Jim’s Journal
The conversion of a 1990 Mazda Miata to an electric car
This is a daily log for your information.
April 1, 2008
Ordered DC Deluxe Universal
Conversion and Vacuum power brake system from Electro Automotive. Parts to be
shipped from different manufactures from all over the
April 3, 2008
Acquired car from Grand Daughter
who wore it out. Motor running rough without much power. Towed car home from
Tom helped load on dolly
Could not release the hold down straps when we got home
Found out they were all ready released; probably due to bouncing around on road home. Good thing we did not loose it on way home.
April 7, 2008
Took car to Les Schwab for new tires that will hold 44 lb each
This is for better rolling and less drag.
Ordered new breaks, were paper thin in the rear and I wanted the wheels packed in the front so ordered new brakes in the front as well.
Took new measurement on all wheels with new tires on and I will measure the finished car to see what the difference will be. (23 5/8 - 23 ½ front 24 ¼ - 25 rear
Measured down from top of fire wall to top of transmission 13.5”
Weight of car 2850 or 1500 front and 1350 in rear
April 11, 2008
Installed new brakes, calipers, pads and rotors, all around by Les Schwab
April 14, 2008
Drove car to John’s house (Roberta’s son-in-law)
Jacked up car on 4 stands
Removed radiator and part of grill to remove radiator
April 15, 2008
Removed, air-condition and its hoses, intake ducting and air cleaner, Power steering hoses and disconnected all wiring. (Must label all wiring soon before I forget where they came from)
Removed exhaust header, tail pipe and muffler
One bolt took 45 minutes for two of us to get it out.
Removed drive shaft (must check out bolts to see what way they were facing)
April 16, 2008
Removed the engine, transmission with the help of Berta’s son in law John’s working friend from the bus barn who is the mechanic, Jim. He has a hoist on the back of his truck and we pulled it in 2 hours. Took pictures of parts
April 17, 2008
Cleaned transmission, removed some wiring from engine compartment used to wire old internal combustion engine.
Tried to remove support that runs from transmission to differential without success; came home and re-read manual on how to remove support and I did all they say; will try again tomorrow.
April 22, 2008
Rail came out by twisting it slightly and prying out spacer.
Cleaned rail and mounted transmission to it. Installed a new hydraulic
lower assembly in transmission. Removed hoses from power steering. (Will not use power steering assembly. ) Need to clean frame. Will call tow truck to see what the cost would be to tow down to the car wash.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Removed steering wheel, instrument panel and speedometer cable.
Removed and installed new rubber boot on right hand side steering linkage.
Monday, April 28, 2008
Removed and installed new rubber boot on left hand side of steering linkage.
Hung speedometer cable straight down and sprayed with WD 40, ran with hand drill to lube cable.
Tried to remove transmission rear
seal. Purchased new seal remover from
Went on line and ask how to remove gas tank. Got answer from mechanic for $9.00. Will see if he is right tomorrow.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Met with a machinist it Gardiner to see how he could make brackets needed to hold new electric parts. Suggested cardboard mock ups. He does not have bender, will have to try another place for bent items. Gave him the first order to make one1/4” thick plate aluminum, 24” X 12” that will take the place of the radiator where I will mount the main controller that needs to be heat sunk to it.
Wednesday, May 01, 2008
Received fax from Mazda dealer in
Thursday, May 02, 2008
Made first of 3 cardboard brackets for mounting accelerator pot box
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Worked with Zach and removed gas tank filler, fuel pump. Approved last mock up on accelerator bracket.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Reedsport machine and fabrications made aluminum bracket from cardboard mock up. They cut in out and I bent it on bench here at home. Installed it with some modification and it fit beautifully. Will buy ½” stand offs and mount accelerator peddle cable. Need to pick up cable clamp.
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Tried to hire a tow truck to move the Mazda to the car wash and clean the frame, but they could not bring it back to the garage. So will have to push it out to the side yard and clean it there. Installed the controller and the gas peddle. Started to install the steering wheel, but I remember a ground wire that I could not find. Will have to remove the steering wheel again and find it.
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Installed Pot Box (motor rheostat) on new bracket with cable clamp to accelerator pedal, works great.
Friday, May 09, 2008
Removed steering wheel again and did not find ground wire. The only thing was the string that ties the air bag to the steering post. That must have looked like a ground wire to me. Reinstalled steering wheel and air bag. Pushed car out of garage (with help from four guys from church) and sprayed frame with grease remover and washed with high pressure washer and removed all grease from engine compartment and rear end.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Car is back in garage, thanks to the same four guys from church, Lee, Norm, Berta, Linda and my self. Jacked up car to remove gas tank. Installed new rubber motor mounts.
Placed Mazda engine and all gas powered parts on eBay last week. Got two questions today asking delivery cost. Will find out today. Over 60 hits on eBay.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Removed air-conditioning unit from cab to make room for electric heater. Will use case to hold new heater. Painted inside engine compartment, red on side panels and black of frame.
Deliver cost for old Mazda engine
to
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Engine sold on eBay will contact buyer today to send money and finalize shipping cost. Installed main front panel where radiator used to be.
Thursday, May 14, 2008
Buyer called and will pick up and
save shipping charges. He is coming from the
License plates came in today
Friday, May 16, 2008
Buyer picked up Engine and the 3 boxes, filled bed of pick up truck. Electric Auto called and we changed the batteries I am going to use for the third time.
Changed to a group 27 battery instead of the 24 type. Here is the difference
Series
24 Series 27
78 HR 99 HR
Total batteries 12 10
Total HR 936 990
Weight 53 lbs 63 lbs
Total weight 636 lbs 630 lbs
Larger battery
10.25 “long 12.75” long
Gel-sealed Gel-sealed
Ordered new battery box frames to be made at Reedsport Machine and fabrication for $300
Monday, May 19, 2008
Picked up battery box frames from Machine shop, looks good. Removed bolts holding rear end and lowered it to remove gas tank. It is hanging on to the frame by the rear springs. Gas tank will not come out.
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Ordered CDX plywood for battery sides, and top. The shop will cut the plywood, as I have laid it out, so I will get two 27” X 15” X 11” boxes out of it. Found header (left behind) for gas engine and sent by email to buyer and he said ship it.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Picked up sides to battery boxes, had to remove one inch from height.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Painted battery boxes black. Automotive Electric sent word the rest of parts will ship next week. We will see. Checked out why gas tank will not come out. Must remove lines from top.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
Berta helped me assemble two battery boxes that will hold 4 Series 27 batteries each. Need to find place for two more batteries and how to hold them.
Monday, May 26, 2008
Removed gas tank with the help of Berta, John and myself; had to take off hard top and go in from the top and remove gas lines and sending unit; had to hit it with 2X4 from inside trunk to extract it from over the rear axel. This has been the most difficult job to date and has taken two weeks to accomplish. I am sure not making any money on this job.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Started the assembly of adaptor and the electric motor. Ran into a problem with the key way in the motor .006 smaller than the key. Called Automotive Electric and they said file down the key to fit, mission accomplished, key now fits. Need to order a torque socket for my torque wrench to fit the new bolts on the adaptor, need to torque to 35 ft lbs. Each.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Torque electric motor bolts to 35 ft lbs and put red loc-tite on crankshaft bolts and torque to 50 ft lbs each. Finished assembling motor to transmission. Gave assembly a smoke test with my golf cart 12 volt battery, and all systems are go, ran good.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Lifted transmission and motor assemble from bench and lowered to floor and slid it under car. It is ready to lift in place.
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Lifted motor assemble into position and bolted rear-end to torque frame. Ready to design front motor mount.
Sunday, June 01, 2008
Designed and made cardboard mock up of motor mount, will take it to Reedsport machine shop Monday to see if they can make it.
Monday, June 02, 2008
Took mock up and drawing to Reedsport machine shop for fabrication will be done next week I hope.
Tuesday, June 03, 2008
Berta and I started laying out mounting plate with the electronic parts needed for operation.
Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Mounted controller, Contractor, relays, etc on plate. Drilled and tapped for mounting screws for each. Began wiring some components on plate. Called Electro Automotive for information on pot relay, not as shown in wiring diagram, discovered relay was switched and miss-marked.
Laid out place for break vacuum pump, will use back of electrical mounting plate facing grill in car. Sent email to Electro Automotive asking where one component is located? Hope answer comes today. Would like to assemble tomorrow.
Thursday, June 05, 2008
Found out they had sent one extra part not needed and forgot to send one that was needed. It is hard to work if you don’t have all the pieces to the puzzle. Vacuum pump now mounted and wired in place
Friday, June 06, 2008
Finished wiring Electric plate and ordered twisted pair to run from the front of car to the rear where the existing 12 volt battery is located.
Saturday, June 07, 2008
Cut hole in trunk floor and installed battery box. Removed hard top and started to lay out where to locate 3 more batteries.
Chose where gauges will go. Designed panel to hold gauges and will take it to the machine shop Monday.
Monday, June 09, 2008
Found a new machine shop in
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Turned on key for first time and
blow a fuse. Found out relay was a
direct short. Removed relay from circuit
in Vacuum Pump and the problem went away.
Sent email to Elector Automotive telling them my problem and found out
the owners were evacuated from their home due to the fires in
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
110 volt charger arrived. Need to find a place to install it, best place is in the trunk under the gas cap where the plug in will be located.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Took day off.
Friday, June 13, 2008
Cut hole behind seats larger to fit 3 batteries instead of the original 2 as planned. When laying out original design 4 batteries were supposed to go in front however only 3 will go there the other one must go someplace else. Behind the seat where the gas tank was is the only place left for one more battery?
Cut the battery box down to fit the three batteries and will have it re-welded next time we go to the welding shop.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Picked up front motor mount from machine shop for form fit. Everything looks good. Will take back tomorrow for final weld and increase side plate thickness to 1/8 from 3/32. Designed new clamp and will have it fabricated tomorrow as well.
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Mounted 120 v Charger in trunk, need to use JB weld to anchor bolts in place.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008 to Monday, June 23 will be gone to Annual Conference. Start back to work Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Picked up motor mount from welder
in
Wednesday, June 24, 2008
Berta and I worked together for about 5 hours this day. We installed the DC/DC converter, wired the Charger into the outlet and installed it under the fill gas fill cap that will not be used any longer. Installed the hydraulic clutch line, hooked up the speedometer cable to the transmission, reinstalled the gear shift, and the counsel around it. All interior wiring now working, lights, windows and power brakes which are hooked to the old 12 volt system. Will send email to Electric Auto asking them how to finish the wiring.
Thursday, June 25, 2008
Need to replace master clutch
cylinder. Filled the master cylinder
for the clutch with dot 3 fluid and the clutch did not move. Ordered new one from
Monday, June 30, 2006
Mounted battery box in trunk using ½ aluminum angle screwed to box and trunk bottom. Calked battery box to seal from water and dust getting into trunk.
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Mounted battery box behind seats where the gas tank was, using ½ aluminum angle screwed to box and metal shelf behind seat. Calked box same as yesterday.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Using 3 inch gutter material sealed the underside of battery boxes to the car.
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Finished mounting 3 inch gutter material to battery boxes and sealed with calking. Reinstalled hood and started to lay out battery boxes under hood.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Laid out and designed new brackets where the three batteries are going to be under the hood. Ordered them from Florence Machine.
Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Installed gauges under radio in dash. Hooked the lights in the gauges to the cigarette lighter.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Ran wire from front of car to rear using 1 inch diameter loom.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Finished wiring from front of car to rear.
Friday, July, 11, 2008
Installed new battery brackets for the three batteries under the hood.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Wired motor to electrical panel using #00 wire multi-strand.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Ran #00 wire from breaker switch to electrical panel. Repaired window-washer line from tank to hood.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Installed three battery boxes in motor compartment.
Installed 1.5 diameter wire loom from trunk battery box to behind seat battery box to motor compartment.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Drilled holes for vents in battery boxes.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Keffer Mazda parts man showed up at
front door of church with new belly pan I ordered last week. His folks live in Lakeside just 9 miles south
of Reedsport so he said he would deliver it to me instead of me driving to
Installed vent screens in holes in battery boxes.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Ran #00 wire from behind seat to motor compartment.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Ran #00 wire from trunk battery box to behind seat battery box.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Finished wiring until batteries are available.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Ordered batteries from American Battery, Delivery scheduled to be here, Thursday July 31. I originally ordered them from Les Schwab but their delivery schedule was 4 to 6 weeks; so ordered them from American Battery.
Friday, August 1, 2008
If it can go wrong it will. Both sets of batteries came on the same day and both were accepted. I was going to refused one set and send them back, but one of my friends knew I was waiting for them and accepted them for me. I was able to call the company and they came and picked that set up, so I am back to one set of batteries. Berta and I installed 4 of them in the trunk and 3 where the gas tank used to be and 3 up front in the motor compartment. We will finish wiring and testing them tomorrow.
Note charger in upper left hand corner
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Worked all day chasing down a short, we kept blowing fuses. Traced it down to a diode on the main contactor. Will pick one up at radio shack Monday.
Monday, August 4, 2008
Installed new diode on main contactor and it is now working correctly, but found another short, motor will not run. Talked to Mike at Electro Automotive and he said he would talk to me tomorrow and we can check it out over the phone.
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
Sent as built wiring diagram to Electro Automotive. Found a second short. It was in the pot box relay. By passed the relay and wired direct and turned on the switch and stepped on the accelerator and wala we have power to the rear wheels. Went thru the gears while the car is on the stands and shifted through all the gears. The motor has a slight singing sound as it first starts off and then turns completely silent. Speedometer showed 60 miles an hour in high gear with slight pressure on throttle. Will clean up wiring tomorrow and drop car to floor for its first road test. Need to ad fluid to transmission and align front end as soon as possible.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Drove to Lube Shop, added
transmission fluid and then drove to
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Car charged overnight, light on charger shows green. I guess that is the color to remember, “go green”. We will drive it now to see how many miles it will go on one charge. Drove to church in Reedsport, drove to Les Swab and had front end aligned and back home on one charge, about 30 miles. Will charge over night. It takes 12 hours for a full charge when batteries are low.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Yesterday the news paper interviewed me and the car was in the Umpqua Post newspaper. Called Zivan, the manufacture of the charger I have. He suggested I reprogram it to give 141 volt while charging. It was giving 128.6 volts. This should give me grater distance in driving. Second I moved one battery from the trunk and moved it to the front. This should give better road handling characteristics and keep the rear from bottoming out.
Car has been running now for 9 months
without a serious problem
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Just a note to update the readers on how the car is doing; I had to replace a vacuum pump break switch; then I had to replace the DC/DC charger three times; The last replacement part was a good one, no more problems. All parts were replaced by the manufacture at no cost. Car is running about 20 miles before recharging. I was hopping for more; could add more batteries but would only gain about 5% per battery. I would like to drive to the nearest town which is 25 miles away, but as it stands now I am not able to do that. My work is only 7 miles away, round trip, so I am able to drive back and forth two times before recharging. This is working out well for a local car.
Talking about driving, this car is a pleasure and a joy to drive. It is so quite, is like you are coasting all the time. You just step on the accelerator and away you go. No warming up in the morning it is always ready to give you maximum horsepower all the time. The shifting is just like the old Mazda except I hardly ever use 5th gear, it cruse along at 60 mile an hour in fourth beautifully.
I have driven father than the batteries are charged and the cars looses power. I just pull over to the side of the road and wait 5 minutes and then step on the accelerator peddle and drive another mile or so. I have done this for three times to get home. Try that in your gas car and see what you get.