1986 CRX EV conversion (Nissan Leaf Donor) - Now Running and Misc upgrades

75104 Views 691 Replies 24 Participants Last post by windraver, 24 d ago

windraver

Discussion Starter · Aug 29, 2021 (Edited)

I'm new and am planning to convert my 1986 Honda CRX into an EV. I have a 2015 Fiat 500e for parts but from what I know so far, the Fiat is sensitive and difficult to use for parts. I believe it uses the Bosch 180/120 based on my Google fu. I've sourced the wiring diagram for the vehicle and confirmed it is indeed a 3 phase AC motor, one for each phase, 2 wires to sense temperature, and another 6 for the resolve (excitor, sin, cos). The biggest challenge is that Fiat uses canbus and the controller, inverter, battery, and more likely will not operate without all the parts. The car almost disabled itself when I changed the radio to android auto makes a good example. I am studying how canbus works in order to see if I can either ignore errors or maybe even hack the system to work.

As back up if I have to build from scratch, I have a separate thread pending approval where I'm asking about the compatibility of the Bosch SMG 180/120 with the Scott drive 250 AC controller.

Also I'm reading I might need an inverter? And what else? I'm still digging through the site trying to figure out what are all the parts needed to run an EV with an AC motor, which seems to be more complex and less popular than running DC. So guides or hints are welcome as I learn the anatomy of an EV.
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Edit (2021-12-06):
Current project is now to convert the 1986 Honda CRX using a 2013 Nissan Leaf as a donor car in combination with the Resolve-EV Controller.
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Edit (2021-12-23):
Project has begun; Battery Dropped; still need a machine shop to make parts.
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Edit (2022-07-14):
Car has been running since June 2022. Car has been inspected by the California Referee Station and certified as an EV. DMV has issued registration though they're still trying to figure out internally how to actually label my car as an EV.

My latest work on this build has been to upgrade the battery from 24kwh to 40kwh. Batteries are installed but I still am working out the BMS issues as a bruteforce upgrade doesn't accurately recognize the battery capacity differences.

The to-do list is on-going and always evolving so although the car is running, I'm likely to be doing some new upgrade or change all the time.
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Edit (2022-10-23):
Started building a battery box which is the "final battery" box. Still in the planning state but measure many times and cut once.
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Edit (2022-12-27):
Battery Box is built and now revising the bus bars and BMS connections to the latest design.
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Edit 2023-01-10
Got it running on 2022-12-30. And got it back on the ground and took it on a road test 2022-12-31

Been cleaning up and doing misc upgrades since.

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621 - 640 of 692 Posts

windraver

Discussion Starter · #621 · 4 mo ago

Functional Artist said:
Check with local your transmission shops.
They should have someone (in house or another local shop) that works with axles & drive shafts.

The response I got, from all of them were they don't do this kind of work anymore. Apparently it's just order and replace these days. Called a few. They all referred to some out of state business that would do custom work.

Hence I was looking for any local businesses that have a hydraulic press.

But going to try this approach with a CV outer joint I found first. It might work.

Reactions: 1

Functional Artist

· #622 · 4 mo ago

Spinning shafts NEED to be balanced
...& usually with a bit more precision than us DIY'ers have the equipment/ability to do.

Unbalanced or kinda balances axles won't last very long
...& when they do "let go", the collateral damage can be devastating

A quick Google search of: (drive shaft fabrication in southern california) (IIRC your in so, Ca)

Such as, Drivelines Incoporated - A Custom Driveshaft Shop

"Welcome to Drivelines Incorporated
At Drivelines you can expect to find a crew that truly appreciates your business and understands that your job, and your job alone, is the most important.

Drivelines Inc. is an experienced driveshaft shop that keeps full attention on building driveshafts; this is all we do. Utilizing our top-of-the-line balancers, lathe, and workstations, our focus is on building you the highest quality custom, or rebuilt, driveline available. At Drivelines Inc. our capabilities range from BMW's to 18 Wheelers, Off Road Vehicles including high end Trophy Trucks to Custom Built Hot Rods, and everything in between."

...or maybe these guys (in Escondito, Ca)
The Differential and Axle Shop - Escondido, San Diego

Just some "food for thought"

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windraver

Discussion Starter · #623 · 4 mo ago

Functional Artist said:
Spinning shafts NEED to be balanced
...& usually with a bit more precision than us DIY'ers have the equipment/ability to do.

Unbalanced or kinda balances axles won't last very long
...& when they do "let go", the collateral damage can be devastating

A quick Google search of: (drive shaft fabrication in southern california) (IIRC your in so, Ca)

Such as, Drivelines Incoporated - A Custom Driveshaft Shop

"Welcome to Drivelines Incorporated
At Drivelines you can expect to find a crew that truly appreciates your business and understands that your job, and your job alone, is the most important.

Drivelines Inc. is an experienced driveshaft shop that keeps full attention on building driveshafts; this is all we do. Utilizing our top-of-the-line balancers, lathe, and workstations, our focus is on building you the highest quality custom, or rebuilt, driveline available. At Drivelines Inc. our capabilities range from BMW's to 18 Wheelers, Off Road Vehicles including high end Trophy Trucks to Custom Built Hot Rods, and everything in between."

...or maybe these guys (in Escondito, Ca)
The Differential and Axle Shop - Escondido, San Diego

Just some "food for thought"

I did call them last year and they told me they don't do half shafts

kennybobby

· #624 · 4 mo ago

Did you try holding the axle vertically in the vise, then using a hammer and punch to hit on the inner race to knock it off the axle (with a catch bucket for the cv joint)? See the video at about the 4:00,

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remy_martian

· #625 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

Rigging it in a hydraulic press looks tricky.

Heat the F out of the CV joint with an acetylene torch (or MAPP gas if you don't have a gas welding set), then pull it off using your Chinesium-bolts special tool.

Go grab some grade 10 (or 8) bolts from Ace Hardware...

edit: forget it. @kennybobby's video is The Way, though I'd use a press instead of red necking the hammer at reassembly so as not to damage the bearings/races. Use your special tool to hold the axle in the press 🤓

Reactions: 1

dddrewski

· #626 · 4 mo ago

Why not grind the housing so that it just slides out? If the lengths of the shafts are correct, I don't think you need the bump at the end. It should be designed to never hit that bump or bottom out in the other direction. You'd need to confirm this through the entire suspension travel for your setup.
I suspect it's there for making it one part for assembly and service.

Reactions: 1

windraver

Discussion Starter · #627 · 4 mo ago

4

This is how I've been hammering the CV hub joint

Tire Wheel Motor vehicle Hood Automotive tire

Note that these are axles I'm trying to source the outer joint hub from. So in that sense... It would be fine to cut the shaft if I'm able to still take out the cage and inner race.

So I chopped the shaft as close as possible.. which allows me room to maneuver the inner race and get all the bearings out, which in turn gets the cage and race out.

Table Automotive tire Wood Gas Reflex camera

Table Automotive tire Wood Tool Gas

With this, it's should be easier to press out with a hydraulic press. And a press is required because the snap ring, is inside the race. I'd other just remove the ring but that isn't an option.

If all goes well with that, I can send the shafts to a business somewhere to get them replicated properly.

Hand tool Tool Gas Metalworking hand tool Auto part

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windraver

Discussion Starter · #628 · 4 mo ago

5

Still need to schedule an appointment with a local DIY shop to try and use their hydraulic press.

For context why I'm having such a hard time getting this shaft out of the race. Here you can see the snap ring is not visible.

Automotive tire Wood Glove Automotive wheel system Gas

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Its because the cursed thing is inside... Looks like the edges are straight too. I guess I got lucky with this one somehow...

Automotive tire Glove Personal protective equipment Auto part Metal

As for how I plan to press it out, it easily fits over a large 27mm socket. I just need a press now.

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Maybe try the clamp with a cheater bar?

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No it didn't work.

Tried both directions. I need a hydraulic press it seems. Even tried torching the outside to maybe "loosen" it a bit but nope.

Or I can wait for those joint hubs I ordered on Ebay to come in and I'll see if they fit. It does seem like they use a consistent shaft size and spline count even across brands.

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remy_martian

· #629 · 4 mo ago

You're gunna break the screw on that beauty vise using a cheater bar.

I can see why they tried shattering it with the drift punch. Press might work.....just take it to an automotive machine shop or trans rebuilder and have them press it out. Some have 50 or 100 ton A frame presses, unlike a makerspace (is TechShop, or its reincarnation, still in The City?) where you'd be lucky to find a 20 ton Harbor Freight machine.

Suggest a viewing of The Fly, speaking of presses....either the Vincent Price or Jeff Goldblum versions are good.

windraver

Discussion Starter · #630 · 4 mo ago

remy_martian said:
You're gunna break the screw on that beauty vise using a cheater bar.

I can see why they tried shattering it with the drift punch. Press might work.....just take it to an automotive machine shop or trans rebuilder and have them press it out. Some have 50 or 100 ton A frame presses, unlike a makerspace (is TechShop, or its reincarnation, still in The City?) where you'd be lucky to find a 20 ton Harbor Freight machine.

Suggest a viewing of The Fly, speaking of presses....either the Vincent Price or Jeff Goldblum versions are good.

Techshop or the makerspace is gone last I checked.

There's this one diyordie shop for automotive work though I'm going to check out. They confirmed they have a hydraulic press.

kennybobby

· #631 · 4 mo ago

That's an evil design.

You will never get it off pressing from the "long" end (cut off shaft side); you will need to press from the short end.

Reactions: 2

dddrewski

· #632 · 4 mo ago

Ah, the ring is in the middle of the spline. Sorry I thought it was another part of the axle. I think this is where a slide hammer is used. It needs impact.

windraver

Discussion Starter · #633 · 4 mo ago

kennybobby said:
That's an evil design.

You will never get it off pressing from the "long" end (cut off shaft side); you will need to press from the short end.

I looked inside the one I have open and neither side has much of a "angle" to help the ring to compress to come out. It looks like it really could go either way with the same "effort"... neither at all.

kennybobby

· #634 · 4 mo ago

It can never be pushed out from the cut side like you had it in the vise--look at the how the splines in the shaft end and the solid shaft begins.

Can't squeeze a solid shaft thru a splined opening.

Maybe the shaft has a slight chamfer on it's groove in the "release" direction. There should have been one on the race side.

With all your force in the wrong direction it has likely put some cut-marks into the ring.

Squirt some lube down in there from the short side, then smack it with a 2- or 3-lb sledgie. Put it on the ground with your 24mm socket as the holder. A little carpenter's claw hammer doesn't have enough mass.

dddrewski

· #635 · 4 mo ago

Really, just Google CV Axle Slide Hammer. It's not meant to be pressed (or pulled) out. Impact.

windraver

Discussion Starter · #636 · 4 mo ago

There is quite some gap up to the solid. I think it should be possible to press it so I can reach the ring, and remove the ring. And then slide it out back the other way once I remove the ring.

Automotive tire Vehicle Motor vehicle Automotive exhaust Automotive design

Though yes, hopefully I can just push it from the short side.

(I have tried a sledge hammer on the ground too previously but I didn't want to risk damage the race again. It didn't work btw. 😢)

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remy_martian

· #637 · 4 mo ago

I've used the CV slide hammer to pull the axle out of the gearbox housing, held by a retaining clip, on the Model X. It's C-shaped, so the impact likely has to be on all sides vs one as with a sledge.

This has to be set up the same way.

Your indication is if the retaining clip is round, which I'm pretty certain it is, vs having flat faces and a ramped groove that retains it. The ramp gives you an indicator of the direction it lets go on impact.

Your special tool has to be for assembly - to seat the clip without impacting the bearing races.

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windraver

Discussion Starter · #638 · 4 mo ago

kennybobby said:
It can never be pushed out from the cut side like you had it in the vise--look at the how the splines in the shaft end and the solid shaft begins.

Can't squeeze a solid shaft thru a splined opening.

Maybe the shaft has a slight chamfer on it's groove in the "release" direction. There should have been one on the race side.

With all your force in the wrong direction it has likely put some cut-marks into the ring.

Squirt some lube down in there from the short side, then smack it with a 2- or 3-lb sledgie. Put it on the ground with your 24mm socket as the holder. A little carpenter's claw hammer doesn't have enough mass.

Ordered a 3lb hammer. Tried a 3 lb hammer. On the ground. Still stuck.

I do recall lots of things saying they can't be disassembled but yea....

Bicycle part Tool Household hardware Auto part Bicycle chain

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remy_martian

· #639 · 4 mo ago

Oof - you're supposed to use a metric hammer on that.

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kennybobby

· #640 · 4 mo ago (Edited)

Another idea: Put the piece in an oven at 450-500 F to heat it up, then transfer it out to the garage, put it on the big socket and try the sledgie.

Is there something in the manual that says it can't be removed? i guess it may have been designed that way; if so then it would require machine shop tools to get it apart.

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