Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Tell us about the project you do with the open inverter
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slanceley
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

SciroccoEV wrote: Thu Jan 14, 2021 10:37 pm You need a puller plate, something like the one I made for overhauling Morini starter motors, you can see it shortly after the 3 minute mark;
Thank you, that's perfect. I have one of those puller things so I'll try to fashion something like your puller plate (although mine might be a lot more basic!).
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Customer service person from Lexus Parts in the UK has suggested this gasket should be right for the oil pump / transmission.

https://lexuspartsdirect.co.uk/parts/le ... mp-gasket/

Will report back if I have any issues with it. Just need to see if I can find a replacement rotor seal now!
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Bought some screws to replace the ones I accidentally stripped trying to disassemble the oil pump.
(new one on left, old one on the right)
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Then whilst the oil pump was apart I cleaned up most of the rust (not sure why it was rusty, left in a junkyard in Romania for a few years perhaps)
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Next I replaced the second bearing (on the rotor) which I believe to be 608-2Z.
I looked into making a puller plate like SciroccoEV suggested but sadly I just don't have the kit to make one. Instead tried to use flat screwdriver and lever against the rotor. It worked but time will tell whether I've done any damage!
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Just need to replace the rubber O rings now (think it's a 55 mm internal diameter ring between the stator case and first plate, then two 50mm O rings between each of the other plates).
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Anyone know where I could find out what bolts I need to reattach the oil pump to the GS450H transmission?

(I bought them separately and forgot to ask for the bolts. Top tip for anyone else using this Lexus GS450H transmission, buy all the parts together!)
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Have replaced all the o rings in the oil pump as they were corroded.
For others who are refurbishing this oil pump (part no. 56010-HRA030) if you need new o-rings you'll need are:

1 x 55mm int. diameter, 2.5mm cross section (For the black outer case).

2 x 50mm int. diameter, 2.5mm cross section (For between the two "layers")

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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Also, in case it's useful to anyone...
The replacement screws I bought (see above) work great, replacing the screws I accidentally stripped...
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by nkiernan »

slanceley wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 12:31 pm Anyone know where I could find out what bolts I need to reattach the oil pump to the GS450H transmission?

(I bought them separately and forgot to ask for the bolts. Top tip for anyone else using this Lexus GS450H transmission, buy all the parts together!)
I just used these, M8x30mm I think. Just sense check the depth of the threaded hole in the gearbox case.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/M6-M8-M10-FL ... Sw4ahbD-TU
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

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nkiernan wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 7:14 pm
I just used these, M8x30mm I think. Just sense check the depth of the threaded hole in the gearbox case.
Brill, thanks!
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

I measured the depth required and it's about 35mm.
xp677 and ggeter in another thread confirmed the bolts as M8 35mm long, with thread of 30mm, 1.25mm pitch. Ordered some, arriving next week!
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

M8 35mm bolts arrived so I've fitted the refurbished oil pump.
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(Next job is to test the pump runs ok before I continue.)
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

I'm having trouble understanding the wiring for the GS450H transmission oil pump that's on the wiki.
Could anyone tell me how to test that my oil pump is still working.
I'm assuming it's 12v applied... but don't know where to hook up the + and - wires....
Can anyone help?
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Never mind! Electric_SLK explained it all to me!
Seems obvious now: the oil pump motor is three phase, hence the three pins in the white connector! I need the oil pump controller (and he suggested that the controller needs to share the same ground as the 12V supply). Next stop, ebay and some lexus breakers yards!
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by Ctwidle »

Hi Slanceley, I’m jealous that you are working on a Scimitar, I would have loved to have done that but availability of donors in Aus is kinda limited so I have finished up with a Super Beetle to play with.
Now to the point of my email which is rather basic. As you admit to being inexperienced are you aware of the difference between Phillips and Pozidrive screws? Using a Phillips driver on a Pozidrive fitting is probably the most common cause of difficulty in extraction.
Apologies if I am teaching grandma to suck eggs and good luck with the rest of the build.
Chris
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

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Ctwidle wrote: Wed Feb 10, 2021 8:21 pm Hi Slanceley, I’m jealous that you are working on a Scimitar, I would have loved to have done that but availability of donors in Aus is kinda limited so I have finished up with a Super Beetle to play with.
Now to the point of my email which is rather basic. As you admit to being inexperienced are you aware of the difference between Phillips and Pozidrive screws? Using a Phillips driver on a Pozidrive fitting is probably the most common cause of difficulty in extraction.
Apologies if I am teaching grandma to suck eggs and good luck with the rest of the build.
Chris
Hi Chris, thanks! And bring on the eggs!
I am aware that Phillips and Pozidrive drivers look different.... but admittedly I have no real idea of the difference otherwise... I have both sets of drivers and just try the one that fits best! Is it likely that the screws on Lexus parts are all Pozidrive? I did speak to another converter who said he had the exact same problem, so it might only partly be my fault that I stripped them.
Good luck with the Super Beetle. The first conversion I ever sat in was a Beetle converted by Electric Classic Cars, hope your project is going well.
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by SciroccoEV »

Are you sure the screws aren't JIS - Japanese Industrial System?

JIS predates ISO Metric. People used to complain all the time about the crappy screws on Japanese motorcycle engines, but with a set of JIS impact bits and an inpact driver, I never had a problem with them.
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by Ctwidle »

Pozidrive screws have parallel sides to the driving surfaces whereas the Phillips have a taper which causes a resultant force pushing the driver out of the socket. Pozidrive have a triangular web between the driving surfaces and a star shaped pattern on the sockets.

Im not sure when Pozidrive became dominant but some of my 54MG screws had them.

I just learned something new from SiroccoEV, thanks for that!
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Ah thanks guys, very educational!
Reminds me, I have been toying with the idea of calling my project "How NOT to convert a classic car to electric!"
Seems more and more apt the further I go.

Anyway, today I found a good deal on a really well refurbished chassis for the Scimitar, so once lockdown has eased I'll arrange the collection. (The parts of my current chassis are either rust or have long ago crumbled away to nothing, so it was well worth the investment)
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And a parcel arrived today with the EVBMW.com VCU for my Lexus inverter, whoop!
Next I need to learn how to solder. Think I did it once, last century.....
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by Boxster EV »

Great project this and will be a very unique car! That chassis looks mint - definitely a worthwhile investment.
Porsche 986 powered by a Tesla large drive unit. Backwards. Build documented here and Instagram @tesla_porsche here.
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Boxster EV wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:32 pm Great project this and will be a very unique car! That chassis looks mint - definitely a worthwhile investment.
Thank you! I'm sure they'll be plenty of challenges along the way but the Scimitar seems like a prime candidate for conversion to me. It's got a huge heavy Ford Essex 3.0 litre lump that won't be needed any more, nor the transmission, as I'm replacing both with the Lexus transmission. Hopefully that'll leave plenty of space for batteries!
Interested to read all about your Boxter project, I'll be pouring over it. Well done on getting the V5/Electricity approval btw!
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by Boxster EV »

slanceley wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 2:12 pm
Boxster EV wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:32 pm Great project this and will be a very unique car! That chassis looks mint - definitely a worthwhile investment.
Thank you! I'm sure they'll be plenty of challenges along the way but the Scimitar seems like a prime candidate for conversion to me. It's got a huge heavy Ford Essex 3.0 litre lump that won't be needed any more, nor the transmission, as I'm replacing both with the Lexus transmission. Hopefully that'll leave plenty of space for batteries!
Interested to read all about your Boxter project, I'll be pouring over it. Well done on getting the V5/Electricity approval btw!
A colleague of mine used to drive a Scimitar to work each day. Ironically he got rid of it a couple of years ago and changed to a BMW i3.

I mentioned your project and he was very envious (far more interesting that an i3).
Porsche 986 powered by a Tesla large drive unit. Backwards. Build documented here and Instagram @tesla_porsche here.
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by bobby_come_lately »

slanceley wrote: Mon Feb 15, 2021 5:27 pm Ah thanks guys, very educational!
Reminds me, I have been toying with the idea of calling my project "How NOT to convert a classic car to electric!"
Seems more and more apt the further I go.
Don't worry, I think most of our projects could earn this title at various points!

Great project.
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

The Lexus transmission had a lot of oxidisation on it so I decided to clean it up with lots of Autosol and my Dremel before it's mounted in the car.
(Broke the Dremel somehow and took it apart to see if I could fix it but I think it was a broken wire right inside the windings so I gave in and bought a new one).
Probably totally unnecessary but quite therapeutic!
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Right, next job: As per the Lexus transmission wiki, i can't find the connector for the inverter (coming from the ECU - part no. 90980-12630 i think) so I'll have to rewire the inverter with a pair of new matching connectors.
Can anyone give me any tips on how to rewire the new connector? Presumably you need to completely open up the inverter?

PS i looked and looked hoping that i could find the missing connector online somewhere if I looked hard enough but no joy. :(
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by slanceley »

Bit of a stall in progress but trying to get back to my conversion project.
Made a mess of opening up the buck/boost converter part of the inverter, to allow access to HV terminals, but it'll do...
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Then spoke to some of the other guys from the New Electric conversion course and took their advice on how to create HV terminal stand-offs for my Lexus GS450H inverter, and added in some of Damien Maguires terminal design features too.

Then found this guy on eBay who made me a pair of brass terminals for £23...
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/324625667283

They are M6 threaded brass standoffs, one 25mm long as per the picture and the other is 35mm long.
(I'm assuming the different lengths of Damien's design is a safety feature in case either terminal becomes loose and spins to create a short)
I've used some 25mm heat shrink (red/black) for safety and identification...
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Tried to find nickel-plated brass M6 bolts but the best I could find was 200 of them for £70! Was suggested to me that nickel plated brass would improve conductivity, but I can't justify the expense really, so I've ordered some brass ones instead. Hope they'll do the job)
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Re: Reliant Scimitar SE5 (1971) with Lexus transmission

Post by SciroccoEV »

Bolt is for compression, not conduction. Plated steel, or stainless (A4 grade) will do.
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