Whew, finally....

Around noon I lowered this from the jackstands and drove it off of the slab and around the block. What a relief. Humorously I thought I had no reverse gear (and needed a forward/reverse switch), but then remembered VW has the stick push/shift for reverse.

This sight is one I've been waiting for for a long time, to see it on its first charge. Now I just need to register it w/ the State of Missouri and get a motor mount (right now the motor is secured by a strong rachet strap). Quite relieved and excited, though that's a bit understated. I'll be now spending time fixing up some of the rust and other things I put off to get this thing roadside.

In short, it took me about 100 hours of actual physical labor time to get this far, though the mental labor time started somewhere in early April and is on-going. I was given this car by my closest friends, who are generous and supportive people. They didn't want to deal with the mechanical issues but wanted it 'in the family'. I didn't want to deal with used car issues either, so I converted it, thus eliminating most of the issues I hate working on w/ cars (e.g. fuel pumps, oil seals, head gaskets, radiators, water pumps, etc, etc).

As an homage to my voltmeter wire, I'll leave this as a reminder to myself to not stop thinking.

Square 3820.1113

Ok, so I got back to the place I was earlier today and just posted this on a few EV lists trying to get some help as tonight, after I cleaned up my major mistake (I'm still reeling from that, so scary), I tried to troubleshoot again and found myself still unsure why things aren't working properly. So, here's another place I'm posting in case anyone has answers who might possibly stumble onto this posting.

So I literally only have to solve this problem and then I'll have my '73 squareback roadside instead of on jackstands. So, I am pleading for help here as I am totally stumped. I'll try to best explain this problem.

Essentially, I am able to run the motor when I connect a cable from the KSI terminal directly to the secondary contactor (battery side), skipping over both the 12V/30A relay and the KLK fuse (I'm following the EVA wiring diagram). I tried a new relay and new KLK fuse to eliminate those issues, as well as tested the ohm readings on the potbox and adjusted it (1-3 ohms disengaged and maxs out around 4800, and reads under 100 before it 'clicks on'). I've even tried to adjust the microswitch on the potbox, but I'm not sure I did it right and also it didn't seem to have any effects. Unfortunately, the motor doesn't engage when I have it wired up from KSI to relay (30), relay (87) to KLK fuse, KLK fuse to secondary contactor. I even tried connecting up the two input wires together (that usually go to 'Com' and 'No' on the potbox) to close the secondary contactor w/ the ignition switch instead of the pedal and that didn't effect performance.

In case it helps, here are a few general points. I have a 1221c Curtis controller on a 96V system w/ two Curtis SW220 contactors. I have test the 8" DC motor w/ a 12V battery and it spins the wheels. I have tested the voltage on the battery side of both contactors and register 96.8V as well as from B+ to B- on the controller when the potbox lever is engaged. I register 90% of this from the KSI (positive probe) and the negative side of the first battery (negative probe).

If I need to include more information for troubleshooting, I'll be happy to add it.

I need to find out more about microswitch adjustment on the potbox, but the Curtis manual unfortunately is not much help there.

My new prediction is that I'll either: sell this car, set it on fire, or watch it rust to nothingness while I continue to try to fix it. I've committed the ultimate newbie fallacy on this blog: predicted success rates and completion times when I don't even know what success and completion look like. I should have learned by now that it will be done when it is done, and I won't know when or how until well after that point looking backwards.

stopped thinking and livid

The microswitch on the potbox turned out not to be the problem as I bypassed the potbox (thus having the secondary contactor turn on w/ the ignition) and it still didn't work. So, back to the drawing board. I tried attaching the ksi to the secondary contactor via the line from the KLK to the secondary contactor, and didn't stop to think that the voltmeter cable was also in the connection (w/o the 2amp fuse, which is hard to find). I just fried my voltmeter cable by connecting it up wrong w/ the ksi to secondary contactor. Seeing smoke pour out after I turned on the ignition was not what I needed to see. I hesistated posting this, but hey, this is part of what happens when you get close to completion and stop thinking and backtracing connections to ensure safety, especially when bypassing. I'm so discouraged and embarrased, but it could have been much worse. I'm going to check all my input wiring now for melted insulation and this will hopefully solve my problem in the process, though doubtful...

Potbox Microswitch issue

I'm told (again by Bob at EVA) that the microswitch in my potbox needs adjusting as the ohm's being generated are greater than is acceptable for the high-pedal protection. This fine tuning is so hard to do when I don't know how hard to turn the screws. I could bypass this, connect the two positive wires together which are part of the ignition switch line and drive the vehicle, but I like the second contactor coming on w/ the pedal, not the ignition switch. Hopefully still today I'll be cruisin' down the street.

Not w/ a bang, but a whimper

Today was painfully ended by the darkness when I think I may actually be at the point that I can lower the car off the jackstands and drive it off this pad. It is a long (and probably boring) story of today's work, but I am hopeful that tomorrow will be the day...

Here's the short (or possibly medium) version. I thought I had a bad controller or that my motor-transmission connection was bad and thankfully, it was neither. I did the 12V battery test to the motor first thing this morning and was delighted to see the wheels turnover. Then, after some troubleshooting w/ Bob at EV America (who has been in this business at least 20 years was himself confused), he suggested to bypass the relay and the KLK fuse and go from the KSI terminal directly to the secondary contactor on the positive (battery) side. Did this w/ some spare jumper cables and viola, when I depressed the pedal the wheels turned over and I heard the high-pitched whirl I've read about.

So, this afternoon I worked all through trying to find out how to fix my input wiring issue. Thankfully, nothing in the 2/0 cable run is miswired. Everything checks out. To omit what is actually the long part to the explanation of this day's work, I think I had the negative side (going to the auxiliary battery, controller fan, and both contactors' negative spade terminals) miswired. This is what I am hoping is wrong, b/c everything else I've checked seems to be showing me that this is where the circuit from the potbox (when I depress the accelerator pedal) is incomplete and thus not sending the signal to the motor from the controller....

We'll see...

There, but....troubleshooting begins

Well, I finally have the cables cut, stripped, connectors crimped, connected, insulated, etc...Everything I can tell is now done, but when I press on the pedal, the motor doesn't turn over. I'm a bit perplexed and hope my motor isn't bad. I'm going to do some thinking tonight but I am hugely relieved to have the battery pack all hooked up and registering on my voltmeter at 96V+ (which is just what I thought via my testing on a few individual batteries). Now it is just figuring out if my controller is bad, my motor is bad, or if some of my more minor wiring is done wrong and impeding a full test. The one thing I'm worried about is that the transmission isn't engaging b/c the gearbox was misaligned w/ my ICE engine removal or that my mounting of motor was done incorrectly. The second doesn't seem to be anything too big to address as it is only four bolts to get the motor off. More later....

Almost there 2.0

This time around, as far as I can tell, I show be test driving the car this week. I just crimped and heat shrinked most of the 2/0 cable today and am only 3 cables shy of the 2/0 being fully done. I still have a few cuts and fuse insertions to do, as well as get the motor mounted and purchase a voltmeter and ammeter. Otherwise, I think that tomorrow I'll review things and possibly take the plunge and complete the circuit and push on the gas pedal...more postings tomorrow, I'm exhausted, but excited.

Finally!

Received the battery cables on Friday and am borrowing a hammer crimper from one of the MAEAA people tomorrow. So, I am hoping to get some time on the car tomorrow and Tuesday (weather permitting), so that I can test drive it...sometime this week??? We'll see.

I've still got to contact a welder to get a motor mount fashioned and to vent my batteries, but other than that, I am good to go on the technical side of things. Some cosmetic issues reside w/ the car, but that can wait. Pics will follow when I get my microSD card back in my phone. With all the labor I've been putting into our house, my car has sat alone for two weeks now (w/ one day of about 2 hours of labor). But this week my goal is to post a pic of it before/after the test run.

STILL waiting...

I have made no more progress than the last posting b/c I am STILL waiting on the 2/0 cables. I can't believe this, EVA should work on their stated importance of customer service.

Still waiting...

So I am finally back online (took a week to get our ISP to get us online) and I am two charger cables and the 2/0 cable (all around, 34+ lugs to crimp) away from the test run. I will post a pic of where I am now working, unfortunately quite exposed and now battling the bugs while I work (not to mention the midwestern humidity). We are working on our house now (porch renovation, kitchen wall removals, etc), so it is competing w/ my work time on this, but that is fine, as I'm still waiting to get my 2/0 cable via UPS (long, annoying story) and I have yet to find a place to rent a hex crimper from. Hopefully in a few weeks I'll take some time to post a long, rambling explanation of the vehicle and accompany it w/ some pictures. This car is a perfect EV candidate, w/ lots of options for wire runs, components placement, battery location, and a high gross vehicle rating (3500lbs and 2000+ rear axle max weight).

Motor secure

The motor needs a tail mount, it cannot be supported by the weight of the transaxles alone.

There, I needed to make sure to post that here as I was speculating on not having a motor mount. But, since the motor touched the ground after it was installed and the gear shifter was firmly stuck in place due to the weight on the transmission, it is obvious that I need to have support under the motor.

Nevertheless, I am highly excited to have it installed. The moving truck is loaded w/ the Squareback in tow. I'll take a pic tomorrow and send it from my phone.

So, a brief hiatus from work on this until we get moved into our new house and until I get my ordered battery cables (they screwed up my order AGAIN - this is the third time). I really appreciate the advice I get from my parts supplier (EVA), but maybe I should email my orders so there are more definite terms to the order that they can see in writing.

Input shaft cutback

Thankfully someone lent me a 7" Milwaukee grinder today and I very quickly removed the end of this 'input shaft' on the transmission. I was corrected that in the US this is its proper name while in Europe (and my service manual) it is called the drive shaft. I'm noticing some not so subtle snubbing of all things Non-(Auto)American...

This afternoon-evening I loaded our enormous moving truck (26') w/ most of our stuff and it is still about 1/2 empty. Tomorrow we'll finish up packing as we drive away on Thursday so we can close on our house Friday morning. After I finish packing tomorrow I will (hopefully) install the motor. I am going to have this bonus work day on the car b/c we got the truck a day earlier than expected. Hopefully my remaining battery cables will come at a reasonable hour, the motor will be installed in a timely manner, I will be able to Re-borrow the cable crimper and cutter, and wire up the battery pack...then drive this car tomorrow night. Doubtful, highly doubtful - but it is exciting to be this close to a test run.

Drive shaft cutback

I've been surprised that I haven't found more information online about how people cut back their drive shafts. After a call, I think I know why - it is simpler than I thought to cut hardened steel. I was just told by a machinist that an angle grinder w/ an 1/8" cutting blade on it would be sufficient to cut back an 3/4" diameter drive shaft. Since I've a friend giving me an angle grinder in 1 1/2 weeks (he got a 2 for 1 deal w/ a Makita grinder), I think I'll try that route.

Cleanup

An enjoyable site to see this car clean and hopefully soon it will be running. It took me a good two hours to get it this clean and here in a few pics you can see the difference. I guess 3 years of idleness and dirt builds up quite a bit.

This will be the last post for about a week, unless of course I get the drive shaft cut back in the next few days. I've packed up my tools and put the motor and other conversion stuff in backseat of the car. I did spray paint the front battery box today too (a bright orange) and drilling two 1" holes in the frame under the dash to run the 2/0 battery cables to/fro the front batteries (which are the final three in the series). I am running them through the old heater vents which go under the back seat and come out at the feet of the backseat passenger. Great option for me as this way I can go through an existing hole in the vehicle and avoided long external wire runs.

We'll have a car tow dolly for the move and I thought it would be a perfect time to take it by a machine shop to have that done. We'll see, I'm going to call around in the morning. Wednesday I get all but the charger from the parts supplier, so I'll be able to work when I'm able in KC.

Setbacks

So I have just gotten enough perspective on things to post an update. I just found out on Friday that first, the welder who agreed to fashion a motor mount didn't have time (for one reason or another). Understandable, but from Monday when he agreed to do it to Friday when I called to check up on things, I assumed he was working on it. Wish he would have called so I could arrange other things, but I think his issues were more than the usual excuses.

Alas, Wayne on the MAEEA list thankfully assured me that VWs of this type (note: not Type in the 'Type III' sense) don't need motor mount as the transaxles will support the weight of the transmission and DC motor. Thus, I am trusting his expertise as he has done multiple conversions of VWs and I have not done any....yet. So, while I wasted Friday morning running around to see if any metal fabricator could do this in the time I have left here (until Wednesday, since we move on Thursday), I was quite relieved to find out I can forgo a motor mount. I am still open to the extra support in the future (if I find it necessary for my needs), but I'm going to try it first without the rear tail mount (or, as called in Clymer's manual, the 'rear engine carrier').

Second, and much more frustrating (actually infuriating on Friday), my parts supplier (who will remain nameless) has now for a second time messed up my order and this is now the major reason why I am unable to finish the conversion before I move. I thought it ultimately would be my lack of experience and knowledge that would inhibit me finishing before we move. Thus, I have everything but my 2/0 cable, lugs, contactors, and my charger (which, as I was told the manufacturer hasn't finished producing it yet, is out of my suppliers hands). So, I am still a bit peeved about this, but this is providing me more time to do some incidental stuff. Well, all but one incidental thing - the cutting back of the drive shaft. Since I've no plasma saw, I don't have the tool to cut the end back off the drive shaft to the splines. So if anyone reading this has any suggestions, I am open to them. I will contact a few machnists around here and do some research though just to see if I can take care of this before we move.

Thankfully, I was able to use a 30-carbine blade on my circular saw to cut the 1/2" aluminum adapter plate, so that was a relief. I am just about done w/ the wiring of the not-battery-and-motor-related stuff (which I need 2/0 cable for - errrgh) and have found the instrumentation wires for the vehicle and properly hooked up the inertia wires so they work as they should (manufacturer instructions were for an ICE hookup and a bit confusing).

So, it looks like working on this in Kansas City is the only option. And since our house is a city lot plot, I've no real space like I have here (actually right now we've no garage space). Disappointing, but I think (read: hope) things will get going after we move in. Today and tomorrow I'm going to do some final assessments and figure out my stopping point until Early June (hopefully a week from tomorrow).