[DRIVING] Project RX8 , Prius gen2, Lexus transaxle to rwd

[Ev8]

I have no idea, it is possible the book value of 1550kg is wrong, either way I’m happy with the distribution

[Ev8]

Ok so I’ve seen listed weights of 1350kg elsewhere now but the mot brake test weight on the system was 1550kg

[Pete9008]

Either way still an impressive achievement

How's it running with the extra volts?

[Ev8]

Yeah it’s running well thanks, at high SOC I peak about 125kw from the battery pack, so not a giant leap in Performance but every little helps, I sure if I was using a different inverter I’d see more as MG1 on the Prius gen2 is limited to 230amps, but I’m happy enough with how things are not to start changing things just yet!

[RetroZero]

That's almost 60Kw. On Mg1 ? Is that the inverter limit or the Lexus transaxle Mg1 limit?

[Ev8]

Pretty sure that I’m inverter and voltage limited mg1 motor is rated around 100kw at 650v

[Ev8]

For everyone who knows what I’m like this will come as no surprise…… I’m still driving the car but since a particularly hard launch last Friday the gearbox has a new noise sounds like if you took an old worn out bearing washed the grease out of it and shook it like a rattle, goes away in 4th but I mostly use third!

[Ev8]

Lol anyone in the uk got a spare 5speed RX8 box?

[rstevens81]

isnt the nc/mk3/3.5 mx5 gearbox very similar? (if not identical?) as mazdas do rust for a past time (dont ask me i how i know)

[Ev8]

Somebody need to either talk me into or out of this crazy idea I’m having……

Transverse mount an rx400h transaxle to drive the rear,
Make some custom uprights for the front to take late mx5 rear wheel bearings, front mount the rx400h mgr to drive the front wheels,

Call it the ev8 mk3

I have all the parts here to do it……

[rstevens81]

If your looking for someone to talk you out of it...you might only get tumbleweed ... Why do you think finished is not appropriate label and we have to stick with [driving]...my view is have ago worst that happens if it doesn't work you go back to what you have and buy a gearbox...I would be tempted to buy a few hundred quid banger and borrow some bateries from the rx8 for a while (always been tempted with a MK1 for ka for an electric go cart for driving round town)

[Ev8]

Lol I thought someone out there might tell me the logical thing to do is refine and develop what I’ve already got!
I know it’ll never be finished!

[Alibro]

Somebody need to either talk me into or out of this crazy idea I’m having……

Transverse mount an rx400h transaxle to drive the rear,
Make some custom uprights for the front to take late mx5 rear wheel bearings, front mount the rx400h mgr to drive the front wheels,

Call it the ev8 mk3

I have all the parts here to do it……

The only crazy idea here is thinking anyone would try to talk you out of it.

No chance!

[Ev8]

Ok I’m off to look for a rear subframe to mock stuff up

[Jacobsmess]

Ok I’m off to look for a rear subframe to mock stuff up

I've been thinking about a similar thing (in the rear only) for my van.

The reason against is that you end up with a "radically altered vehicle" according to the DVLA system and a Q plate which might affect resale if that ever was required....

Otherwise I think for me it's definitely the best option, most efficient in terms of power and weight and frees up a lot of space for batteries.

[rstevens81]

Definitely a grey area, but as the rear sub frame is a bolt on item to the original car (chassis) fabricating a subframe or may or may not count as modification to the chassis, if it were an ice car a custom rear subframe probably wouldn't get a q plate...but to be honest I wouldn't worry about resale of car as most of our project cars were 1 away from scrap before we added the motors.

[Jacobsmess]

Definitely a grey area, but as the rear sub frame is a bolt on item to the original car (chassis) fabricating a subframe or may or may not count as modification to the chassis, if it were an ice car a custom rear subframe probably wouldn't get a q plate...but to be honest I wouldn't worry about resale of car as most of our project cars were 1 away from scrap before we added the motors.

No you're right, mine probably should have gone to the scrapyard tbh!

The points system is based on the chassis or monocoque (5 points) engine (1 point), transmission (1 point), axles (2 points) and suspension (2 points)...

More annoyingly, you end up requiring an inspection, at which point I'd be more worried about condemning my vehicle due to my messy welding....

[Ev8]

On a side note I featured in this video

[Ev8]

Long time without updates, changed job and I’m in the process of moving house! I have however managed to build a new display, after killing one of my little nextions I have been driving with just the fuel gauge for a Soc indicator, I like a little more info than that, so after finding a rare rx8 satnav module I modified it to house a 7” android tablet and added a wemos d1 on the serial output from the teensy, borrowed some code I found on Jamie’s GitHub, thanks Jamie!
[media] [/media]

[Bigpie]

Code thief. Glad it helped. That flip up screen is awesome

[Ev8]

Lol, most of my code usually is hacked together from bits stolen from here and there!

[Ev8]

Nothing much in the way of updates, I’ve bought a house so that requires most of me free time, probably a solar panel project coming this summer! I have however acquired an rx450h inverter at a price to good to pass up, I’m hoping to gen it running via serial as over have done for the gs450 and Prius gen3, if I can it could potentially give me a good amount of extra power. I need to get reading on how people worked out the serial messages on the other Toyota stuff!

[Ev8]

Finally found a weekend to pull out and replace the diff that’s been complaining louder and louder over the last 3000 miles, new wheel bearings too while I’m at it

[Ev8]

So good news bad news…..
Good news is I can no longer hear how many teeth the diff crown wheel has under regen.
Bad news is the diff can’t have been the only thing making a noise so I suspect the gearbox isn’t the healthiest.
So that leads to the question find another gearbox or ditch the whole motor setup and go gs450?

[steveknox]

I'd go gs450. That's what I've done in my rx8. It fits nicely in the tunnel, although mounting the rear without the PPF can be a pain.