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Motor Tranny Test
First Transmission test was very successful! The adaptor
was just right with no vibration and tranny shifted in Low, drive and reverse. I made the tranny a full manual shift which
means it will only shift when you shift it, no automatic function. This I needed for the no torque converter function. I ran
the motor at 24 volts during this test and the speedometer said 40 mph at this voltage and the current draw from the motor
was about 80 amps. I am going to tear the tranny down again now and put a seal in the adaptor shaft and take out some reverse
frictions of the reverse clutch pack for less heat and rotating mass and hopefully lower amps from the motor.
First Full Drive Train Test!
With Motor mounted in place (Using Solid mount to frame
and rubber tranny mount) and drive shaft connected and vehicle up on blocks I closed the breaker at 24 volts (No controller
as of yet) and first design of motor mount worked with little or no movement. When I tested the motor at 24 volts on the bench
there is such torque that you have to hold the motor in place to keep it from spinning off the bench, so I know its even more
with the tranny and drive shaft connected. Anyway, everything worked as planned and rear wheels started spinning with tranny
in low, up to about 15 mph according to the speedo. Then I shifted to drive and it went to 30 mph, this is with 2 old batteries.
My Orbitals come in this week! Working on the controller! After a few shifts the 1/4 inch grade 8 bolt that is used like a
shear pin between the motor and tranny broke and I had to pull motor and tranny out again and upgrade to 3/8 bolt. Hope this
holds, may have to weld in the future. I will trim the adaptor plate and paint the plate and tranny while I have it out. I
noticed the drive shaft was a little loose where it entered the tailhousing of the Powerglide so I may go with roller bearing
tailhousing, roller bearing Governer Support bearing while I have it out. These bearings replace the bushings and is supposed
to free up HP, which I can use with my electric motor.
Can't wait for the first ground test!
First Test Drive!!!
After installing rear roller bearing Governer support in Tranny and new 3/8 bolt
in adaptor shaft I put the motor back in and fine tuned the motor mounts. I put one old marine battery inside on the floor
board and connected it through a 150 amp breaker to the motor. Put the colum shifter in low, through the breaker and vehicle
barely moved, but did move. I went foward and backward a few feet and said " I think I will try one of the Orbitals and
see what they have. Was I impressed, this was the first time I actually used one of the Orbitals. On one 12 volt Orbital
battery, I back the car up to the corner of my yard and put it in low and hit the breaker and it took right off. The yard
is only about 50 feet in length but was enough room to upshift to drive and let the Powerglide shift. Reverse has some problems
making noise but still works. I went back and forth across my yard several times before I called in a night. Can't wait to
put 24 volts to that big motor. I am gearing up to run 24 volts for my first attempt at a world record in NEDRA. All I have
to do is show up because no one has ever tried 24 volts. I have four Blue top Orbital so I will have 2 strings of 24 volts
for plenty of amperage. I think I can get over 30 MPH in the 1/8 on 24 volts. Not very fast, but a starting place. I plan
to go right on up the classes in both Street Conversion and Modified Conversion at 24V, 48V, 72V, 96V and then on to the 1/4
mile. Talk is cheap, but time will tell.
First 1/8 mile Run
August 27, I had to see if my rebuilt Powerglide was going to work under driving
conditions so I hooked up a couple of Oribitals and went in the field beside my house (just 100 feet shy of 1/8 mile) and
threw the breaker. On 24 volts, the Four door Chevelle spun the tires and got up to 20mph in low and then I shifted to drive
and went on up to 35 or so before I ran out of room. On the way back I down shifted and upshifted several times to make sure
the Powerglide was going to work without the torque converter. I still have to tear it down again to work on reverse(Probably
put back in some frictions) but now I know that it will work fine. Now I am going to work on my Field Weakening Setup to get
some more RPM from the Motor. Much to do before the next Test Drive, finish the controller, make permanent the cabling and
meters, seats and bodywork. But now I know!
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