Freelander 1 Freelander EV
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Alibro
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Good excuseMmmmmmm,
Not yet!
Plasma cutting thick aluminium isn't easy or cheap, so for onesie twosies, more traditional methods will be more cost effective.
Alibro
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Thanks Nodge, Jigsaw and grinder it is then. I found when cutting alloy in the past with a grinder it works much better at lower speed. Full speed melts it rather than cutting it, at least with thinner sheet alloy anyway but I don't mind spending the time making the adapter plate reasonably neat. I say reasonably because it's never going to be seen anyway so there is no point in attempting perfection.Plasma cutting thick aluminium isn't easy or cheap, so for onesie twosies, more traditional methods will be more cost effective.
I spent a couple of hours pottering around in the garage tonight, cleaning and tidying and also removed the rad, intercooler, aircon rad and diesel cooler so the front now looks extremely bare.
I haven't decided what rads to use in this car as I still have the Leaf rads and pipes. I even have the Leaf electric aircon pump so in theory it will be possible to reinstate aircon but it is not an essential. The aircon barely worked in this car for the last three years and I don't believe my wife ever turned it on anyway. The temps here never get above 26 or 27 deg C even on the hottest day so it isn't essential for heat but would be nice for clearing the windscreen on damp days which we get plenty of.
The only other update of note is I ordered a power steering pump for a Vauxhall Zafire/Astra. These are widely used in EV conversions as they are simple reliable electric powered hydraulic pumps, here is the pump I ordered.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/c/2166628688#oid164386387511
Jigsaw joining drilled holes at key points would be my preference Ali.
Neat, but not cosmetically beautiful.
Are you keeping tabs of how much weight you're removing?
I'd use the Leaf rad, and plumb in a thermostatic valve, so coolant circulates through the heater as the primary cooler, only diverting coolant to the rad when needed. Unless you're thinking of using a FBH for heater needs, but I think I'd use motor/inverter heat as the primary heat source. Any idea of the maximum running temperature of the motor/inverter?
In the UK, AC is more about demisting rather than cooling.
That's a nice compact, all in one unit Ali.
Have you thought about brake vacuum yet? I'm sure some Audi's use an electric vacuum pump and accumulator for brakes, although I can't remember which ones do.
Alibro
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ExactlyJigsaw joining drilled holes at key points would be my preference Ali.
Neat, but not cosmetically beautiful.
I've no way of weighing the engine so I haven't even tried TBH
I think it makes sense to go that way. I don't have a FBH in this car but next one might have, however it kinda goes against the spirit of an EV so I probably will stick with the Leaf HV heater. I don't think the motor and inverter will provide much heat so I'll probably stick with the Leaf design and have separate heater and cooler circuits.
My first car was a Mini van and I'm pretty sure I was driving for over 20 years before I got a car with AC so while useful it isn't essential.In the UK, AC is more about demisting rather than cooling.
Hopefully it will work out.
TBH I haven't given it enough thought but now things are moving I'll have to sort something.
The M47R comes in at around 150 Kg dressed weight, plus the weight of the fuel tank, LP assembly, exhaust (which is actually pretty heavy) and the cooler pack.
So at a guess you've pulled around 200-220Kgs off so far.
Maybe a combination of heat sources for the interior Ali. Does yours have the PTC heater? This would help out, if needed for demisting.
My first car (still got it) had amazing heater, unlike my Triumphs, which didn't.
A small vacuum pump,https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402499316913 a vacuum switch and small receiver (a disposable welding gas tank is ideal) is pretty much all you need, along with some pipework.
This is a complete kit,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/372899120153
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Alibro
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The M47R comes in at around 150 Kg dressed weight, plus the weight of the fuel tank, LP assembly, exhaust (which is actually pretty heavy) and the cooler pack.
So at a guess you've pulled around 200-220Kgs off so far.
Maybe a combination of heat sources for the interior Ali. Does yours have the PTC heater? This would help out, if needed for demisting.
My first car (still got it) had amazing heater, unlike my Triumphs, which didn't.
A small vacuum pump,https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/402499316913 a vacuum switch and small receiver (a disposable welding gas tank is ideal) is pretty much all you need, along with some pipework.
This is a complete kit,
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/372899120153
I really should have driven my Freelander onto a council weigh scale before starting but it was sorned immediately the Kuga was bought so it never happened.
The Leaf heater is a high voltage unit that heats water which is pumped through a heater matrix. I've heard of some guys using builders electric fan heaters but if I I'll probably stick with the Leaf heater and see how it goes.
Good find for the vacuum pumps John, I never would have thought of kits like that being available. I'll check what the other guys in Openinverter are using first though as it is kinda expensive and oem stuff will probably be more reliable.
Alibro
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Latest video.
andyfreelandy
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Brilliant !
Seeing as you cut the top off the fuel tank (but I couldn't see the top) what is it that stops me being able to put a pipe in and syphon the fuel out??
I can always get the hose in but it won't syphon, some kind of catch in there??
Videos like this are useful for seeing views that you just can't see when things are assembled, thanks for recording it.
Seeing as you cut the top off the fuel tank (but I couldn't see the top) what is it that stops me being able to put a pipe in and syphon the fuel out??
I can always get the hose in but it won't syphon, some kind of catch in there??
Videos like this are useful for seeing views that you just can't see when things are assembled, thanks for recording it.
Alibro
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Hi Andy
Thanks for the kind words
You can put a pipe in to siphon it but the pipe has to go around several bends and squeeze past what I think is a ball valve so it needs to be flexible enough to go around the bends but stiff enough so you can push it and be small enough to get past the valve.
I managed to siphon the tank before removing it but it wasn't easy. I put a second pipe into the filler hole and blocked it with a damp cloth before using the air compressor to blow air into the tank. This increased the air pressure in the tank enough that the diesel came out the other tube. This was after getting several mouths full of diesel which while nasty is not as bad as petrol.
The problem I was having was not being able to suck enough into the pipe to fill it and so create the siphon effect.
andyfreelandy
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Thanks, photo of the ball valve would be useful if you've not binned the top piece!!
In the end I fitted a hose to the fuel line and false fed the fuel pump relay!
In the end I fitted a hose to the fuel line and false fed the fuel pump relay!
Alibro
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I tried doing that but failed miserably.
I'll see what I can do about the photo but not sure it will show much.
Alibro
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Looks like I was wrong about the ball valve. It's actually a flap
Excuse the dirt, The filler is actually in the lower half of the tank and I took these shots after cleaning the IRD and gearbox in it but it just confirms there is nothing stopping you siphoning the fuel out except the bends in the filler pipe as this flap will push out of the way quite easily.
andyfreelandy
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Thanks Ali, another photo you just can't see without canabalising!
Lucky we have a resident angle grinder ace!!!
Lucky we have a resident angle grinder ace!!!
Alibro
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I think you mean a resident nutter.
andyfreelandy
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Relevant and interesting I think..
The brand new EV classic MGB 'Restomod' // The La…:
The brand new EV classic MGB 'Restomod' // The La…:
Alibro
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I've ordered an Audi vacuum pump https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/123919350659 so waiting for it to arrive but I also need a sensor to turn off the pump when the vacuum reaches the correct level. I plan to use the Freelander Vacuum chamber but need a sensor so have ordered one of these https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/201317171485
TBH I'm not certain it will work as I need it to but it's only 20 quid so worth a punt.
TBH I'm not certain it will work as I need it to but it's only 20 quid so worth a punt.
I love a bit of CarPervert himself, Johnny Smith. He's doing well for himself, since he left Fully Charged.
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