[WIP] 1976 Land Cruiser FJ-55 to EVJ-55

[Bratitude]

Wow amazing find, I just picked up gs450h. I’ll start looking at some t case info and talk to my yota guys and see what else will mate

[Igor]

Oh - now I'm confused. I thought it was specifically the LS600HL transmission's output shaft (not the GS450H) that matches the Land Cruiser transfer case.

[HerbP]

Oh - now I'm confused. I thought it was specifically the LS600HL transmission's output shaft (not the GS450H) that matches the Land Cruiser transfer case.

That's correct. I think @Bratitude is confused.

Looking further at my HF1A / L110F (I think that's the correct model for the LS600HL transmission?) combo, the adapter may not be straight forward.

The HF1A has a protruding shaft with a seal surface....

which needs to go into the seal that is at the back of the L110F around the output shaft...

The seal protrudes around 4mm from the mounting face of the L110F. But the splines on the HF1A don't start until quite a ways in, so the HF1A and L110F need to be quite close together in order to have reasonable spline engagement, even if I were to extend the HF1A seal surface (like with a speedi sleeve or something). So I don't think I have more than .125 or maybe .250 for an adapter plate.

Ideas that have been suggested:

1) remove the Ravigneaux housing from the back of the L110F and machine off some of the mounting face to allow for an adapter plate to be welded to it.
2) weld the tcase to the transmission. The person who suggested this doesn't drink but is prone to sarcasm so hard to know whether he was serious.
3) give up on the idea of the HF1A and just get the LS600HL transfer case as @robertwa did.

I'm attracted to the idea of 2wd (for increased range) with part-time 4wd with 4hi/4lo so I'm reluctant to give up on the HF1A idea.

Here's a quick cardboard mockup of what an adapter would need to look like.

The photo is taken as if the transmission was lying with the output face down on top of the HF1A. The shafts are lined up.

[robertwa]

3) give up on the idea of the HF1A and just get the LS600HL transfer case as @robertwa did.

Just keep in mind that the LS600HL transfer case has a drivers side (left side)front output, so you would probably be looking at a new front axle

I have an extra transfer case here that I can take measurements for you if needed

[HerbP]

Just keep in mind that the LS600HL transfer case has a drivers side (left side)front output, so you would probably be looking at a new front axle

I have an extra transfer case here that I can take measurements for you if needed

Thanks. I realized that in the middle of the night last night too. My axles have PSPS (passenger side pumpkin syndrome) and that was another reason I wanted this HF1A. Plus the HF1A came off the same model of truck as the axles and frame came from.

[HerbP]

Not much to report. My spring TODO list is getting in the way of progress plus I'm having to learn how to hammer form some wheel arches but that's out of scope for this forum. I also bought the inverter from the same vehicle the transmission came from.

I did get the whole thing on an engine stand yesterday though, to check for driveshaft clearances and try to gain some clarity on an adapter plate. There's more detail over here: viewtopic.php?p=82032#p82032

[HerbP]

Wow.. A whole month has gone by and I still don't have a lot to report. Outdoor projects are still interfering with my day to day life and it's compounded by my neighbor wanting to aerosolize sawdust into the shop while I'm wanting to weld.

Got my Zombie board in the mail and got a throttle pedal from a Honda Fit. Other than that, I've managed a few more patch panels.

I also started on the wiring harness design. This is just the Zombieverter portion. I've also started on the t-case wiring and incorporating the original Toyota wiring.

[HerbP]

Got my Zombieverter from Ireland and an LS600H specific wiring harness from @Gregski's custom-wiring-harness service and case/connectors from Alibaba.

Need to verify my pinout above before I start crimping pins.

In the meantime, metalwork continues.

[HerbP]

I'm procrastinating on rebuilding my right rear corner. It's not coming together the way I imagined.

So I decided to play with the Zombie and L110F. With kind help from some forum members and a terrific wiring harness from @gregski's wiring harness manufacturing facility, we got the transmission spinning. I hereby submit my obligatory "first bench test spinup" video.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/8mGmbq3YBJ8AfqaF6

My transfer case isn't bolted up and only supported by a block of wood, so it's shaking a bit.

[HerbP]

This is starting to get real.

qty 3, BMW i3 42kwh battery packs bought at auction with fees, taxes and delivered to my trailer, for around $3200 CAD (approx $2350 USD). Condition not yet known.

[HerbP]

Still procrastinating on sheet metal. Also procrastinating on taking apart the back half of the transmission to work on an adapter plate. Also procrastinating on removing the drive train from the chassis to see whether one of these battery packs can be made to fit.

I’ve been working on trying to talk to the BMS in one of the battery packs. Turns out each of the battery packs had drained down quite a long ways and since I don’t have a 350v power supply, I decided to charge the modules individually at very low current. The good news is the battery modules charge up to at least 42v (12s; I haven’t tried to go higher than 42v) and hold their charge for a week at least. Planning to do some load testing soon.

In the meantime, I’ve been trying to strike up a conversation with the BMS in each pack using this firmware: https://github.com/dalathegreat/Battery ... ry:-BMW-i3.

Unfortunately, my Lilygo CAN interface doesn't see any CAN packets at all; even when connected to Zombieverter with some CAN mapping in place. I can see valid CAN packets from the BMW SME on my Logic analyzer when I twiddle the WUP pin. (0x112 is a valid status packet).

[tom91]

In the meantime, I’ve been trying to strike up a conversation with the BMS in each pack using this firmware:

So you are trying to talk to the ack CMCs (cell monitoring controllers) utilizing software to talk to the whole pack?

I suggest having a look at my SimpBMS work: https://github.com/Tom-evnut/BMWI3BMS/

[HerbP]

My initial goal was to use that software to assess the state of each pack and the software appears to have some way to check the level of each cell. I should mention that I'm still in read/learn mode on this whole project and I did look at SimpBMS which is at the deep-end of the pool (for me) not to mention that seeing prices like 600 euros for hardware wasn't something I was prepared to do yet before having some idea whether these packs were even potentially usable.

Yesterday I was able to hookup an old Pi3 with a CAN hat and get coherent messages from the SME which tells me I've probably blown the transceivers on my Lilygo board.

[Bratitude]

You can find teensy 3.2 on eBay for 70$

[HerbP]

You can find teensy 3.2 on eBay for 70$

I don't think I get it. The teensy 3.2 is just an AVR board (that has apparently been superceded by a Teensy 4.0?) but that a SimpBMS board has additional components/connectors on it. So are you saying I only need an AVR with a CAN interface and I can control all the contactors/precharge/whatever in the i3 pack without using the SME in the i3 pack?

[Bratitude]

Teensy 3.2 + a can transceiver, + power supply + some gate drivers = simpbms board.

Being bms is not doing contractor control no need for gate drivers.

[HerbP]

[Not a lot of "EV conversion" content in this update.]

Got over my procrastination on the passenger rear corner and have got it together good enough for who it's for.

Also pulled the old drivetrain, removed a bunch of heat shields, skid plates, etc and pressure washed the frame.

Next I guess I'll introduce the L110F to its new home and remove extraneous motor mounts. Try to get as much 'outside work' done as possible before the snow flies. I'd like to get the tub back on the frame atop the L110F (even if temporarily) before winter. My shop is sizable (28'x36') but I don't have room for a rolling chassis plus rotisserie plus i3 battery pack plus engine stand.

[HerbP]

I've been moving forward on a few fronts. Still slaving away with sheet metal which is too boring to report on.

I also drained the ATF out of the L110F to clean up some dents on the pan put there by the wrecker. Ordered a new filter and gasket while I'm at it.

I also tried some initial placement of the transmission in the chassis just to confirm driveline angles and driveshaft lengths. I think the whole thing is too high in these photos but I did manage to find some driveshafts in the 'barn' that fit and provide sufficient room to grow/shrink with suspension travel. I also wanted to finalize the clocking of the transfer case so I can remove the ravigneaux section for machining.

[dukbilt]

This is an incredibly interesting and inspiring project - well done!

[HerbP]

Kind of all over the place. I ordered some new bearings for the oil pump because I figure it's easier to replace them now when there's not all kinds of sheet metal in the way.

I could NOT remove those screws on the motor housing. My JIS drivers were loaned to a fellow club member who subsequently moved away. However, my phillips bits seated quite nicely in the heads and didn't cam their way out.

Soaked with liquid wrench and applied heat. Using a combination of impacts and a wrench on the driver, I managed to break two Snap-on #2 powerdrive bits. Sad because the truck doesn't come anywhere near me anymore.

I moved everything over to the hobby mill and went in with a .125" end-mill. That allowed me to get all but one of the bolts out.. The third one I widened out with a #19 and went in with an M5x.8 tap and was able to screw the rest of the bolt out.

Once inside, I discovered the rear bearing was in fine shape, but the front bearing was seized solid and had been spinning in the front of the housing.

New bearings, a bit of retaining compound on the front bearing race, and sealed the motor housing to the pump front housing and it spins nicely now.

It was suggested that corrosion is what kills these things and I concur. There didn't appear to be any gasket or sealant between the steel and aluminum housings and there was evidence of galvanic corrosion where the two faces meet. Those bolts didn't stand a chance.

[HerbP]

I finally got enough metal work done to do away with the rotisserie and do a test drop onto the chassis to check for transmission fitment issues.

I bought a second trolley for my gantry and it's nice to be able to put the body on and take it off in just a few minutes.

I've also been giving some thought to battery pack(s) and where I can make things fit. I don't think I'll be able to fit 8 modules into a single space on the chassis but I can fit 8 or 9 or 10 modules into two separate packs so that'll mean more contactors/fuses/etc. I also don't yet understand the implications of 108s or 120s (wrt L2 or DCFC, etc).

[HerbP]

Finally got the transmission placed where I think it'll fit with only minor reworking of the trans tunnel. Built a cross member and re-used a tranny mount from another truck.

Also I mocked up a battery box that can hold all 8 modules out of one of the BMW i3 packs. I can probably also fit 10 under there for a 120s pack. Not sure if that's the right thing to do. That's a lot of weight behind the rear axle.

I had to move a cross member and relocate the shock mounts but the body fits on with only a 1" body lift which I think is still aesthetically 'ok'.

[HerbP]

Yesterday I removed the ravigneaux section with the intent to have a few mm machined off the back end to facilitate making an adapter plate for my transfer case.. I'll be taking it and my transfer case to my buddy Peter's place to 3D scan the two faces.

After removing the ravigneaux section, I noticed some shrapnel in the housing between the two bearings.

That shrapnel looks like pieces of a bearing cage. They're too small to be from the larger of the two bearings in this section but they do look approximately the same as the cage on the smaller bearing. After removing that bearing, however, the cage is intact. There are some witness marks from the bearing having been previously removed so I conclude that someone has been inside this transmission before.

That could coincide with the fact that one of the electric oil pump bearings was seized. So perhaps the transmission ran without lubrication for some time. Not sure though because it came out of a wrecked LS600H which apparently drove itself onto the lot. If it drove itself onto the lot, then the engine would have been running and thus the mechanical oil pump would have been functional.

Another mystery.