Thanks again, everyone, for the great pointers. I have gotten up to around 59 MPG on some highway trips and I seem to be getting better at lean burn. I will try to scrape together the money for the RE92s. In the meantime, I've upped my tire pressure to 50. I hope that's not a safety hazard in the rain.
I think the wheel rubbing sound is actually some other part of the suspension. I tried the front lower control arm bushing "scrunching" lube trick and this particular noise started soon after that. It seems to happen most when I'm going downhill at high speeds on the freeway. Maybe I didn't lube enough or over lubed something. It's good to know that weight wasn't the issue and that I'll be able to carry more the 365 lb !
Car is going into the shop on Friday for a rear motor mount and possibly some other work. I'll probably I have them do the EGR valve/plate cleaning too.
Is there a standard recommendation for doing a "forced recal" ? Is this the same thing as an "SOC recal" and an "IMA reset" and an "MCM reset" ? I see confusing and conflicting information about this. Should I do the MCM reset procedure listed here? : http://99mpg.com/mima/install/instal...elonewiringte/
Or do I want to do the "more aggressive and wasteful" forced charge procedure mentioned on the same page above...or something else...like disconnecting the 12v battery?
I recently got an ultragauge a it's giving me a P1447 trouble code. I do not have an IMA light or any CELs and neither the dealer nor the independent mechanic I've taken the car to have mentioned any trouble codes.
I bought the car from a dealer who bought it at auction. I don't know how long the car might have been sitting. Presumably it went from original owner to one dealer as a trade in, then to auction, to another dealer, and finally to me.
Because I have absolutely no prior experience with these cars, I have no idea what normal IMA function looks like. All I know is that my battery level indicator has fluctuated from totally full to nearly empty, but that it usually stays somewhere in the middle. I'm not sure how much assist you're supposed to get before the level drops significantly, but mine can drop pretty quick when climbing hills or accelerating with full level assist.
In answer to a question posted: most of my driving is in the daytime.
If a P1447 is stored, the IMA trouble light would normally be illuminated, unless it is burned out. It should illuminate when the ignition switch is in the running position but before the engine has been started.
Your car has likely sat undriven for significant periods of time before you bought it. So the cells in its battery pack are almost certainly quite unbalanced (i.e., their charge levels are all over the place). That could lead to a P1447. You might be able to salvage your battery pack by balance charging it, but you need to do it sooner rather than later.
__________________
Aloha,
Art Isbell
2000 Insight A/C #559
Genesis One MIMA+FAS and grid charger, OBDIIC&C, Rostra, Fumoto, DEFA engine block heater, Philips LED DRL's, Honda security system
I wasn't aware that the IMA light would be lit before the engine is started to indicate a problem. Either way, it doesn't come on before or after starting the car. It does come on at first, when turning to the run position and when all other lights go on, so the light seems to be functioning.
So, I should find someone asap to rebalance my pack, otherwise I could be ruining it? Anyone in the Bay Area that does this?
The IMA battery was replaced at 110K under the previous owner, around 50K miles ago.
Except that it doesn't. The BCM will stop the charging before any cell is 100% charged, so all cells will be charged the same amount. This doesn't reduce the imbalance. Only when the cells with higher charge levels become fully charged will the charge levels of other cells start catching up. The IMA system is unable to do this. Only an external grid charger can.
__________________
Aloha,
Art Isbell
2000 Insight A/C #559
Genesis One MIMA+FAS and grid charger, OBDIIC&C, Rostra, Fumoto, DEFA engine block heater, Philips LED DRL's, Honda security system
How does the BCM know that any given cell is fully charged or not? I don't think it does or can... Maybe at the sub-pack pair level this is true - that once a sub-pack pair reaches 100%, charging would stop. Yet I think the multiple reset option would or could do some balancing. Also, I've seen the car charge to what had to be at or at least very near 100%, topping off with a trickle charge. The trickle current and pack voltage were about the same as what I get from a grid charge (0.3 amps 170 volts vs. 0.2-0.6 amps at 171-172 volts). This was a charge routine after a negative recal...
In any event, a grid charge would probably be the best option sooner rather than later...
Except that it doesn't. The BCM will stop the charging before any cell is 100% charged, so all cells will be charged the same amount. This doesn't reduce the imbalance. Only when the cells with higher charge levels become fully charged will the charge levels of other cells start catching up. The IMA system is unable to do this. Only an external grid charger can.
it is interesting isn't it?
the advice I give is true or not based on the minute of charging
I believe happens.
The SOC is tracked by some device. The car loses that value
when the 12 volt is disconnected.
So the car determines the SOC again.
It has to use voltage and charging current to do that.
if the pack is 'unbalanced,' that is various cells are in various
levels of charge. some are going to be close to full and some will be close to empty. this is because the total voltage of the pack and sticks determine the state of charge.
The close to full cells will not hold 'more' when given additional charging.
Those cells will heat up.
The close to empty ones will store 'more' compared to the full ones.
so any cells that are 'full' will use the extra charge to heat and
will not be moved up in the charge they hold.
that is balancing the cells.
if the pack is full of weak cells it will even up, it just will not hold much.
and there are issues with the amount of 'heat' the charging controls
will allow.
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