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Electric Cars -- anyone own one?

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Brians356 said:
Mikie, I bet you poured Babbitt bearings in a mudhole, too.
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Never done that myself but seen it done. Seen some pretty strange things in my day.
I think the best one was a used car, repossessed and brought back to the dealer. Think it was a V8 with 2 of the pistons removed and the engine still running. Still trying to figure that one out.
A little back woods dope grower magic. Works every time. ;)
That and a Chrysler Van with the battery pulled and the interior lights still running. Had to be some kind of capacitor in the system somewhere. Never did figure that one out and we went all over the wiring diagram looking. :confused:
 
NorCalMikie said:
That and a Chrysler Van with the battery pulled and the interior lights still running. Had to be some kind of capacitor in the system somewhere. Never did figure that one out and we went all over the wiring diagram looking. :confused:
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Huh. A capacitor wants to discharge in a big hurry, so it must have had help. Maybe it was a "flux capacitor"?

I recall my HS band director driving several of us students in a brand-new '71 Thunderbird at night, on a dark winding mountain road in Central Idaho. The headlights would periodically blank out for several seconds (felt like minutes) at a time. Scared the bejeezus out of us. But we made it home. He took it to the dealer and of course it never did it for them. I think they gave him a generous trade-in on another car.
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NorCalMikie said:
At 82 years, I've seen most of what gets passed of as "mechanics".
Kids coming up think they know it all. Might take a few hard knocks for it to sink in. And all the book learning won't ever match practical application. The books will NEVER tell you about broken or rusted bolts on a vehicle from up North. :eek: :eek:
The guys that taught me were working in the ship yards when I was born. They knew HOW TO FIX what was broken and what made it tick in the first place!! Know that and you can go a long way. ;) And after 55+ years of on the line experience as a Journeyman Automotive Tech working on just about everything, I make it a point to ALWAYS remember that!! The TITLE doesn't mean SQUAT if you don't know what you're doing. And I've worked with and seen folks with $50K + in tools that don't know how to use them. :oops::(
No extension cord long enough to hook up to piece of test equipment when you're 5 miles out in plum and nearly (out of cell phone range) and your vehicle takes a dump, so you better know what makes it work and know how to fix it!! :):)
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Chuckle chuckle Mikie. $50 grand ain't much in these days and time. Experience and good schooling is best. Some folks have it and some don't! I started in the 1967-1969 time period. My guys are mechanics. Never figured out what a "Tech" was other than a designation to make some folks feel better.
 
"Never figured out what a "Tech" was other than a designation to make some folks feel better".

That's what the Journeyman Papers says that you get after 4 years of schooling. Not too much that I can remember the schooling doing for me other than proof that I went and the papers to prove it.
Havn't seen too many that could show that. (papers) I have worked on LOTS of mechanics vehicles. :rolleyes:
Worth about the same as a cup of fancy coffee if you don't know what you're doing.
And $50K in Snap On tools "back in the day" was a LOT!! Not quite the same these days.
 
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A tech is someone who plugs a device into your car and tells you the “machine says…. isn’t operating correctly” on your car. Let’s start by replacing that. When it still doesn’t work, sends it to a mechanic.

A mechanic plugs in the same piece of test equipment and tells you not only what’s wrong, but what it will take to repair the initial complaint. Then let’s you know that noise you’re hearing on the test drive is the wheel about to fall of and is probably more important to fix than the loose gas cap that turned on your check engine light.
 
I can see at some time in the future that if some of the problems are solved that an EV might be a very good thing. At this time it has too many issues to be a good alternative to an ICE car. If someone wanted to make them viable and a first choice instead of poor second choice, they need to fund a competition with a big prize to the winner. The Schneider trophy did so much for aviation development, and something like that could bring about the developments to get the EV to be a viable competitor to the ICE vehicles. Some of the biggest companies in the world have been developing ICE cars every year for over a century, it's no wonder they are future along in development than EVs. I think the EV mandates have hurt the EVs more than helped, because they are not ready to replace an ICE vehicle at this time.
 
I could go on for hours about EVs without a single pause…
It’s complicated—not just the charging, manufacturing, or disposal of the batteries. It goes far beyond that. A battery isn’t just a battery; it’s a sophisticated energy storage system that continuously monitors its own health and safety. In my experience, most battery diagnostics and replacements stem from internal communication failures. Just yesterday, I worked on a 2024 EV truck with 98 modules—challenging, to say the least.

Modern EVs bring a new level of complexity. Many features are still in their infancy, leading to a host of issues. Self-presenting door handles, automated doors, keyless operation—where the vehicle is simply "readied" by unlocking, entering, and pressing the brake—along with intricate exit sequences, infotainment systems, navigation, and 360° cameras all contribute to potential problems. Even a minor misunderstanding of these functions by the driver can cause complications. Manufacturers continue to integrate cutting-edge technology into EVs (and ICE vehicles) because that’s what consumers demand.

The new generation wants to drive their smartphone around.

Enough for now, I'm going fishing .......
 
My 24 Mazda CX90 PHEV has been a very very dependable vehicle. However the electric range is modest (30 miles about) in warm weather. I winter time with temps in the teens to twenties it simply does not charge to whatever level you prescribe. It does operate in tandem with the engine in normal drive mode and does eek out about 36 mpg equivalent in Winter and low 40's summer. Normal non turbo six cylinder model does perhaps 28 over the road. Lots of extra cost and complexity for not too much gain. Fine fine suv though.
 
When you buy and drive your EV in California and are told NOT to charge it or run your AC on a hot night because the power grid can't handle it???? THAT is the problem!!
Hybrid vehicles? Got a much better chance of working as expected with NO charging issues.
Still thinking a 32 or 33 Sedan all set up as an EV would be :cool: :cool:.
Need to be able to go 200 to 250 miles to be dependable and worth the effort and $$$ to build.
From what I've seen and read about the EV home builds, mileage is way down compared to factory built. Battery placement and capacity???
Couple of builders in the UK building EVs out of older exotics. Nice looking but the mileage is WAY down. Most folks don't want to wait a couple of hours to charge their EV batteries OR leave their car unattended and walk away for an hour or so while the battery charges+ find a convenient charging station.
ICE vehicle? 5 minute fill up and back on the road. ;) AND, no chance of someone messing with your vehicle when it's out of your sight. Some folks DO THAT you know. :( :mad:
 
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precision1 said:
Let's take America back let's get back to gas burners with cheap gas and groceries and have something to be proud of....
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That’s all well and good, but the world is undeniably shifting toward EVs—they’re here to stay. The technology is still in its early stages, and as advancements continue, we may eventually see widespread use of fusion power or increased adoption of fission plants. With a more robust power grid, improving battery technology, and better battery recycling, EVs will inevitably become the standard.

Thirty years ago, I had a Black & Decker cordless screwdriver. The first models were introduced in 1961 (according to the ever-wise internet), but back then, a fully charged battery barely lasted ten minutes. It took time, but today, cordless tools are the go-to choice for anyone doing serious work—they’ve become second nature.

I still prefer "dinosaur juice" to power my vehicles, but the evolution of EVs is inevitable. It’s similar to how 1960s milkmen likely viewed the spread of refrigeration in grocery stores. You remember them, right? They disappeared—just as most ICE vehicles will for everyday commuters in the not-so-distant future.
 
With expanding awareness of the destruction of the earth in getting the materials for
the batteries and the problem of disposal I don't think so Tim.
 
None of the EV vehicle stuff would be possible without massive tax money
spent........unlike normal progress by the free enterprise system.
 
I thought about a Toyota Hybrid, not much of a battery, and less gas money.
I live rural, so I don't know if it would be worth the investment. Hybrids are better in city traffic.
 
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