Ford Eluminator- have you got yours working?

[52I]

Have you had success getting your Eluminator running? Ford doesn’t appear to be supporting it and i haven’t found any electronics examples other than a few diy.

Thanks

[tmiit71]

Hi, I decided to go the Eluminator route as well after seeing AEM's mustang swap. Fuel2electric dot com is a good source of info as well.

[Tutti466]

Hello, I am new to this. I just bought a Ford Mach-E motor and am just starting to look for components and everything necessary for my first project. I am not sure yet whether to use it in an early Bronco or a Mustang Foxbody, but that is the least of my concerns. I realize that there are not many resources available for working with this motor. Any help? Cascadian has theirs, but it’s crazy, 12k for an inverter. At least that’s what I think.

[johu]

The cheapest inverter solution will set you back around 400€ - that is Prius inverter gen2 or 3 with OI control board capable of around 400A on the AC side.

For about 100€ more you get a gen2 Leaf inverter with control board capable of 700A
https://openinverter.org/shop/index.php ... duct_id=57
https://openinverter.org/shop/index.php ... duct_id=63
http://evbmw.com/index.php/evbmw-websho ... ted-boards

[Tutti466]

Do you believe that buying an inverter from the Mach-E and using a potentiometer could work? Or do you think it will come encrypted?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/364393365870

[Falcemach1]

I have fitted an entire 2021 Mach-e system into my 1965 Falcon. I do have start-up issues but, I will sort that out soon!

[anupraj]

I'm planning to use the Ford Eluminator motor for a project as well. Has anyone found a more budget-friendly solution for the inverter and control setup?

[r1ckyb0nd]

I am researching this a lot as I am in the planning stages of a project. It looks like the telsa model 3 rear drive inverter can spin other motors. This looks promising when they fully develop the openinverter board. The mach-e motor can go up to 210kw and it looks the m3 rdu can go upto 234kw so that would allow the use of all the power of the MME motor

[r1ckyb0nd]

I am starting to gather parts together to try and get one of these spinning. After reaserching this forum and other sources I am thinking the Chevy Volt Inverter in parallel will provide the necessary power. I am going to with Jack's board to control the inverter.

For the motor inwas looking at ebay, but they are the same price or cheaper from ford performance. Yes I know the ford performance is the front motor so it is missing the parking brake.

[rgknaugle]

So are you using the Ford supplied VCU, and if so what software are you using to talk to it?

[AintShocked]

I am new here, but I just saw that Ford is selling the eluminator motors for $1,500 or so. That seems like a lot of motor for that price. Is there a catch?

[tom91]

Is there a catch?

You need a compatible inverter.

Open Inverter based inverters can be tuned to work with the Eluminator.

[jrbe]

You also need a way to achieve a decent gear ratio. Getting the power to the wheels means some differential and possibly a secondary reduction to get closer to 8:1 (if that's ideal for your setup and goals.)

[r1ckyb0nd]

For 1500 without an inverter, and no support from aftermarket for decent prices. Other motors are better options. You can get a more powerful m3 motor with built-in inverter for half that price. And there is a good amount of support.

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

You also need a way to achieve a decent gear ratio. Getting the power to the wheels means some differential and possibly a secondary reduction to get closer to 8:1 (if that's ideal for your setup and goals.)

I believe what Ford is selling includes the motor and gear reduction, just not the inverter. So you could just figure out axles for it.

[jrbe]

I believe what Ford is selling includes the motor and gear reduction, just not the inverter. So you could just figure out axles for it.

It looks like you are right about gearing. But when you say axles, do you mean transverse as in it has a differential in there too? What look like output shafts on each end are confusing..

$1540 is a steal for a 210kw new crate electric motor with gear reduction in it. https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-9000-MACHE
Can likely get CAD for it through SEMA too.

Has anyone found pinouts / connector part numbers yet for these?

What about the spline / yoke needed to connect?

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

It looks like you are right about gearing. But when you say axles, do you mean transverse as in it has a differential in there too? What look like output shafts on each end are confusing..

$1540 is a steal for a 210kw new crate electric motor with gear reduction in it. https://performanceparts.ford.com/part/M-9000-MACHE
Can likely get CAD for it through SEMA too.

Has anyone found pinouts / connector part numbers yet for these?

What about the spline / yoke needed to connect?

Based on the images and description on Ford's site and compared to photos and teardowns of Mach-E units, it looks like this is literally a Mach-E drive unit without it's accompanying inverter. Which means that yes, it would be mounted transverse, and includes gearing and differential.

When Ford first announced this, along with a concept EV conversion, at SEMA a few years ago, they said that they would eventually release the other components (inverter, battery, DC-DC, etc) but they have been completely silent since then. I assume either the lawyers got involved or they decided not to push EV stuff.

I know that GM had announced a similar concept, which was basically a full Bolt but with the motor adapted to a Powerglide, and they technically do sell it, but only as a full kit and only if an authorized shop (read: Lingenfelter) installs it, and doesn't modify the battery pack at all. I talked to their reps at Powertour in 2023, and they seemed to think I was crazy to want to buy individual parts of the system. They said their legal side would never let them sell HV stuff individually.

[P.S.Mangelsdorf]

And yeah, $1500 is a lot better than when they originally listed it for something like $3400.

I'd love to grab a Mach-E inverter and see if we could crack it. But I've got to get the Bolt one done first.