Check your ground wires!!!!

2646 Views 5 Replies 4 Participants Last post by Wayne M, Jul 7, 2005

dfiore

Discussion Starter · Jun 16, 2005

Thanks to Jackmpg, He pointed out that I should remove the 2 ground wires and the negative battery terminal from the chassis to clean them as they are attached to painted surfaces.

My case may be a bit extreme since I have 216,000 miles on mine, but one of them fell apart when I loosened the bolt and the other one was already broke and hanging there!

Thanks again to Jackmpg, I am going to have my Insight checked out next weekend by a very knowledgeable mechanic.

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davioh

· #2 · Jun 17, 2005

dfiore,
I see in your profile you replaced 2 major parts (cat + IMA pack) can you tell us what else you have had to replace on your insight in 200K+ miles (I'm guessing brakes, tires, tie rods etc.) and how much it all cost you in total? also what is your lifetime mpg so far?

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dfiore

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 17, 2005

replaced parts

I have relaced the hybrid pack for $800 used. No steering or AC components yet. Plugs, EGR, brakes. I bought it with 23k on it and LMPG of 50.1 It is now at about 55.1 mpg. It's been pretty great to me considering.

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davioh

· #4 · Jun 17, 2005

so Im doing an estimate here which may be high or low...

new set of cats
bought discount $1200
Used Ima battery pack$0800
egr replacement part $0200
TotalLabor for above
@$70/hr x 8 $0420
total non routine maint$2620
(not including brakes
,oil change, air filters,
tune ups, etc.)
Well for 200K+ miles this is only about 1 cent a mile for non routine maintainance. Thats not so bad after all.
on the gas side lets say you paid $2 a gallon thats approx $7850 total.
On a more traditional car @ 30 mpg it would be ........$14400 total.
You saved @ a MINIMUM ..6550-2620= $3930 Not a windfall but around a $1000 a year is good. one thing though. I try to follow this market. Over at autoweek they have a discussion going on about the Toyota mira...non hybrid but it gets 72 mpg http://forums.autoweek.com/thread.jspa? ... 0&tstart=0
+ no extra hybrid parts to replace.

weren't you hoping for a little bit higher than 55 mpg?

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Armin

· #5 · Jun 20, 2005

dfiore said:
one of them fell apart when I loosened the bolt and the other one was already broke and hanging there!

I second the suggestion! I noticed frayed ground wires in my 2000 (I don't think mileage matters, mostly time). I relaced all 3 with new ones.

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Wayne M

· #6 · Jul 7, 2005

Ditto here!

Yup, same fall apart cable ends on the engine / chassis ground wires on my 2000 with 104k miles. They are too stiff from the factory to accomodate the constant flexing from the engine. If replaced as the same they will fail as the same. Need to find similar guage ground wires in the aftermarket suppliers that are more flexable. They will look like small battery ground cables.

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