# 2006 it car



## major (Apr 4, 2008)

tanis61 said:


> I have a little IT car with 200 miles on it. It ran for 20 miles then started to shake and squeel and then motor got hot. It is an ac motor with a 1238 controller. We replaced the transfer casing, encoder, had motor rebuilt. As you know the don't make them anymore so no help there and no one seems to know what's wrong. Wheels turn with motor running until put wheels on the ground then starts grinding, squeeling, and burning. Gladly look forward to any help. I bought this car used against my husband's advice and now he calls it the red doorstop. The manual states this type of car was dc engine with 1440 controller but this was special ordered at factory


I never heard of IT. Please post pictures, links and photos of the components giving you trouble. Someone here might have a clue


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## TX_Dj (Jul 25, 2008)

tanis61 said:


> wheels on the ground then starts grinding, squeeling, and burning.


Sounds like the problem is after the motor, down to the wheels.

Possibly bad bearings, bad gear/drive train, etc.


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

Is this IT? http://www.itiselectric.com/


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

Another canadian 'champion' showing what wonderful things we can do, I'm afraid.

Can you be more specific about what is squealing and burning? is the motor still doing that or is it the gearbox?

Maybe a video of the problem could help us figure out the problem. Seems strange to me that the motor could still be bad after having it rebuilt.


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## rmay635703 (Oct 23, 2008)

The car likely doesn't need that much work, just needs someone from the EV tinkering area to come visit you, sadly I am no where near there.

I would estimate something simple, although possibly very frustrating is going on.

If I had the car, I would bench test the controller (and motor) and have an Ammeter on both the motor and batteries. Something that small shouldn't draw much over 100amps under light to moderate throttle, it should settle to about 50-60amps at 25mph

It is possible the controller and motor aren't mated (not made for each other or not configured)

It is also possible that something is hung up, if the motor overheats quickly that sounds like almost a direct short
, which also is the same behavior if the motor is floored when it can't spin. I would try rolling the car and see how much resistance there is, also spinning the differential with the motor off when up in the air, shouldn't take much to spin.

Luckily for you I doubt it would cost more than a few hundred to put a proper DC motor and controller in there from the golf car salvage yards.
I would estimate even an older golf car rearend would work fine on that car if the running gear is crap.

Good Luck, try to find local Ev'ers if you can.
Ryan


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

Could it be the phases are not wired in the correct sequence?


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## rmay635703 (Oct 23, 2008)

david85 said:


> Could it be the phases are not wired in the correct sequence?


I didn't even think of that, but yes having a 3 phase motor wired incorrectly would definately fire off the fireworks.

Maybe some pictures would help


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## tanis61 (Jun 28, 2010)

yes, the picture is my little car i will try some of your suggestions thx so much


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

rmay635703 said:


> I didn't even think of that, but yes having a 3 phase motor wired incorrectly would definately fire off the fireworks.


I made that mistake with my BLDC motor and while it didn't damage anything, it did rattle back and fourth shaking the whole car (basically the motor thought it was a piston). Mine is a sensor vector syncronous motor though, so I'm not positive how an A syncronous motor would compare if the same mistake was made there. The two are similar but not identical in operation. I know mine was incapable of completing a single full rotation even with no load.

tanis61's remark that the wheels were turning without load makes me wonder if maybe a 3 phase motor of that type can produce a full revolution with the phases out of sequence.

Maybe some one with more knowledge can verify or falsify my idea.

(what do you think, Major?)


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

david85 said:


> Could it be the phases are not wired in the correct sequence?


Hi David & rmay,

Three wires on the inverter and 3 wires on the motor. If you get it wrong, the motor rotates backwards. If there is an encoder involved, then it likely will not rotate if wired backwards from the direction of the encoder. It will growl and cog and maybe overcurrent trip. But would not run fine at no load as she said. Ask me how I know  Been there, done that.

I'm thinking it is a mechanical problem in the driveline, but could be a motor tuning problem, or electrical noise on the encoder feedback loop. Speaking of it, the encoder is always a likely suspect  But will usually cause controller faults, not motor overheat. And she said she replaced the encoder.

major


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

The 1238 controller has a lot of fault detection built in. If it were electrical in nature there might be a fault code sent to the 840 display, if one is installed. Also the lights on the controller itself might flash a fault code sequence. If it's working properly you should see a blinking yellow when it's on.


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## tomofreno (Mar 3, 2009)

> Could it be the phases are not wired in the correct sequence?


 Aren't you overlooking: 


> It ran for 20 miles then started to shake and squeel


I suppose it could be a problem now, since the motor was rebuilt, but not the original problem. A marginal motor coupler would explain the squeal under load, but not the hot motor. Possibly something is binding when under load, requiring large currents to move at even low speed, which overheats the motor? Is it up on jacks when the motor runs ok with no squealing? If so, possibly a problem in the suspension resulting in binding - like a drive shaft rubbing? I would think that the only reason the motor will overheat is if there are large currents flowing through it, or it has a bad bearing - shouldn't be the latter since it was rebuilt.


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## tanis61 (Jun 28, 2010)

my husband was thinking maybe the accelerator potentionmeter because when it is off the ground and the speed pedal is applied it only rotates at one speed it does not go any faster also we were wondering about the brake interaction if there is something wrong with the brake switch. we have taken the car to "professionals" and now my gas mechanic husband is trying to understand the electric car. the car is very cute 4 door and just like new the original price was 20,000.


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## david85 (Nov 12, 2007)

tomofreno said:


> Aren't you overlooking:
> 
> I suppose it could be a problem now, since the motor was rebuilt, but not the original problem.


That was my thinking.


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## tanis61 (Jun 28, 2010)

I just passed on your latest comments and he said that we replaced the transfer casing and if that is causing the problem then maybe defect from factory but how do you check the drive line to see if malfunctioning? Also, motor is turning right direction so looks to be wired up right. The controller did send out one error code 30 and we tracked to a loose wire and it was fine.


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## JRP3 (Mar 7, 2008)

tanis61 said:


> my husband was thinking maybe the accelerator potentionmeter because when it is off the ground and the speed pedal is applied it only rotates at one speed it does not go any faster also we were wondering about the brake interaction if there is something wrong with the brake switch.


If you can't vary the speed of the motor you might have a pot problem. Put an ohmmeter on the throttle output and see if it's variable. Should be changing between 0-5K or so.


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

tanis61 said:


> my husband was thinking maybe the accelerator potentionmeter because when it is off the ground and the speed pedal is applied it only rotates at one speed it does not go any faster .


Hmmm. Is this the top speed? Or just some arbitrary speed? And you are saying that the accelerator pedal position has no effect on the motor speed, like just turns it on and off???? Has anybody put a calibrator on the Curtis controller to see what is happening? Could be a SMOP (Simple Matter of Programming)


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## tanis61 (Jun 28, 2010)

we will try the thing with the throttle but can't find anyone to calibrate the controller. We live in Seattle area do you know anyone?


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## TX_Dj (Jul 25, 2008)

Have you tried the Wheego dealer in Seattle?

You should get in contact with SEVA http://www.seattleeva.org/wiki/Main_Page

The club members would probably love to have a chance to look over the car. EAA/EVA clubs are a great asset!


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## major (Apr 4, 2008)

tanis61 said:


> but can't find anyone to calibrate the controller. We live in Seattle area do you know anyone?


Contact Curtis. They should have a dealer in the area.


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## tanis61 (Jun 28, 2010)

I contacted the Seattle EV but haven't heard yet. I'll let you know what happens. I so appreciate your caring comments


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