2001 Honda Insight ZE1 - Citrus Yellow

[Mr Tidy]

Spinakerr said:

Same - I'm dimly recalling my time with my Rover P5B V8 int he high teens - this seems like I'm stepping into Back To The Future 2 straight from the 1950s.

Now you've reminded me of my P6B Rover 3500S thirst - but I did have a heavy right foot in my early 20s!

[peterperkins]

Always nice to meet another enthusiast.

To be fair I did notice your knob was a little bit wonky but forgot to mention it..
I should have done as I actually have a coupe of spare aircon panel units!

Nice mpg on the return.

Need to fix that fuel gauge or running out is a distinct possibility.
It might do a lot of mpg but even an Insight G1 can't run on empty!

[B'stard Child]

How did I miss this.................

On my bucket list of cars to own - I know my bucket list is not a high bar but I'd really like one

[JJJ.]

B'stard Child said:

How did I miss this.................

On my bucket list of cars to own - I know my bucket list is not a high bar but I'd really like one

It is a great bucket list car, absolutely no doubt about it.

[peterperkins]

In a strange quirk I have just bought back one of my old UK Manual Insights and it's a citrus!



Needs a bit of fettling/tlc and I might put a new Nimh pack or Lithium in it.

[Spinakerr]

peterperkins said:

In a strange quirk I have just bought back one of my old UK Manual Insights and it's a citrus!



Needs a bit of fettling/tlc and I might put a new Nimh pack or Lithium in it.

Oh lovely! Very little UV fade as well, unlike mine - great stuff.

I would be keen to hear how you approach the conversion... eprhap sa Reader's Cars thread...(nudge nudge!).

[peterperkins]

Well I have done loads of Lithium conversions before all extensively documented on InsightCentral.net
But I get your drift..

[B'stard Child]

peterperkins said:

Well I have done loads of Lithium conversions before all extensively documented on InsightCentral.net
But I get your drift..

I'd be really interested in a thread on that please..........

[peterperkins]

Some light Lithium reading..

LiBCM is the current standard G1 Insight Lithium solution.
It's a very good evolving system and integrates well with the car.

I think I have done 5 or 6 in UK for various owners in the last couple of years.
However cell availability here has stopped it for now.

Feel free to roll your own Lithium setup as a long term project.
Just bear in mind all the safety stuff.


These links take you to the very first Lithium conversions starting in 2008..
Lifepo4, LTO, LiPo, Supercaps, prismatic, cylindrical, pouch etc you name it we have tried/used them.


1) Original G1 conversion using 50 x 40ah hipower cells. Worked for over 4 years before I took it out to do some other tweaks.

This was the test bed and most of the electrical compatibility issues were solved during this build.

http://www.insightcentral.net/forums/modifications...

2) Failed conversion using 50 x 8ah Lifebat cylindrical cell built into oem case. They could not take the standard 50A regen and I killed quite a few before I pulled it.

That issue could now be simply addressed by turning down the regen using the ima boost device or IMAC&C to a level they can tolerate say 25A max.

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum...70-lifebatt-...

3) UK Rally car fitted with 52 x 15ah Lifebat cylindrical cells.
This worked and won the UK formula 1000 rally championship, but again a few cell could not handle the regen.

Ditto as above to solve the problem. Regen limit at say 40A.

4) 50 x A123 20ah pouch cells fitted into oem case. This worked very well for over 3 years.

This is the one that some others tried to replicate. It's not for the faint hearted and you need a lot of electronics/mechanical experience to put it all together. These can take over 75A Regen and deliver over 150A I have a blown 150A fuse to prove it!

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum...l-issues/169...

5) 56 x A123 60ah cells fitted to HCH1 Civic. Same basic issues as the G1 but all solved. Worked well but it's a big heavy car.

http://www.insightcentral.net/forum...ussion/24304...


All this and much much more is documented in detail on Insightcentral and my YT channel.

Edited by peterperkins on Thursday 7th December 07:47

[Spinakerr]

I had hoped the holiday period would allow me some proper car time after a hectic year, but it appears we may be spending more time on the road than actual downtime near my tools.

With that in mind I prioritised fixing the audio today, as the single crackly hearing aid and decrepit single CD unit were just not acceptable.



Speakers were easy - I purchased some 'similar size' 17cm PIONEER TS-G1730F a few months ago. In the car a single slot pops the grill off and then there are three screws holding the original unit onto the door card.



Naturally there were some wonderfully elaborate Honda plugs on the ends of the wires. With a fine screwdriver and some patience the clips were free, and I resorted to mild bending and prodding to get the existing wire ends onto the new terminals. I havent soldered these as I want them to be removable, but we'll see how it goes.



The head unit was the opposite of easy... after a 10 minute mumbling irritation with stereo removal tools, a torch from behind revealed it was screwed in!

Some mintues later...



Honestly...



iPod entrails and a few other leads ejected.



Always a good sign...



Luckily it all worked neatly - after ensuring power, output and excess wiring was removed, I tested it with appropriate music...



...and mounted the other side speaker with some freshly drilled holes.



Phew. Even more ready for some long distances.

[Cambs_Stuart]

Nice addition. Always an important update.
How are the rest of the fleet?

[Spinakerr]

Cambs_Stuart said:

Nice addition. Always an important update.
How are the rest of the fleet?

The first drive last night with actual music (not screeching from one failed channel) was a revelation. The Insight road noise can be the one tiresome element of a long trip, absolutely dependent on the road surface, so I'm very happy to report its a nicer place to be!

Fleet hasn't had much attention in the past few weeks, other than the GTV getting some love for the MOT and being the most used. The MG is ... still in a workship somewhere, in pieces... that's 4 months now. The 900 likewise. The 164 is in storage, and the 99 is fine but nestled in for winter.

I've ordered a health pick n mix of clips for the Insight to tackle the trims that are letting water in - that's a job I'm not especially lookign forward to but that will also allow me to properly dry out the interior, hopefully fix the SRS light (damp is a potential cause on the seatbelt connectors) and also fix the fuel level sensor.

Roll on dry January - in the meteorological sense.

[mercedeslimos]

Randomly I was thinking about this: how is she going for you Spinny?

Also, I never realised you could get one with a proper manual box! I'm not normally an electric/hybrid fan (though I am a tight Yorkshireman), but I reckon you could have a lot of fun fiddling with one of these!

[Spinakerr]

Yes all ok, it continues to work as expected, lightly sipping petrol and therefore my wallet.

I have some new boot struts to fit, and a selection of expensive clips to try and solve the water ingress issue.

2024 will be all about extinguishing the remaining warning lights before the MOT...

[peterperkins]

What warning lights?

[Cambs_Stuart]

I had an issue last weekend where both of my cars where out of service, both needing chunks of money spend on them. It was cold, dark, I was tired and I was sorely temped go and get something much newer on a lease deal.
Do you ever have moments like that?

[B'stard Child]

Cambs_Stuart said:

I had an issue last weekend where both of my cars where out of service, both needing chunks of money spend on them. It was cold, dark, I was tired and I was sorely temped go and get something much newer on a lease deal.
Do you ever have moments like that?

I know you were asking the OP but I can feel for your situation

I didn't quite go the lease route but I got hacked off with cars that needed work and it wasn't fun any more so I bought the newest car I've ever had

My mid life crisis car - Skoda Content warning -clicky

It didn't end well

Was replaced by this

Normality returned - RWD 3.0 6 pot BMW - Clicky

Full explanation of just how much Mrs BC hated the Skoda

[Spinakerr]

peterperkins said:

What warning lights?

Hi Peter - that SRS light! Clips and water tightness must be added, then I can mop out the standing water, dry it out properly int he spring and track down whichever module is causing the issue.

The low fuel light must be the sender on the in tank pump... that one is really bothering me now.

Cambs_Stuart said:

I had an issue last weekend where both of my cars where out of service, both needing chunks of money spend on them. It was cold, dark, I was tired and I was sorely temped go and get something much newer on a lease deal.
Do you ever have moments like that?

Sorry to hear that - I'm sure both will be back in working order and you'll be dispelling that notion of a lease/new purchase. I have never been tempted; apart from the cost of anything I would find interesting, I don't need a car for my commute, and (as you and I both know over all these years on PH), a good night's sleep and sometimes calling an expert or friend can make daunting/expensive fixes much more palateable.

My wife generally thinks that if a car if becoming too fragile or unreliable we should track down another one for ~2k with an MOT and hint that I need to fix stuff 'in due course'. See: the 99 and the GTV. Luckily she's only ever interested in cars I would also be keen on, and we both are averse to anythign resembling regular payments.

B'Stard Child - still goign strong after 4 years, love it!

Both of the ULEZ cars out recently:

[ajprice]

Just saw this in the Thingies group on Facebook

[Spinakerr]

ajprice said:

Just saw this in the Thingies group on Facebook

Ah yes, I have seen this - some of US group have been eeking out mpg figures. I'll be concentrating n just keeping it close to original with its distinctive William Gibson-like looks!