[PatricioIN]

There seems to be a lot of room under the floor at the mid rear of the car. Not sure what exactly your plans are, but I'm already seeing how the floor could be cut out and a battery box dropped in there.

Might want to spray some undercoating on those rust spots before wrapping everything up.

yeah, I plan on doing something with the rust.. it's odd that it's so rusts free except for a couple of pieces (they must be made of a different type of steel or something)

I thought about boxes below the rear seat, but I really want to keep the seating in tact and there is only about 8 inches or so of space.. not as much as it seems.

 

[PatricioIN]

leaving in the tranny may be more work later than taking it out,the alignment of the new couple and the adaptor plate is very prescision work I bolted mine together with the motor facing straight down with the tranny facing up. If you have the adaptor plate built and the coupler built from someone who has the exact dims you may luck out by leaving the tranny in all the way through it. ( but I doubt it)

Brian

I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Which makes it damned hard to work frankly.

 

[Rolls Kinardly]

What are you doing for the adaptor plate and coupler? Local fab?

Personally that part scares me a tad. I plan on buying them prefabbed for my gearbox and matched to my motor.

I think I will end up buying a welder and building my own battery boxes. I looked around a little, and decent welders are cheaper than I thought.

You said you're going with a 120V system. I'm curious about how you came to that. I hope to squeeze 144V in my Saturn, but I don't want to sacrifice amp hours to do it.

...and I must ask... Did you wash the ZX2 with Irish Spring? 'cause it looks smooth as a baby's arse!

 

[david85]

What are you doing for the adaptor plate and coupler? Local fab?

Personally that part scares me a tad. I plan on buying them prefabbed for my gearbox and matched to my motor.

This is a pretty good explanation of one of the more common methods:
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=DrE2jRghyO8&feature=related

 

[PatricioIN]

This is a pretty good explanation of one of the more common methods:
http://ca.youtube.com/watch?v=DrE2jRghyO8&feature=related

that's sort of what I had in mind.. who is this coming from, do you know?? I wonder how much they charge for the setup they're talking about...

 

[PatricioIN]

What are you doing for the adaptor plate and coupler? Local fab?

Personally that part scares me a tad. I plan on buying them prefabbed for my gearbox and matched to my motor.

I think I will end up buying a welder and building my own battery boxes. I looked around a little, and decent welders are cheaper than I thought.

You said you're going with a 120V system. I'm curious about how you came to that. I hope to squeeze 144V in my Saturn, but I don't want to sacrifice amp hours to do it.

...and I must ask... Did you wash the ZX2 with Irish Spring? 'cause it looks smooth as a baby's arse!

I'm a man of many talents!

..the main reason I chose 120 v is simplicity... same voltage of my outlets.. Seems if you go over 120 everything gets more expensive. Plus I know a guy who has done many conversions and he does them all at 120. I've been in one of his coversions and it is plenty fast enough, with enough range, etc.

I did pay Ken of EV Consulting to do a quick analysis of my wants/needs and he verified that my 120v sys (and all related components) should work fine for my needs.. highway speeds when needed.. ~50 mile range, adequate acceleration. I just need it to be quick enough to keep up decently with traffic.. I have a prius, so I am no hotrodder.! (I save that for road rallies in my Miata!)

 

[d-bledsoe]

If you read the more information about that video it looks like its coming from evamerica. That looks like a great way to do the adapter, and after seeing that, i may go that way wity my mx-3 conversion. Looking through the EVA catalog it looks like that adapter plate will run about 700$

 

[PatricioIN]

If you read the more information about that video it looks like its coming from evamerica. That looks like a great way to do the adapter, and after seeing that, i may go that way wity my mx-3 conversion. Looking through the EVA catalog it looks like that adapter plate will run about 700$

hmm.. surely I could have it made locally for less.. I finally decided the engine and tranny are coming out.. Just have the motor mounts left to unleash the beast! Taking the driveshafts out wasn't the newbie nightmare I had envisioned. Of course, I may say different trying to reinstall it all. lol!

Removed the exhaust, all fuel line, emission line, heat shields (there were four or five of 'em!) and got the driveshafts off and shift linkage undone.. All in all, a long day but some good progress!

 

[PatricioIN]

...and out she came!!!

 

[TelnetManta]

Thats one big chunk of metal! Did you buy or rent a lift? Was it really as bad as you thought it would be?


Ben

 

[d-bledsoe]

Nice work. Looks like we may be racing, i just pulled the smallest production v6 ever made out of my mazda MX-3 on satuday. My engine compartment looks quite similar to yours now. Now i just need to remove the fuel tank, lines, and the engine wiring harness.

-Derek

 

[PatricioIN]

Thats one big chunk of metal! Did you buy or rent a lift? Was it really as bad as you thought it would be?


Ben

nah.. once I decided to go ahead and take the eng and tranny together like advised, it was just unbolting, unbolting, prying, etc.. The actual removal was very quick and easy. Life is so much simpler with the proper tools! Rented the engine hoist for 4hrs (min.) for less than $30... took longer to go get it and return it than the amount of time I actually used it. God love my Prius.. it's amazing what you can fit in that thing!

 

[PatricioIN]

Nice work. Looks like we may be racing, i just pulled the smallest production v6 ever made out of my mazda MX-3 on satuday. My engine compartment looks quite similar to yours now. Now i just need to remove the fuel tank, lines, and the engine wiring harness.

-Derek

yup, all that is out on mine already.. 'cept for the engine wiring.. just got my wiring diagrams in the mail today!

edit: btw, most of what is coming out of the car is out (maybe a couple of very small things left) and I've removed 560lbs of weight! Better than I had hoped.

 

[Rolls Kinardly]

If you read the more information about that video it looks like its coming from evamerica. That looks like a great way to do the adapter, and after seeing that, i may go that way wity my mx-3 conversion. Looking through the EVA catalog it looks like that adapter plate will run about 700$

Yes. I heard that New England accent, and figured that must be Bob Batson. Then I saw the notes on the video on you tube and they say it is from the EV America documentation.

The price does seem high for what it is, but it isn't a part you want to go cheap on, either. Certainly a local machine shop could build something similar, but I would make sure they understand how the part will be used and that precision is critical.

My disassembly starts next weekend.

 

[PatricioIN]

Removed clutch, clutch assembly, flywheel - measured magic # (though I won't be using clutch). Cleaned tranny inside/out... coming along. I believe my motor at least is on the way, so I want to be ready for it.

 

[jb_elec]

Nice work. Looks like we may be racing, i just pulled the smallest production v6 ever made out of my mazda MX-3 on satuday. My engine compartment looks quite similar to yours now. Now i just need to remove the fuel tank, lines, and the engine wiring harness.

-Derek

What you planning on going with for batteries? AGM? flooded lead acid? I am curious about the total cost of this once it's closer to being finished

: : off topic : : Please post pictures of this conversion. I also have an mx-3 that's had a lot of work done it it and was thinking about doing a conversion on mine.

 

[PatricioIN]

What you planning on going with for batteries? AGM? flooded lead acid? I am curious about the total cost of this once it's closer to being finished

: : off topic : : Please post pictures of this conversion. I also have an mx-3 that's had a lot of work done it it and was thinking about doing a conversion on mine.

Click on the link in my sig line for the website of the conversion. There are also lots of pics and info in the garage section here.

Batts will be 15 Interstate flooded 8v(U8VGC), 170 Ah capacity @ 20hrs. Total weight 975lbs.. quoted price $1500.00
http://www.interstatebatteries.com/content/product_info/golf_f.asp?js=1

I am trying to keep my conversion budget at $7,500.00. It'll be tight to stay on budget.

 

[TheSGC]

Yes. I heard that New England accent, and figured that must be Bob Batson. Then I saw the notes on the video on you tube and they say it is from the EV America documentation.

The price does seem high for what it is, but it isn't a part you want to go cheap on, either. Certainly a local machine shop could build something similar, but I would make sure they understand how the part will be used and that precision is critical.

My disassembly starts next weekend.

That price isn't as crazy as you would think. I designed my coupler and plates myself, and the materials and machine work came to $525, and about 6 months of work. And that's with a $200 cash discount the shop gave my because I am a dirt poor college student. I would have bought that system from EV of America, but I have an automatic and no one in their right mind will touch one. (I am not in my right mind, and with any luck I never will be)

 

[PatricioIN]

...cleaned up the motor compartment today. Nothing too exciting, but had to be done. UPS seems to have a 127lb package scheduled to be delivered to me tomorrow.. my motor?!?

 

[Rolls Kinardly]

UPS seems to have a 127lb package scheduled to be delivered to me tomorrow.. my motor?!?

That was quick... I need to stop by and have a look-see in person.

I'm determined to get some disassembly done this weekend despite having a family function to attend. I'm starting to feel left behind (but not in a Tim LaHaye sort of way...) !