# [EVDL] new to this



## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi, Dustin, and welcome! If you're looking for conversion on a budget, 
check out the way this guy did it with used forklift bits for under $1000 
Canadian:

http://forkenswift.com/

Converting an automatic isn't impossible, but it's a challenge. The factory 
shift points are all wrong for an electric motor. You also have to deal with 
the fact that it wants a continuous idle to keep the hydraulic pump pressure 
up. All in all, you lose some efficiency and gain some complexity and 
hassles. About the only real positive I can think of to a slushbox is that 
it usually has a parking sprag (with no engine compression, you have to have 
a really good parking brake in a conversion EV). For these reasons it's 
usually easier to convert a car with a manual trans, or find a used manual 
and stuff it in.

David Roden
EVDL Administrator
http://www.evdl.org/


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hi Duston,

Welcome. 

I have two favorite books for learning about conversions, what you need, and
how to do it. 

The first is "Convert It" by Mike Brown. This gives a good overview of the
process, talks about what you want to keep and how to install the new
pieces. It also has some wiring diagrams that should be studied carefully.
However, it is a little light on the theory. If you're installing a kit,
this would be enough. (He usually ships this book with kits he sells.)

The second book is "Build Your Own Electric Vehicle" by Bob Brant. This
book covers much the same stuff, but it doesn't go as much into the
practical parts of the conversion. However, it has much more theory. If
you're trying to figure out what size of motor you need for the performance
you expect, and what size battery you need for a certain range, this is a
great book. There are two editions. I have the first edition and I've
looked through the second edition. If purchasing new, definitely get the
second edition, but if somebody offers a great deal on the first edition, it
will still be a very useful book.

There are also the EVDL archives and library that have a wealth of
information. www.evdl.org 

I don't know of places to get government grants or loans, but most people
slowly gather the pieces and put their vehicle together as they can afford
it. Check out www.evtradinpost.com as one source of parts and swapping
with others.

Finally, www.evalbum.com has a large number of vehicles of all sorts that
have been built as electric or converted to electric. If you see reference
to evalbum with a number after it (like mine below), that is a link to their
vehicle on evalbum. That can be a great resource to see what can be done,
and find people that have used similar vehicles or similar parts to yours.

Mike
www.evalbum.com/2778


> -----Original Message-----
> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On
> Behalf Of duston daniels
> Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 8:35 AM
> To: [email protected]
> Subject: [EVDL] new to this
> 
> hello, I'm new to the electric conversions. i came across a article and
have
> been curious sense.I'm a regular mechanic but haven't messed with
> electronics much, except stereo systems. I'm trying to figure out how i
want
> to proceed. i have a 98 talon esi that doesn't run. or my dd a 96 Nissan
hard
> body pickup, but since my truck runs I'm leaning toward the car. i don't
have
> much fer a budget so I'm also looking for alternate funding solutions too,
> government loans, grants, etc. Ive been studying and found out like
anything
> you can spend lots of money like anything else. anyhow any suggestions,
> comments, or ideas are more than welcome.
> -------------- next part --------------
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> _______________________________________________
> | Moratorium on drag racing discussion is in effect.
> | Please take those discussions elsewhere. Thanks.
> |
> | REPLYING: address your message to [email protected] only.
> | Multiple-address or CCed messages may be rejected.
> | UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub
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> | CONFIGURE: http://lists.sjsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/ev

_______________________________________________
| Moratorium on drag racing discussion is in effect.
| Please take those discussions elsewhere. Thanks.
|
| REPLYING: address your message to [email protected] only.
| Multiple-address or CCed messages may be rejected.
| UNSUBSCRIBE: http://www.evdl.org/help/index.html#usub
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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Isn't more just a waste of energy?

Sent from my iPhone



> Electric Blue auto convertions <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > Why is the thinking of an automatic trans so hard to do?? its easy, becides the AC will keep working at a stop, and you can use the cars origonal power steering pump. come o n guys , through the old books away and start thinking NEW. I do alot of automatics now.ts no t much harder than a stick shift, IF you use commen sense
> > -------------- next part --------------
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Golub" <[email protected]>
To: "Electric Vehicle Discussion List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 6:06 PM
Subject: Re: [EVDL] new to this


Isn't more just a waste of energy?

Sent with my iPhone

No it is not with my TH-400 automatic transmission. The old school 
transmission can easily modified, by installing a manual valve body, 
eliminated the modulator, governor, clutch, clutch mechanism and all the 
mechanical shifting mechanism. Weighs about 140 lbs less than the manual 
transmission I had in. It develops a lower speed overall gear ratio where 
the motor and battery ampere lower than with the manual.

The newer automatic transmission with a program electronic shifting is even 
more efficient, because you can select the correct rpm and torque curve of 
the motor between each shift point.


Roland





On Nov 20, 2011, at 3:58 PM, Electric Blue auto conversions 


> [email protected]> wrote:
> 
> Why is the thinking of an automatic trans so hard to do?? its easy, besides
> the AC will keep working at a stop, and you can use the cars original power
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> On 20 Nov 2011 at 19:58, Electric Blue Auto Conversions wrote:
> 
> > come on guys, throw the old books away and start thinking NEW.
> 
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello David,

I forgot to add, in mine daily driving for up to two miles, there are no 
traffic lights, just a quick stop and go. So I do not use the idle, because 
the power steering, alternator and transmission oil pressure stays up during 
this quick stop so there is no motor ampere use at this time during the stop 
or coasting down hills.

This transmission is modified so when it coast down hill in gear, the drive 
line will still turn the motor which still run these accessories. Do not 
have to have the idle on light a ICE does to keep these units running.

If I stop at a traffic light and stopping for a long time, I still have the 
idle off. I only turn on the idle just before the light turns green which 
brings up the motor rpm up to about 400 which starts to move the EV which is 
a lot softer start at a lower motor ampere than trying to press the 
accelerator just right to the start moving point.

When the EV starts moving, then the idle goes off. I plan to make this idle 
start up automatic, when I just press the accelerator. I use a set of 
master limit switches on the accelerator, that turns on a bank of relays 
that I select with a selector switch that not only will control the motor 
idle, but it also controls the accessory drive REGEN features.

Roland


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "EVDL Administrator" <[email protected]>
To: "Electric Vehicle Discussion List" <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 9:25 PM
Subject: Re: [EVDL] new to this




> > On 20 Nov 2011 at 19:58, Electric Blue Auto Conversions wrote:
> >
> > > come on guys, throw the old books away and start thinking NEW.
> >
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

I wouldn't idle it while stopped. There is no need to. Use the brake light
switch to stop the motor. There is no need to idle while your foot is on the
brake. As soon as the foot comes off the brake the motor starts to idle. By
the time your foot makes it to the accelerator pedal tranny pressure will be
up and the car starts to move. I would' however be interested to hear how
much the losses are due to the torque converter.


Sincerely,
Mark Grasser


-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf
Of Mike Golub
Sent: Sunday, November 20, 2011 8:06 PM
To: Electric Vehicle Discussion List
Subject: Re: [EVDL] new to this

Isn't more just a waste of energy?

Sent from my iPhone

On Nov 20, 2011, at 3:58 PM, Electric Blue auto convertions


> <[email protected]> wrote:
> 
> > Why is the thinking of an automatic trans so hard to do?? its easy,
> becides the AC will keep working at a stop, and you can use the cars
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Roland Wiench wrote:
> 
> > No it is not with my TH-400 automatic transmission. The old school
> > transmission can easily modified, by installing a manual valve body,
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

Hello Roger,

I order this transmission from tci.com which normally converts these 
transmissions for racing. Uses a light weight clutch pack all aluminum 
housing with attach aluminum bell housing. The manual transmission was a 
heavy duty type with a cast iron body, a forge 1/4 steel bell housing that 
was reinforce with additional 1/4 inch steel plates that had a overlapping 
5/16 steel cover plate on the bottom. It had over 22 each 3/8, 7/16 and 1/2 
inch bolts place every 2 inches. This bell housing is normally use for a 
dragster.

Now the flywheel was something else. It was machine from a 1.5 inch forge 
steel stock, that was this thick at the edge and about 1 inch thick in the 
center. No ring gear edge on it and is 14 inches in diameter. I have to 
use a engine hoist to remove it off the GE-11 motor that had a 1-3/8 inch 
drive shaft on it.

I can carry the TH-400 transmission body by myself.

I find that when I was up to speed with this flywheel, and see that I could 
either coast after a down hill run another 2 miles under flywheel motion of 
the motor rotor and flywheel. Not that much with the automatic. Do not 
travel up a 400 foot hill anymore.

The bell housing, flywheel, pressure plate, clutch, throw out bearing, fork, 
fork rod, 3/4 diameter clutch control tubing that is about 4 feet long, 
clutch peddle, clutch peddle mountings weigh more than the torque converter 
with the oil in it.

Using a straight line B&M cable shifter that does not weigh more than 4 lbs. 
The automatic clutch pack weighs 8 lbs. There is no governor and modulator 
valves as a standard automatic uses.

I weigh every piece of the manual transmission assembly vs the automatic and 
came up with this difference. If you use a full race version that uses no 
torque converter, it would even be 60 lbs lighter which I tested this 
transmission without the torque converter. It was too violent, if I was 
park between two cars, I could have smash both cars to get out.

Any way, it now gives my left leg a rest which needed some medical attention 
after 30 years of using this manual transmission.

Roland




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Roger Stockton" <[email protected]>
To: "'Electric Vehicle Discussion List'" <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, November 21, 2011 12:10 PM
Subject: Re: [EVDL] new to this




> > Roland Wiench wrote:
> >
> > > No it is not with my TH-400 automatic transmission. The old school
> > > transmission can easily modified, by installing a manual valve body,
> ...


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## EVDL List (Jul 27, 2007)

> Roland Wiench wrote:
> 
> > I order this transmission from tci.com which normally converts these
> > transmissions for racing. Uses a light weight clutch pack all aluminum
> ...


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