[remy_martian]

Do the battery box right and you can put a set of fake flathead plates on the angled bits, or fake rocker covers.

The V16 lives...

 

[jclars]

Or how about these bad boys...

 

[remy_martian]

Those are super spendy for fakes

 

[jclars]

Just another battery pack...

 

[remy_martian]

Eight more D-cells wouldn't hurt, I suppose...

 

[jclars]

Sorry. I would get flamed for creating too high Center of Gravity...

 

[remy_martian]

You're a slow learner, but seem to be starting to get it now...
😛

 

[jclars]

Shoot, that was just the battery pack. Wait till you see my learning curve on the rest of this EV stuff!

I went back to what I am good at for the time being. Scrapping crud off the front clip.

 

[remy_martian]

My welding teacher (yes, @Functional Artist, I'm not just book learned) told me to keep brake kleen off metal parts that are to be welded - his coworker died after a couple of days in the ICU from the phosphene gas that came off. He said to use acetone.

Not sure about carb and choke cleaner...

Of course, when I asked him for some acetone, he said it's not kept in the welding shop.

At that point I threatened to cut an acetylene cylinder open...I've clearly been watching too much Survivorman, lol.

 

[jclars]

Blue ribbon start to the week! Received motor and accessories on Monday and lined up the motor to the tranny on the bench, just to dream while I waited for the adapter and coupler which were being custom built by EV West.

So I continued to work on the front suspension which is now off the car and on a table. My hope was to get it back into the car by this weekend, after cleaning, painting and new rubber/polyurethane bushings installed. No rush, since I would still be needing the adapter to fit the motor, right?

A UPS truck showed up and I didn't pay it any mind until my wife said at dinner that there was a box from EV West on the porch, but it was too heavy for her to bring inside. WHA???!!!

Too late to head back to the shop, although I am tempted, but now I will be hustling to get the front end back in the car!!!

 

[tylerwatts]

Hi @jclars
May I ask why you are keeping the transmission. The original ICE hardly had exciting torque and the electric motor has the legs to do direct drive. Have you considered regearing the diff and moving the transmission into the tunnel?

You would still see it since the batteries could then mount low down. Or get fancy and put a perspex tunnel panel inside the car to see it (but dirt would be a real hassle on the perspex window). I'm not against showcasing the drive system but the motor is the least exciting element like others have said and actually the workhorse is the battery and controller and they can look really shnazzy and modern spaceship etc Vs the boring aluminium cylinder of the motor.

Also you ditch a considerable amount more weight and space for more batteries. Did you consider the Nissan Leaf modules also? They are fantastic for DIY building as they bolt together like bricks and just need busbar and wiring up, not even extensive boxing up if you shield the busbars etc. A perspex cover is plenty and will show off the 'nervous system' of the car

PS I'm a fan of your donor choice.

Sent from my moto g(7) plus using Tapatalk

 

[jclars]

One reason for going with the original transmission was that an adapter and coupler had already been designed, so initial cost was favorable. I am also not sure the existing rear end would be able to handle direct drive in terms of rpm's. The clutch might also provide a measure of flexibility in terms of "cushion" on alignment.

Now a couple questions for those with experience in couplers. Mine is dimensionally correct except bore is .0045" too small. Are these typically this tight of interference?

Also, no pilot bushing was provided for the transmission input shaft - Is this typically omitted? It appears I could fit a bushing/bearing in the end of the coupler. Once I get it on, that is...

 

[brian_]

One reason for going with the original transmission was that an adapter and coupler had already been designed, so initial cost was favorable. I am also not sure the existing rear end would be able to handle direct drive in terms of rpm's.

The rear end will see the same speed regardless of the motor and/or gearbox ahead of it, because the axle input speed is directly proportional to the road speed, tire radius, and axle gearing.... regardless of the transmission.

Do you mean that it isn't practical to change the rear axle to much higher reduction ratio to enable direct connection of the motor to the axle's pinion shaft input? If the ratio is available, it will be usable.

The clutch might also provide a measure of flexibility in terms of "cushion" on alignment.

Not really. The clutch disk can provide rotational "cushioning" (they usually have a spring hub), but does not forgive alignment error.

Also, no pilot bushing was provided for the transmission input shaft - Is this typically omitted? It appears I could fit a bushing/bearing in the end of the coupler. Once I get it on, that is...

I don't know what is typically supplied with a kit, but if the transmission shaft is piloted in the flywheel or crankshaft (which it typically is in conventional longitudinal transmissions), you need that bearing or bushing.

 

[oudevolvo]

In my view the Hyper 9 is not powerful enough to do a direct drive. The highest voltage version outputs 220 Nm.
The original B18 in first rear would put 3,1 x 150 Nm (ok, at higher rpms) = 450 Nm onto the driveshaft.
Unfortunately for the Dana or Spicer axle there is no replacement rear diff gear to compensate that.

I used a M400 gearbox without pilot bearing.

In my rebuild I’m 100% sure I will eliminate the gearbox. That was a noisy and one pedal drive spoiling thing.
More info here Rear wheel drive EV conversion motor options - Voltvo

 

[brian_]

In my view the Hyper 9 is not powerful enough to do a direct drive. The highest voltage version outputs 220 Nm.
The original B18 in first rear would put 3,1 x 150 Nm (ok, at higher rpms) = 450 Nm onto the driveshaft.

With clutch slipping, the engine can deliver that torque (through the clutch) at any road speed up to that corresponding to to the torque peak engine speed in the current gear.

Unfortunately for the Dana or Spicer axle there is no replacement rear diff gear to compensate that.

Availability certainly does vary greatly depending on the final drive (axle)! Most don't have a short enough gear set (high enough reduction ratio of the ring and pinion) to make sense as the only reduction for most electric motors.

In my rebuild I’m 100% sure I will eliminate the gearbox. That was a noisy and one pedal drive spoiling thing.
More info here Rear wheel drive EV conversion motor options - Voltvo

Interesting page - thanks for sharing that. It doesn't mention any final drive or tire information, which is a bit strange considering that they are critical to comparing motor and transmission combinations, when one of them has its own final drive.

I don't know what gearing is this PV544, but I have seen references to 4.56:1 (early years) and 4.10:1 or 4.11:1 (later years). With 4.1 gearing and 6.00 x 15 tires (26" or 660 mm tall, or 2 m circumference), propeller shaft (transmission output / axle input) speed at 100 km/h (60 MPH, 28 m/s) is 3440 RPM. For most reasonably sized electric motors, that's too low by a factor of about 2 to keep the motor in the most effective speed range, and so torque to the wheels at low speed is about half of what it could be.

 

[brian_]

I used a M400 gearbox without pilot bearing.

The M40 and M400 gearboxes are classic longitudinal designs, in which the input shaft clearly requires support at the front. That's what the pilot bearing (or bushing, but Volvo uses a ball bearing) are for, although one might get away with supporting and locating the splined shaft adequately.

 

[remy_martian]

You can always make the motor shaft a thou or two smaller...

 

[jclars]

Brilliant Remy! I can bench test the motor at the same time! Just saddle some 80 grit emery clothe over the shaft. Whadya think, maybe 10 minutes or so at 8000 rpm?

EV West got back to me and said look at their tutorial for coupler install, (dumb butt). They say it has to be heated on a hot plate to 600*F to install. Does a hot plate even get that hot??? Didn't know I needed culinary skill to do this EV thing.

I can see a way to insert a pilot bushing or bearing in the end of the coupler. I will see if I can find one that fits. Hot plate might be needed again.

I did a test on my transmission before proceeding on the project and found it to be quiet. I know, unusual, huh? I had a friend restoring a 1967 122S and he tried 3 trannies out from a local Volvo graveyard before finding a quiet one.

 

[remy_martian]

Yes, they are big fans of that 600 degree hotplate shrink fit, but do they really expect the ID to grow that much? OD maybe, but ID?

With the motor spinning, it's a lathe, so yeah...a file will do the job nicely if needed in about 60 sec. if even that long (I'm counting miking it). Emery is more for getting a polish, imo.

 

[remy_martian]

I'm thinking a coupler bake at 350F alongside some oatmeal-raisin cookie dough gets two things accomplished.