Kurts Chevy S-10 Conversion to Electric

IT'S ALIVE!!!

2010-05-16T00:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, my EV is actually running!

A little peek under the hood...

I know that it has been an extremely long time since my last post...all I can say is work is crazy and any free time that I have was spent getting this EV running.

I have lots of great people to thanks including Stephen from HPEV, South Seattle Community College (Murray and class), and good friends Chad and Jared.

I plan to post a lot of content to this blog in July during my vacation.

Sent from my iPhone

Build Session 24 (180 mins): Drilling and Mounting the Adapter Plate

2009-07-11T12:20:00.000-07:00

This weekend Jared and I broke away from work long enough to drill the
six mounting bolt holes in the adapter plate. Then we mounted the
steel adapter coupling with the key pin and a bolts. After that we
attached the spline assembly.

I ordered the adapter plate assembly from EV America...primarily because they were the only ones at the
time that were selling a clutch-less adapter plate design. I like the concept of a clutch-less design because every pound of rotational weight equally approximately 100 pounds of total weight. So reducing
rotational weight should extend the overall range of my EV.

Jared drilling the first hole...We're using a 1/2 in corded drill with a 31/64 drill bit.

We used a fair amount of aluminum cutting oil to speed our progress and save our bit...

After drilling each hole we bolted it together to ensure that the adapter plate wouldn't move. To connect the adapter plate I purchased 4 9.8 grade 80mm M12 bolts, nuts, washers, and lock washers and 2 100mm bolts. I plan to use the longer ones to attached torque rods if needed.

After drilling the first four holes and bolting each to the bell housing, we removed the C clamps and drilled the remaining two holes.

Drilling complete...

After that we removed the adapter plate and disassembled the hub assembly from the adapter plate by knocking out the long pins. EV America ships the coupler disk, steel hub, and adapter plate pinned together with long pins to ease alignment for marking and drilling. Now its time to remove the long pins and replace them with short pins that hold the couple disk and hub assembly together only.

KIDS PLEASE NOTE: Flip flops are NOT appropriate protective clothing for working on electric vehicles! At least I have safety glasses on. :)

Then inserted the coupler disk hub assembly over the spline transmission shaft and took some measurements with the digital calipers. This measurement helped us to figure out where to bolt the steel hub on the motor shaft.

Jared double checking his measurements...

This is what the coupler disk hub assembly from EV America looks like when dissembled. The splined hub on the left is a new Chevy S10 clutch disc that I sent them. They remove the friction material and then bolt and pin it to the their coupler disk / steel hub assembly. The splines connector in the clutch disc is need to mate with the transmission shaft.

Realizing that we didn't want to disassemble the coupler hub assembly just yet, we put it back together, place it on the motor shaft with key, and used our previous measurements to position the hub.

With the shaft key already in place, we put some lock-tite on the bolts and tightened the steel hub in place.

Now its time to remove the clutch disc and the aluminum coupler assembly from the steel hub. This will allow us to slide the spacers and the adapter plate over the steel hub and bolt them into place.

Double checking the steel hub bolts to make sure that they are tight. Yes, that is blue painter tape protecting my motor from damage and shavings.

After sliding the spacers disks and the adapter plate over the steel hub we bolted it into the motor with four 3/8 by 2 3/4" grade 8 bolts, washers, lock washers, and some locktite.

Once again we reassembled the coupler disk assembly to the steel hub. Yes, more locktite...

And finally we reattached the clutch disc with 8 bolts and locktite...

Its beautiful! Its ready to bolt to the transmission...but that's all the time I have for today. :)

Build Session 23 (240 mins): Shaping the Adapter Plate

2009-06-20T23:50:00.000-07:00

I decided to hold off on the dual motor setup for now in hopes of getting this truck up and running this year.

This weekend Jared, Chad, and I marked and cut the 1/2 inch adapter plate that connects the transmission bell housing to the motor adapter.

We used the Rigid band saw with a 3/4 inch Lenox Bi-Metal blade and a LOT of aluminum cutting oil. The cutting was slow going but the end result was worth it. After cutting we cleaned up the edges with the grinder, wire wheel, and a little filing. During the next build session we will drill the holes and bolt the bell housing to the adapter plate.

The adapter plate before we cut...

Clamping the plate down and then tracing the bell housing...

The cutting is slow...Chad keeps the blade plenty lubed with aluminum cutting oil which definitely saved the blade.

We used to brush to keep the oil where we wanted it...

Still cutting hours later...

Pretty good for a 3/4 inch band saw blade...

I'm grinding down the rough cuts...

Chad decided to hand file a bit.

Perfect fit...I like it. Its ready for drilling during the next build session.

Build Session 22 (60 mins): Another Coat of POR-15

2009-06-12T21:44:00.000-07:00

Jared and I added a coat of POR-15 Chassis Coat black on top of the epoxy paint. The Chassis Coat provides UV protection (fade resistance) on top of the rust preventing epoxy coat.

Build Session 21 (180 mins): Epoxy Painted Battery Racks and Frame

2009-06-05T23:18:00.000-07:00

This weekend Jared, Chad, and I had a productive painting session. In a couple of hours we managed to finish the welding on the rear battery racks. Then we painted the rear battery racks, rear differential, and frame with POR-15 Epoxy paint which should keep them from rusting.

Jared and my welding helmets.

Jared and Chad painting. Chad is a good friend of ours. He just graduated from High School, is an invaluable robotics club member on the team that we mentored and is a skilled machinist. Not bad for a teenager!

Starting from the inside and working our way out...

Remember how many months ago we spent a whole day prepping the frame with scrub brushes and the pressure washer...I think it was about a year ago. Wow, time fly's.

I even painted the frame underneath after laying out plastic on the driveway an taping plastic around the cab.

The epoxy paint goes a long ways and looks great.

Nice...

It looks amazing!

Chad got some POR-15 epoxy on himself...It should wear off in a few weeks. Sorry Chad. :)

Zilla Z2K Controller Finally Arrived!

2009-06-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

Yes, it has been over six months since I have posted! I have been extremely busy with work and mentoring a high school robotics team. School is out and robotics is over for now. Work is still extremely busy but several EV discussions with my good friend Jared has helped motivate me to spend a little bit of time each week on the project...regardless of work deadlines. I hope to continue making progress and posting the results on a more regular basis.

But that's not the purpose of this post. If you haven't already guess from the title of this post...drum roll please...yes, after almost eight months of waiting THE ZILLA HAS ARRIVED!!! It makes me happy. :)

Battery Box Layout Diagram

2008-11-01T20:08:00.000-07:00

I'm still busy with family activities, at work, and with various projects as a mentor of the Tahoma Robotics Club so I currently have very little time to work on this project. However, the good new is that my batteries are on order! Specifically, 50 ThunderSky 160 amp hour batteries. Initially, I plan to use 48 of them at 3.2 volts nominal each for a total of 153.6 total volts. I have been working with Manzanita Micro and they have agreed to order the batteries for me. My original plan was to order the TS batteries direct from China but I dreaded the hassle of getting them through customs. Manzanita Micro has experience ording these cells as they use them in their prius hybrid kits. So, I sent them a check and now I wait. The lithium batteries may arrive this year although it won't slow me down any if they don't since my Zilla controller won't be ready until May or June. And so I must be patient...

I created a diagram for those of you who are interested in some of the dimensions and layout of the battery boxes. The 48 ThunderSky cells will completely fill the forward twin battery boxes under the lift bed and a little over half of the rear battery box, leaving me some room for expansion in the future. With 48 of the 160 amp hour cells the total traction pack will contain over 24,000 kwh. I estimate that this will provide me with a range of 100 plus miles at my average daily driving speeds. But only time will tell...

Notice the red motors in the diagram with not tranmission. I have done a lot of research lately on the possiblity of building a direct drive system. Which basically means connecting the motor or motors directly to the drive line and eliminating the transmission completely. Many people that I have contacted say it can't or shouldn't be done while others seem to disagree. John (coworker and former race car builder/driver) and I have completed many calculations on this subject and have determined that two WarP / Impulse 9 inch motors connect in series will provide ample torque even on hills at slow speeds when controlled by my Zilla and its parallel / series capabilities. So, I am tentatively planning to move forward with this plan and may put an order in for a couple of Impulse 9 motors at the end of this year. I'll keep you posted...

Build Session 20 (60 mins): Started Prepping Battery Racks for Paint

2008-10-18T23:00:00.000-07:00

Finding time to work on my truck lately still seems to be few and far between...

However, I was able to fabricate and weld in a final battery rack support member between the two forward battery racks.

I plan to epoxy coat (paint) the entire frame with POR15 rust protector and chassis coat. I'm currently prepping the frame by removing the rust, dirt, etc...

I'm pretty busy of the next few weeks but I hope to complete the prep work and rack painting by mid November.

Ordered a Zilla Z2K Controller Today!

2008-10-15T23:43:00.000-07:00

Zilla Controller

I first discovered the Zilla controller a few years ago when I began my EV conversion research. Ever since then I have been drooling over its rich feature set and performance capabilities.

My decision to upgrade to lithium batteries (LiFePO4) has given me new reasons to pondered the idea of upgrading my 144v Curtis Controller to a Zilla controller because of it capabilities and features. Specifically I want to be able to programatically shut the controller down when any of my Thunder Sky Cells reach their minimum voltage range. This will allow me to protect the cells from under-running damage. In addition, the Zilla will allow me to run higher voltage which means better performance.

Recently I discovered that Otmar who is the founder of Cafe Electric (makers of the Zilla controller) plans to sell the Zilla rights and stop production. So I decided that I'd better buy one before they are completely unavailable and/or even more expensive. The only downside is that it will take 6 to 8 months before my controller will arrive. Once my Zilla arrives I plan to move the Curtis controller to my Porsche 914.

Hmmm.... Now I need a TransWarp 11 motor with direct drive shaft. Then I can eliminate my transmission altogether and really make this truck peppy!

Build Session 19 (180 mins): Forward Battery Rack Complete, Welding Supports

2008-10-04T23:29:00.000-07:00

I completed the battery racks today!

Welded the six supports in place...

The completed forward battery racks...

The rear and forward battery racks...

LiFePO4 Thundersky Batteries and a PFC50B Manzanita Micro Charger

2008-10-03T23:08:00.000-07:00

I have decided to go ahead and order 45 Thundersky Lithium Iron Phosphate (LiFePO4) Batteries. My plan was to purchase directly from Everspring.Net in China as I was unable to locate a competitive source of Thundersky cells in the U.S. until recently. However, I am currently working with Manzanita Micro and have ordered their amazing PFC50B charger, LT5B Regulators, and they are building me some custom cell under running detection hardware. In addition, they have agreed to provide me with Thundersky cells at a discount which also allows me to avoid the hassle of dealing with importing the batteries through customs.

So far, I highly recommend this company as their chargers appear to be superior to anything else that I have researched. Clarice (sales) and Stephen are extremely helpful in answering my pre-sales questions (Warning: Don't send too many questions to Rich though...he can be a bit grumpy).

Build Session 18 (180 mins): Forward Battery Rack, Fabricating Supports

2008-09-27T21:20:00.000-07:00

Yes, I finally finished the rear battery rack and am now working to complete the forward battery rack. When complete the rack will hold 32 160ah thundersky batteries or 8 Lead Acid batteries.

First I cut the 4 lengths of 2 inch flat bar for the four U supports...

Then I bent the four pieces into U shapes using the torch and a few clamps...

The four U supports are complete. They will be welded two on each side.

Then I cut and bent the two longitudinal supports.

And thats it...in the next session I will weld them in place and finally be done with the rear battery racks!

Build Session 17 (60 mins): Rear Battery Rack Complete

2008-09-13T23:46:00.000-07:00

Yes it's been a while since my last post. Work is extremely busy right now but I will attempt to make some amount of progress and post at least every week or two. We'll see...

This month I was able to complete the rear battery rack. I made some size modification on the original design to maximize the space for additional LiFePO4 batteries. My current plan is to purchase 45 Thundersky 160ah batteries. I will install 32 of the cells in the forward rear boxes and the remaining 13 cells in this rear box. I estimate the the rear box will hold 34 which I plan to use in the future if I add more cells for a higher voltage system.

Removing the rear cross member support...

Cross member removed...

Working on the final two rear rack supports...more bending.

I made two just like this...

And installed one on each side as depicted below...This will keep the batteries away from the rear shocks.

Lead Acid or LiFePO4 (lithium Iron Phosphate) batteries?

2008-09-09T10:33:00.000-07:00

In a previous post I indicated that I would most likely purchase the the Trojan T-145 Deep Cycle lead acid battery http://www.trojanbattery.com/Products/T-1456V.aspx. They are supposed to be one of the best deep cycle sealed lead batteries. They are relatively cheap (approx. $3000 total for 24 batteries). Unfortunately, they are also EXTREMELY heavy weighing in around 1700 pounds. Added weight will decrease range and performance. Based on my calculations and verified by several EV'ers that I have contacted I may only see a range of 40 miles using lead acid batteries. While this may be enough to support much of our daily driving it just doesn't feel like enough for me. Especially when you combine the fact that these lead batteries require regular maintenance (watering) and will degrade over time when not fully charged.

There may be an alternative... Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries. This battery technology suffers from none of the pitfalls that I mentioned for lead acid batteries and contains many times the amp hour capacity. Plus lithium phosphate cells are 20% of the weight of lead acid batteries which will increase performance.

I have been researching Lithium batteries for a couple of years and many of you may remember that Jared and I built custom A123 Lithium Nano-phosphate battery packs for our electric bicycles a couple of years ago. The batteries were extremely successful but a lot work, soldiering, etc... In addition, the A123 cells are very expensive. To achieve a range of 75 miles in my S10 EV I would need well over $20,000 worth of A123 cells that must be surface welded "soldiered" into custom packs.

Recently, however, I have rediscovered a potential alternative. Thunder Sky (http://www.thunder-sky.com/products_en.asp?fid=66&fid2=70) LFP cells. I did a little research on these cells a few years ago but found several people who were having problems with some cell batches. However, apparently, newer versions of these cells are popping up in a few Electric Vehicles around the globe and appear to be performing quite well.
The cells are manufactured in China. I have contacted their primary distributer and it seems that I could get my hands on these 160 amp hour LiFePO4 cells for about $9,000+ shipped to nearest SEA port. I estimate about 75 to 100+ miles range for this amount. Plus no soldiering hundreds of little cells as the Thunder Sky cells are manufactured in large form factor. Just 45 cells will be tied together with bolts and electrical cable. I'm considering purchasing even higher amperage 300 amp hour cells which would cost more but could increase my range to possibly 200+ miles. Yes, I'm drooling...

Anyway, I have been reworking my battery rack design to accommodate either battery technology in case I actually get my hands on some of these cells. :)

Adapter plate is here...

2008-09-06T05:15:00.000-07:00

A couple of weeks ago I sent the clutch disc from my S-10 (actually I ordered a new one and sent that) to a machine shop specified by EV-America. They disassembled the disc and milled out the a the center portion of the adaptor plate assembly from 1/2 inch 6061 aluminum. In the near future I will attach this plate to my S-10 transmission, take some measurements, and then mill the transmission mating holes for attaching the plate. Then I plan to cut down the excess around the corner and perhaps follow the contours of the transmission bell housing. After that I will attach the Advanced DC 9 inch FB1 electric motor to the adaptor plate and transmission.

Build Session 16 (90 mins): Rear Battery Rack Welding Cross Member

2008-09-03T21:40:00.000-07:00

Yes, I'm still working on the rear battery rack. :) One more day and I should have the rear rack finished.

First I prepped the flat bar cross member that I bent yesterday. I'm using the wire attachment on the Makita to remove the rust.

Prepping the frame...

Measuring the distance at the top of the new cross member to make sure that its slightly more (1/2 inch) than the 31 inches at the bottom of the cross member. This will allow the battery box to slide in easier. The cross member is clamped into place and I tapped it into position with a hammer.

Then I welded the cross member into place.

In case you're wonder what welder I'm using...

It's a Lincoln Power Mig 140c Welder. I'm not using MIG right now just .035 inch Flux Core Welding Wire and it seems to be working great for this application. The bottle on the back of the welder currently is Argon which I use when I am welding aluminum. I use argon with the spool gun pictured below.

.035 inch Flux Core Welding Wire

100 SG spool gun used for welding aluminum and other types of metal.

Anyway, back to business here...Then I wire brushed the area where the flat bar cross member supports meet, clamped them together, and welded all three of them in place. That's it for tonight.

Build Session 15 (45 mins): Rear Battery Rack Cross Member Bending

2008-09-02T20:57:00.000-07:00

Not much time again tonight...but it was enough to cut and bend a piece of 3 inch flat bar for the rear battery box rack. This piece will provide cross support for the rear battery rack. The flat bar is 1/4 inch thick. I cut it 68 inches which turns out to be a 1/2 inch or so to long (I'll fix that tomorrow when I weld it in place).

I convinced my oldest son Matt to step away from his laptop long enough to work square up this piece and help me bend it.

Using the torch to heat the steel...

Matt is learning how to use the torch...he did a great job!

Me...trimming the acetylene...

Preparing for the third bend...

Not much leverage so Matt used the sledge on this bend...

The new 3 inch cross bar sitting in place... I plan to trim the ends down an inch and weld it in place tomorrow.

A video of Matt using the torch.

Build Session 14 (30 mins): Battery Rack Build Session 7

2008-08-29T23:23:00.000-07:00

Tonight I cut (most of) the rear support section out of the Chevy S10 frame. This piece needs to be removed to make room for the polyurethane battery boxes that I will build in the near future. That sums up my accomplishments for this weekend as I am camping with the family at Whidbey Island.

Using the Makita with a cut-off wheel...

Support section removed...

I plan to remove the rest of this support section after completing the rear battery rack and adding additional support to the shock mounts.

Build Session 13 (1 hour): Rear Battery Rack Welding

2008-08-28T22:00:00.000-07:00

Back from San Diego and ready to work on the truck...

I did get three of the support bars welded into the rear battery rack tonight.

Of course I wouldn't have been able to do it as fast without a little help from Tayler.

We clamped the "U" shaped pieces into place and squared and welded them to the support tubes (one side at a time).

Notice the surface rust building up already...don't worry, my POR15 chassis coat epoxy showed up last week. As soon as these battery racks are done I will prep and paint. :)

Tayler with a wire brush...I wish that I could get her to scrub the dishes this good. :)

Using the Makita wire brush to clean up my welds.

Three pieces welded in place. In my next session I will build 3 additional pieces to complete this rear battery rack.

The POR15 showed up! This will protect the frame and battery racks...plus it will look great.

Build Session 12 (1 hour): Rear Battery Rack Flat Bar Bending

2008-08-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

Work has been busy so I haven't had as much time as I would like complete the battery racks. Now I am leaving for San Diego for a week so don't expect any posts until the 28th or so...

I did get the rear box flat bar cut and bent into shape...My son Reece helped out.

We clamped the flat bar to an old steel skateboard grinding rail that Reece and I made a while back. Then we heated the flat bar with the torch along the bend line.

Then we bent it.

No problem...

A second set of hands makes it even easier.

And here is the finished pieces. I plan to weld them to the rear battery rack support tubes when I get back.

More parts showed up today: Ceramic heater, volt gauge, ammeter gauge, heat shrink, cable lug covers, motor mount

...and the gas shocks & hinges for the lift bed conversion.

Build Session 11 (3.5 hours): Rear Battery Rack Main Supports

2008-08-18T21:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight I completed the main support structure for all three rear battery racks. Next I plan to add the flat bar supports that will hold the battery boxes.

Preparing to remove the forward cross member from the truck frame. Don't worry, the battery box support tubes will compensate for the removed cross member.

After grinding out the steel fasteners the cross member came right out. Then I was able to weld the new longitudinal battery rack supports in place.

Cross member is out...

Notching the frame out to make room for the outer battery rack support tubes.

I cut the support tubes to fit between the new battery rack cross members.

Welded in place.

Its getting too dark to continue...its looking good though. :)

Build Session 10 (3 hours): Rear Forward Battery Rack Support Structure

2008-08-16T23:59:00.000-07:00

I spent Saturday morning building the main support of the two forward battery racks which will be located under the truck bed. It was very hot today (94F) and I did my fair share of sweating...especially while using the welder. :)

Prepping the forward bed mounts for welding...The 4 inch Makita grinder with a wire wheel worked nicely. I love that tool.

After double-checking my measurements I cut a piece of 1.5 inch steel tubing and welded it between the support plates that I built during my last work session.

Then I secured it in place between the forward bed supports and welded it in place on both sides.

The forward support is done.

Welding in the rear support tube of the forward battery box.

The UPS guy delivered my 2/0 gauge welding cable yesterday! I'll use the welding cable to deliver the 144 volts from the traction packs (batteries) to the speed controller, motor, etc... Welding wire is quite flexible and capable of handing high voltage and amperage demands. Red for positive and black for negative.

That's it for this weekend. Meg and I have tickets for Batman movie at the IMAX theater and it was time to get ready to go.

I hope to finish the "under bed" battery racks before Megan I head out for San Diego on Thursday. Stay tuned...

Build Session 9 (1.5 hours): Rear Forward Battery Rack Support Plates

2008-08-16T00:55:00.000-07:00

I didn't have a lot of time tonight but I was determined to fabricate the forward main support plates of the front two battery racks located beneath the bed. These pieces will be used to elevated the front main support tube where the truck frame dips down.

I had planned to used my band saw and metal blade to cut these pieces however the .25 inch carbon steel proved to robust for my patience level.

...and so I broke out the cutting torch.

Yes, I know, its just a little guy...not quite like the large acetylene tanks back on the farm. But it gets the job done just the same and it fits in my suburbia garage dwelling.

I made a cardboard template then cut the pieces out.

I could have weld them in place just as they were but being the perfectionist freak that I am I was determined to grind them until both pieces were perfectly concentric.

Tomorrow I will weld one plate on each side of the frame right behind the cab. Then I'll weld a cross member support tube between them. You'll see...tomorrow.

Build Session 8 (4 hours): Let the Battery Rack Build Session Begin...

2008-08-14T23:56:00.000-07:00

Jared and I stopped by Professional Plastics and Specialty Metals on the way home from work to pick up my order placed on Tuesday. Both businesses are located in Kent, WA within a few mile of each other. It seems like you can find just about anything fabrication related in Kent, Washington.

Both orders were a bit pricey...it seems like steel has doubled in price since that last time I fired up my welder!

I wasted no time as I was anxious to begin one of the installation build steps as opposed to the engine removal work. Yes, I am wearing my OSHA approved glasses, gloves, and flip flops. Actually most of this conversion thus far has been honored by the presents of my trusty old flip flops. (Don't try this at home kids...I am trained flip flop professional)

The first battery rack support is tack welded in place. I plan to complete all of the welds after most of the rack is built...just in case some of my calculations are flawed.

I hope the neighborhood dog walkers had the forethought to bring their welding helmets with them...I would hate to damage anyones retinas as they are strolling by.

The second piece of 1.5 inch tubing is positioned and welded into place. Dang...its getting dark already.

Once it became too dark to continue I decided to move into the garage and remove the clutch disc and take some measurements...both of which I will send to the machine shop in the morning. They will use the data and disc to mill out an adapter plate for mating my electric motor to my existing transmission. Man I wish I had a CNC mill...someday. :)

Battery Box Rack Design

2008-08-12T23:24:00.000-07:00

Tonight I planned out most of my battery layout and put together the following materials list.
Upon my request, Bob from EV America was kind enough to provide me with some basic battery rack plans. It looks like I will have to modify them to fit my truck year and the fact that I plan to use 24 batteries instead of 20. However, the plans are a great starting point.

I plan to put in the order tomorrow morning. Yes, this is a little more than I need but I hate running out during a build session and I plan to use the extra on the Porsche racks.

Battery Racks:

6-10' x 2" x .25" steel flat bar for front bracing and rear U band supports
3-10' x 3" x .25" steel flat bar for rear box center and longitudinal supports
4-10' x 1.5" x .125" steel square tubing for rear battery racks main suports
1-1' x 1' x .25" steel plate for front of middle box bracing to frame
2-10' x 2" x .125" steel angle for engine compartment battery rack
1-10' x 1" x .125" steel square tubing

Battery Box:

2-8' x 4' x .25" polypropylene (white) for battery box walls
1-8' x 4' x .5" polypropylene (white) for battery box lids and main control board

These are the batteries that I plan to use. They are supposed to be one of the best deep cycle sealed lead batteries.
http://www.trojanbattery.com/Products/T-1456V.aspx

I also ordered some POR15 ChassisCoat which is a very high quality resin based paint that I plan to use on my frame and battery racks.

That's it for today...

Build Session 7 (7.5 hours): Filth and Putrescence!

2008-08-09T22:40:00.000-07:00

The first thing that I notice when I crawled under this truck, a few weeks ago, was the overwhelming amount of oil and grease accumulation on EVERYTHING! It looks like the lower front engine seal was blown. Based on the amount of filth under this truck I'm guessing that it was using about a quart of oil every two weeks. Seriously...I have had to wash my coveralls almost after every work session and have gone through about 100 pairs of latex gloves (I hate grease under my nails). :)

So...I spent over 7 hours on Saturday with my pressure washer degreasing. It wasn't much fun but was oddly satisfying once I realized that this truck as pure electric will never be this greasy ever again.

Before:

After:

After several hours of working alone I decided to speed my progress and ensure a before-end of day completion by initiating the draft and making this task a "family project". Thanks Matt, Reece, and Kenzie! :)

Build Session 6 (5 hours): The Engine Is Out

2008-08-08T22:53:00.000-07:00

My good buddy Jared and I struggled for a several hours after work to get the engine and transmission out. My original plan was to remove them together. Ultimately this idea proved improbable and so we dropped the transmission separately...which was no easy task. In fact we had to lift the engine slightly and pull the transmission down in order to gain access to the upper bell housing bolts before we could remove the transmission completely.

Jared working the hoist...and a cold beverage.

This is my ecstatic face...finally the engine has been pried from its stronghold.

Its out! No more gas, motor oil, or antifreeze for this vehicle ever again. :)

The engine compartment...I left the master brake cylinder, power steering pump, and AC systems intact.

Build Session 5 (2 hours): Whoops... Dang it!!! :(

2008-08-07T23:29:00.000-07:00

Situation: I need to move the truck out of the garage in preparation for pulling the engine in the more roomy driveway...and no one is around to help me.Proposal: No problem...I simply attach the bed to the hoist again and carefully move the bed over to the grass on the side of the driveway.

Seems simple enough, right?

Wrong! Everything was going as planned until one of the hoist wheels hit the grass and the bed swung forward, snapped one of the straps, and dropped the bed two feet onto my 2x4's...denting the forward bottom panels on both sides! Let me tell you, I have never been so angry with myself. Impatient stupidity! At least no one was hurt...

After my blood pressure subsided, I pounded out the dents as good as I could. I plan to fix and repaint the bed later. Also I am going to install a factory body kit at some point that will cover the problem anyway.

The factory body kit will look something like this:

I did get finally get the truck out of the garage, removed the final transmission mounting brackets, and positioned the hoist for the coveted engine removal on Friday!

Build Session 4 (3 hours): Fuel Tank & Driveline Removal

2008-08-05T23:57:00.000-07:00

Vacation at Lake Tahoe with the family was a blast! After I got home, I spent my last day of vacation pulling out the fuel tank and that was fun too! :)

I also disconnected and removed the driveline in preparation for the engine / transmission removal.

...and the center console and stick shift. Look how filthy the carpet was under the console. I'm glad that I ordered new carpet. Actually I am going to replace the entire interior to make the vehicle feel brand new.

I also unbolted the transmission mounting points but I don't have a picture of that.

Battery Chargers Arrived

2008-08-04T23:24:00.000-07:00

Two chargers like the one pictured below showed up while I was on vacation. Very exciting... :)

One of the chargers is a standard 110 volt for slower opportunity charging while the other one is a quick charging 220 volt charger. I plan to configure 24 six volt batteries in series for a total of 144 volts. At this point I'm not sure how fast the 220 volt charger will charge the battery pack...I'm looking forward to finding out.

Build Session 3 (30 mins): Removing the Exhaust

2008-07-26T23:37:00.000-07:00

I was going to remove the bolts and properly remove the exhaust but then I decided that it would be much more fun and efficient to cut it out. So that was my Saturday afternoon activity... plus a million other things that were not truck related. :)

Usually I pile my junk up on the "other side" of the fence (I'm sure my neighbors love me) before I make one of my frequent loads to the dump. My brother-in-law was jokingly implying that my suburban driveway is starting to reek of a Jeff Foxworthy "You Might be a Redneck if..." joke. I'm not sure what he means... Doesn't everybody have a pickup bed and rusty porsche with a tarp over it in their driveway?

No exhaust pipe, muffler, or catalytic converter. Yes that's right. I will not be required to pass or pay for any emissions tests. Ever... All you nay-sayers think about that next time you are waiting in line for an emission test every other year.

Build Session 2 (3.5 hours): Preparing for the engine and transmission removal

2008-07-24T23:03:00.000-07:00

My good buddy Jared came over after work and we completed many of the engine removal tasks, including disconnection of many gas engine related components (like the radiator, fuel lines, air intake, etc...). We left the air conditioner and power steering components intact. I plan to use an electric motor to return both units to current functionality although A/C will be a lower priority...I probably won't get A/C working this year.

We removed the hood to give us a little more working room.

Jared yarding out the radiator...won't need that thing anymore. The electric motor won't produce near the amount of heat that an average combustion engine does. (Jared is awesome; he CONTINUALLY puts up with my insane overambitious schedules and ideas and is always willing to help). Thanks J.

I captured several measurements from the transmission to the body of the truck. I will use these measurements later to ensure that my new electric motor is mounted at same angles as the gas engine is now. This should reduce strain and wear on my drive-line etc...

Some of the unneeded gas related parts that we removed tonight...

I'm leaving for vacation soon so I probably won't get to remove the engine for a week or two...the anticipation is getting the better of me. :)

Build Session 1 (1.5 hours): Removing the Bed

2008-07-24T05:39:00.000-07:00

I needed to remove the bed in order to have easy access for removing the gas tank and exhaust. Also, I plan to build and weld 3 battery racks between the frame under the bed...and will convert the bed into a tilt bed.

Some of the Parts that I Ordered Arrived Today

2008-07-17T23:16:00.000-07:00

The FB1-4001 9 inch advanced DC motor. Its beautiful!
Of course, FedEx dropped something on it during shipment and smashed the crate...but hopefully its ok.

Conversion Parts List

2008-07-05T22:17:00.000-07:00

Over the last couple of years I have been spending a little time doing research on electric vehicle conversions, parts associated, availability and cost of parts, suppliers, etc... Ultimately I decided to go with Electric Vehicles of America, Inc. (http://www.ev-america.com/) for the bulk of my parts. On the few occasions where I really felt like I needed to talk with EVA I had no problems getting in contact with them. From what I understand EV America has been in the EV business for many years and pride themselves on being available for customers. Many OTHER SUPPLIERS out there were not responsive to my queries or could not deliver in a reasonable amount of time. I will try to maintain this post with all of the parts that I procure throughout this project with supplier info.

Parts ordered from EV America totaling roughly $7800 (Many of these parts will now be used in my other Porsche 914 EV project as I have upgraded some of the components):

QTY	DESCRIPTION
	DRIVE SYSTEM
1	Advanced DC Motor FB1-4001A
	(72-144 V) Auxiliary Shaft
1	1231C-8601 Curtis Controller
	(96-144 V) 500 Amp Limit
1	Aluminum Plate/ heat sink compound/12v fan
1	PB-6 Curtis Potbox
2	Albright Contactors SW-200
1	Adaptor Plate with Spacers (2)
	Manual Transmission - Clutchless
1	Motor Coupling (Aluminum)
	Manual Transmission - Clutchless
1	Motor Mount Assembly

	BATTERY SYSTEM
1	Quick Charge - OP-144-20
	230VAC input 144VDC output 20 amp
1	Quick Charge Charger - 144V Select A charge
	115VAC 144VDC
48	Battery Terminal Protective Covers (Red & Black)
75	ft 2/0 Cable - 50 ft Black, 25 ft Red,
70	2/0 lugs - Magna lug (54 straight + 6 90 degree)
9	ft Heat Shrink

	INSTRUMENTATION
1	80-180 V Voltmeter
1	0-400 Amp Ammeter
1	50 mV Shunt

	POWER BRAKES
1	Vacuum Pump (12V)
1	Vacuum Switch
1	In-line Fuseholders

	SAFETY
1	Astrodyne DC-DC Converter (132-370V)
	with relay and SB-50 (370V max)
1	Littelfuse L25S-400
1	Littelfuse holder
1	KLK fuse & Holder - HV Control Wiring
1	Pair Anderson connectors SBX-350
1	Fuseholder (4) - Control Board
1	First Inertia Switch - Auto Shutoff (12V Sys)
1	Electric Heater Components
	(Heater, mount, contactor, Anderson SB-50 connector, fuse)
1	Tilt Bed Package - 200 lbs 15 inch stroke
	( Gas lifts, hinges, reinforcement, instructions)
14	Ft - 1 1/2 inch clear vinyl hose
	for 2/0 cable protection
10	Insulated Metal Clamps for Vinyl Hose

Parts ordered from Specialty Metals, Inc. (Kent WA) totaling roughly $500:
Battery Racks:

6-10' x 2" x .25" steel flat bar for front bracing and rear U band supports
3-10' x 3" x .25" steel flat bar for rear box center and longitudinal supports
4-10' x 1.5" x .125" steel square tubing for rear battery racks main suports
1-1' x 1' x .25" steel plate for front of middle box bracing to frame
2-10' x 2" x .125" steel angle for engine compartment battery rack
1-10' x 1" x .125" steel square tubing

Parts ordered from Professional Plastics. totaling roughly $520: Battery Boxes and Control Board:

2-8' x 4' x .25" polypropylene (white) for battery box walls
1-8' x 4' x .5" polypropylene (white) for battery box lids and main control board

Parts ordered from POR15. totaling roughly $230: Rust Protection Epoxy:

1 Gallon-CHASSIS COAT (black) chassis paint
1 Gallon-METAL READY for prepping the frame and racks for paint
1 Gallon-MARINE CLEAN for prepping the frame and racks for paint

Parts ordered from BuyHeatShrink.com. totaling roughly $100: Cable Shielding / Identification:

100 feet - 1 Inch 2:1 HST (Orange) for high voltage cable shielding
50 feet - 1 Inch 2:1 HST (Black) for high voltage cable shielding
50 feet - 1 Inch 2:1 HST (Red) for high voltage cable shielding

Parts ordered from Manzanita Micro (Cells from China). totaling roughly $EXPENSIVE:

Charger / BMS:

Charger Product Line, PFC50B
Rudman Regulators, MK3X4
Copper Cell Interconnect

Batteries:

48 TS-LFP160AHA Thunder Sky LiFePO4 batteries cells

   Nominal Capacity：160AH
   Operating Voltage：2.5V～4.25V
   weight：5.6kg±100g
   Dimensions：182×279×71（mm）

Parts ordered from TBA. totaling roughly $???:
Suspension Upgrades:

Parts ordered from TBA. totaling roughly $???:
Low Rolling Resistant Tires:

Parts ordered from Stock Interiors. totaling roughly $500:
New Interior:

1 - Spray Can Headliner Adhesive Item: 6731
1 - Chevy S-10 Pickup Standard Cab '94-'04 Molded Carpet Item: 392 (Color: 1066-Grey Ultra-Plush Pile with Backing: MassBack)
1 - Chevy S-10 Pickup Standard Cab '94-'03 Headliner Board Item: 7552 (Material: 2126-Sand Grey Headliner Fabric)
1 - Chevrolet S-10 Pickup Standard Cab '94-'04 Floor Mats, Set of 2 - Front Only All models Item: 944 (Color: 1066-Grey Ultra-Plush Pile)

Purchased Used Chevy S-10

2008-07-03T23:37:00.000-07:00

This is my latest project. Its a 1998 Chevy s-10 that I purchased on the 3rd of July. I am converting it to an electric vehicle. NOT a hybrid...pure electric. That's right, no gas required...ever. I plan to document each day of the conversion here and I will mark each conversion related post with a work session number and approximate working time expended.

Some of you may ask, "But what about your Porsche 914 that you are converting to electric?" Well, the Porsche is an ongoing project that requires lots of rust repair and body restoration before it will be ready for conversion. As most of you know I am impatient and so I decided that I wanted to start a conversion right now. Hence...the Chevy S10. I gave the Porsche to the kids and am continuing to work that project with them (slowly). I'll try to continue to update the Porsche blog as time permits.

Also, I am helping my good friend Jared convert a Porsche that he recently purchased. It's in much better shape than mine and should be a great electric vehicle when complete (this year).

Why do I want to convert perfectly good vehicles to electric? The answer for me is simple... I want to reduce my dependencies on "things" that I have to have where I have absolutely no control over the price I must pay. I can't live (comfortably) without transportation which means I must pay whatever "they" want for gas. However, with an electric vehicle I can meet most of my day to day driving needs for very little cost in electricity which I can even generate myself with solar panels on the roof of my house. Yes I will pay more now (approx. $15K total) but I will recoup my costs in a couple of years at current gas prices. But its not just about the money...its the principle that I have no control over what I MUST pay.

Sorry for the diatribe... :)