Z3 EV Conversion

[Andybpowell]

Yet again it's been another couple of weeks and the Z still looks no different but I have been busy the electronics are all in the car

the e46 accelerator pedal is fitted had to make up an adapter so it used the Z3 mounting point

the DNR switch (drive neutral reverse) is fitted

the 80A circuit breaker and power relay for the power steering are fitted

but the thing that has taken up the majority of my time is re writing all of the software as it was so buggy due to all of the mods I was making as I was going along it was easier to start again so my eyes are sore and my neck is killing me but it's done the charging circuit is all working just like an oem you just plug it in and it charges simples hopefully I can have the wheels turning tomorrow weather permitting

 

[Tom Cheesewright]

Excellent!

Could have saved you some time and posted you an adaptor for the pedal. I designed a 3D printed one.

 

[Andybpowell]

Excellent!

Could have saved you some time and posted you an adaptor for the pedal. I designed a 3D printed one.

Didn't realise you'd used the same one to be honest

 

[Tom Cheesewright]

Didn't realise you'd used the same one to be honest

Mine's from a one series but suspect the fitting is the same.

 

[Andybpowell]

short and sweet

Oh Yea

 

[Tom Cheesewright]

short and sweet

Oh Yea

Looking good!

 

[Andybpowell]

weather permitting I should be on for a test drive at the end of the month as initally at least I'm going to have to tax it and I'm not losing a months tax for the sake of waiting another 4 days still lots to do.

 

[Andybpowell]

It's been a couple of weeks again since my last post I've been doing lots of the fiddly time consuming jobs like dealing with all of the warning lights, tidying cables and sorting out the vacuum pump for the brakes the pump is running off of a map sensor fitted into an old catch can which is being used as a vacuum resevoir and is controlled from my main control board as I had the foresight to allow for this, seems to be working well I can apply the brakes 4 or 5 times before the pump kicks in.
This is it here

This is the engine bay 90% finished

I have driven the car but only up and down the road a few times still got a lot to do
tune the motor
connect the canbus current sensors
finish the battery box fibreglass lid
bleed the brakes
wheel alignment
headlight alignment
refit some of the interior
and adjust the rear springs as it's sitting high

 

[Tom Cheesewright]

All very neat and tidy!

 

[Andybpowell]

All very neat and tidy!

Thanks

 

[PHILIP BAXTER]

I'm loving this thread, great job!

 

[Andybpowell]

This week I've been working my way through the list of outstanding jobs on the Z which keeps getting longer

I've tuned the motor seems to be running really well, adjusted front and rear ride height all looks good and level now
I did bleed the brakes but it still feels spongy I drained the whole system so possibly trapped air in abs ? any advice would be appreciated
the power assist on the steering now reduces as you go faster and I've re-fitted the plastic undertray
Still to be done

headlight alignment
refit some of the interior
canbus current sensors still need connecting
battery box fibreglass lid needs finishing
bleed the brakes again this will be the third time
wheel alignment

I really need to get the brakes and wheel alignment sorted ASAP as I want to open it up as it feels quite rapid and I'm a child and I want to know what the 0-60 is

 

[t-tony]

How are you bleeding the brakes?

Tony.

 

[Andybpowell]

How are you bleeding the brakes?

Tony.

on my own so using a pressurised gunsons eezibleed I've put 2ltrs through it so far

 

[t-tony]

Is that the type you run from tyre pressure?

Tony.

 

[Andybpowell]

Is that the type you run from tyre pressure?

Tony.

yes

 

[t-tony]

I used to use one of them but a few years ago I bought a Sealey "pump-up" type and I think you can keep the pressure more regulated and even. I find this type does a better job. IF you can get someone to help try clamping all the 4 outer flexible hoses and pump up the pedal and have someone release the clamps one at a time and try to see which one lets the brake pedal down the furthest, indicating where the air is. It is worth checking that the bleed screws are at the higher point on all the callipers too.

Tony.

 

[Andybpowell]

I used to use one of them but a few years ago I bought a Sealey "pump-up" type and I think you can keep the pressure more regulated and even. I find this type does a better job. IF you can get someone to help try clamping all the 4 outer flexible hoses and pump up the pedal and have someone release the clamps one at a time and try to see which one lets the brake pedal down the furthest, indicating where the air is. It is worth checking that the bleed screws are at the higher point on all the callipers too.

Tony.

Yea I'm a bit too long in the tooth to make the mistake of putting the calipers on upside down though I have seen it before
And it's hard finding an assistant when you're retired and everyone else still works
This retirement business is hard.
I'll just have to get someone to give me a hand at the weekend, nice to know I'm not missing something obvious

 

[Peter12345]

Did you drop the tyre pressure before doing Eezibleed ? Tyre usually needs to be dropped to about 20psi.

Strangely, TIS describes using pressure bleed for Non-ABS and ABS+ACS-T, but using assistant on pedal for ABS only.

 

[Andybpowell]

So good news bad news time
The good news is that I've been out and about driving really smooth awesome power delivery, had a big silly grin on my face

Bad news, I took it for a spin yesterday lunchtime after a bit more Tweaking got half way round the block and the power just nose dived
managed to nurse it home and looked at the bms data and the voltage one of the battery cells was really low so after stripping it down which was really hard while in the car it seems 2 cells in one module are bad I'm going to swap it out for my other pack and hopefully get better results