# dealing with all-wheel-drive ?



## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

I am wondering if anyone has converted something with modern all-wheel-drive.... specifically if the control of power going to different wheels is typically in the ECU and affected, or UNaffected, by the removal of the ICE motor.

I realize it poses some weight and efficiency penalties as well as limiting undercarriage area to hang battery racks, but there are some nice little cars that have modern 'smart' AWD, and I am wondering if they are candidates for conversion without too much fooling around or removal of the drive to rear wheels for instance.

I am thinking about the little suzukis, or audi, or subarus...

comments?


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## piotrsko (Dec 9, 2007)

subaru's (especially older, as told to me) are mechanically AWD, no tricks required since the emphasis is All Time AWD. so... appears to be simple ice to EV conversion, or as much simple as that could be.

don't know about the suzuki, and I know that audi's have this control freak going on with everything in the car.

Guessing you want a low CD.


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## dtbaker (Jan 5, 2008)

piotrsko said:


> don't know about the suzuki, and I know that audi's have this control freak going on with everything in the car.


I would HOPE that the traction sensors and all that would talk to the ECU and work without the actual ICE motor, but would love to hear some anyone who has actually tried converting a 'modern' computer controlled AWD.

we have a fair number of audi quattro and tons of subarus that come up used around my area, and I just am curious whether they are too complex to mess with or not.


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## piotrsko (Dec 9, 2007)

i'd convert a subaru wagon, my self if i didn't have this stupid donor ranger 1/2 way done.

didn't valerun or Crodriver do an audi?


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## drgrieve (Apr 14, 2011)

This 17 year old kid (16 when started!) is converting a 1998 A4 quattro. 

http://www.evalbum.com/3899

Ask him?


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## gdirwin (Apr 7, 2009)

My RAV4 AWD conversion did not involve anything electrical/computer related - purely mechanical diffs/transaxle. The most significant factor was that the motor was installed transverse/sideways, which made fitting a 9" WARP really tight...


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## Bowser330 (Jun 15, 2008)

dtbaker said:


> I would HOPE that the traction sensors and all that would talk to the ECU and work without the actual ICE motor, but would love to hear some anyone who has actually tried converting a 'modern' computer controlled AWD.
> 
> we have a fair number of audi quattro and tons of subarus that come up used around my area, and I just am curious whether they are too complex to mess with or not.


I have a similar interest in converting something AWD, it help take advantage of the low-end torque instead of wasting the energy with a burn-out.

You can search Evalbum.com by car make and find audis or subarus that are being converted.


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## toyolla2 (Jun 21, 2010)

Toyota has announced that it intends to resurrect the RAV4 -electric version. Production is to start in Woodstock, Ontario. I suspect they are becoming sensitive to those increasing Nissan Leaf sales figures.


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## DanGT86 (Jan 1, 2011)

AWD might be a good reason to run 2 small motors instead of one big one. One motor per differential would be interesting. I think the fluid coupling in AWD systems is the largest source of parasitic driveline loss. Getting rid of it in favor of 2 motors might make up for the extra weight of the 2 motors.


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## Bowser330 (Jun 15, 2008)

DanGT86 said:


> AWD might be a good reason to run 2 small motors instead of one big one. One motor per differential would be interesting. I think the fluid coupling in AWD systems is the largest source of parasitic driveline loss. Getting rid of it in favor of 2 motors might make up for the extra weight of the 2 motors.


but then you are running direct drive... 

Unless you have one motor direct drive on one axle with a wide ratio and the other motor attached to a transmission before the other axle....


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## Thaniel (May 25, 2008)

You will need to research the evact year and model you are wanting to convert. A " in general" statement won't help if you end up with a model that relies on a lot of electronics that go belly up. 

By the way my 1999 land rover discovery is 100 percent mechanical and does not talk to the computer.


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