, given how much work I've put into it.

Anyway, I was trying really hard to finish it up so I could get to school so I wouldn't let you guys down, but these are the breaks. If it hadn't overheated mysteriously I'd probably be driving it up in a few hours, but as it is I'm not going to risk it.

PS: Ty, at 50 mph in a neutral coast I couldn't feel anything wobbly from the axles.

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Also, I just have no idea what would cause the insight to overheat so quickly while moving with a huge radiator in the middle of a freezing winter night.

This engine is TINY and it heats up fast. Air in the cooling system would do it. I've drained and filled my coolant three times. Just pouring coolant into the radiator pretty much guarantees you air bubbles. The following procedure works fine for me.

Pour coolant into the upper radiator hose until it comes out the radiator. Attach radiator hose. Fill overflow bottle and top off radiator. Drive until hot. Stop. Open bleeder valve. Close bleeder valve, clean up spilled coolant. Top off overflow bottle.

My Insight sits at 195°F, and the radiator fan doesn't kick on until 205°F. I wouldn't call it "overheating" unless it exceeded 207°F.

On your terrible mileage: I get anywhere from 15-30mpg on the first 0.25mi of my commute, which includes my driveway, a stop sign, and a red light. Running errands within 2mi of my house (i.e. most errands that I run) nets 40mpg in the cold. That's still three times as good as the Subaru.

Your car is so close to done. Hopefully you'll return before the end of the semester to finish the wiring and drive it to NH.

[MetroMPG]

Bummer, Ben.

I don't think I would have even considered working on a car in the conditions (temperature) you did for as long as you did.

You'll eventually get it sorted out and it'll be awesome. Even awesomer when you get the PHEV part installed. :P