Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Tell us about the project you do with the open inverter
User avatar
Pajo_16
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Oct 19, 2019 3:41 am
Location: Antrim
Has thanked: 1 time

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Pajo_16 »

Hi,

Just a quick FYI; if you need to know pin-out information on harness connectors, or want to see wiring diagrams to understand system logic, then I recommend spending €7.00 + VAT over at https://erwin.skoda-auto.cz/erwin/showOrderFlatrate.do

I have attached some random images to give you an idea of what type of info they are willing (forced by the EU?) to share with us. Personally, I prefer this over website of doubtful honesty or legality, offering similar information.

What I have found so far:
:( No parts books, a third party offers this
:D €7.00 + VAT for 60 minutes access (might be all you need)
:D You can print to PDF until your fingers go numb
:D Up-to-date manufacturer information about your Skoda

Regards, Patrick.
Attachments
2020-09-24 (10).png
2020-09-24 (9).png
2020-09-24 (8).png
2020-09-24 (7).png
2020-09-24 (6).png
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Not been working on the car for a few days, work and installing low voltage solar pv to use some panels donated to me a few years ago. I can now charge 12V batteries with the morning sun!

Anyway, I decided to remove the exhaust pipe today. It is mostly removed, the rear section won't come out.
The original design meant the exhaust pipe went in before the axle, so replacement means cutting it out and also cutting the new pipe to allow it to fit, and then re-joining it.
As a result the rear box won't come out!

I will leave it there until I have to unbolt the rear axle to get the fuel tank out.
20200926_131934.jpg
Is there actual scrap value in the catalyst?
20200926_131951.jpg
Stuck!
20200926_132004.jpg
That bend won't wiggle round!
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

I also removed the gear stick mechanism while I was about it.

An easy job, the heat shields came out, held only by little discs of rust.
Then inside, with the gear stick boot unclipped and the ashtray removed, there was access to two 13mm AF nuts at the top.
Underneath the car again remove two 13mm AF bolts.
The mechanism then just falls off and the gearstick boot and be fed through the hole in the floor.
I will make a cover for the hole, and then the boot surround plastic can be used to make the switch panel for the forward/neutral/reverse switch.
20200926_161402.jpg
20200926_161412.jpg
20200926_161700.jpg
20200926_161713.jpg
I reckon that was the easiest part of the whole conversion so far!
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Today I did a bit of metal work to patch the hole left by the gearshift mechanism.
As I am one of those people who hoard everything that might become useful later on I was able to source the steel from an old washing machine I dismantled many years ago.
I measured and made up the patch, folded the sides for rigidity, and TIG welded the corners.
20200927_113308.jpg
After a successful test fit I drilled the holes for the bolts from underneath, and rivnuts for the bolts from above.
20200927_113338.jpg
The patch was then sprayed with cold galv paint and then stain black.
At this point my phone thought black and white images would give a more atmospheric effect!
20200927_145807.jpg
I was able to reuse the foam gasket from the old shifter body, so it is now nicely sealed.
20200927_145830.jpg
I then removed the plastic trim from the gearstick boot and used it to make a 6mm birch plywood infill piece. I included the tabs in cutting out the plywood so that it would clip in place and be flush to the surface.
20200927_144915.jpg
I can use this to mount the forward/reverse switch, and any other useful stuff.
20200927_145008.jpg
I am spraying the plywood black as it was never going to be a wood trim kinda car, even though I do have some burr cherry veneers in stock!

This is what it looks like in black, a bit more shiny and blacker then the plastics but it'll do.
20200927_174738.jpg
20200927_174854.jpg
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
bobby_come_lately
Posts: 465
Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 5:39 am
Location: Manchester, UK
Has thanked: 33 times
Been thanked: 36 times
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by bobby_come_lately »

Nice! Definitely sell your cat. Mine went for over £150 on ebay. Sold very quickly.
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

bobby_come_lately wrote: Tue Sep 29, 2020 10:03 am Nice! Definitely sell your cat. Mine went for over £150 on ebay. Sold very quickly.
Oh cool! I will do that. I didn't even think to check them for sale on Ebay.
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Today was the day that the pallet from Damien was supposed to arrive!

Having waited in all day, with a pallet truck at the ready there was nothing. The tracking said it arrived at the depot at 07:38 this morning and would be delivered by today. It wasn't logged as out for delivery though.
That never changed all day.

At 17:00 I phoned the company and found that the pallet arrived at their central depot this morning, and just hadn't been sent out to their Manchester depot for local delivery! :x

They offered tomorrow morning, so I agreed to postpone my work to wait in. But of course they will only deliver it in the morning IF someone brings it up from their central depot to their Manchester depot. So I might still have a wasted morning/day.
I have told them to phone me and tell me if it is in Manchester in the morning, and if it is worth me waiting in or working.

Not holding my breath, but can't wait!


In other news I did get a delivery from Pimoroni, of a £90 Arduino kit so I can learn from first principles how Arduino works, and be on the first step towards understanding a thing that might help me with hacking the CANbus. I also got a free Raspberry Pi ZeroWH thrown in so I can learn about that too! For reference I have never done any coding, despite some one to one tuition from a friend over a year ago, so very much out of my comfort zone with this.
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Still no sign of the pallet delivery.

National Pallets say it is in Litchfield Hub and they have no idea why it wasn't put on the first lorry that it was supposed to be booked onto for yesterday, nor why it also didn't go on the second lorry sent to pick up any excess load over night, nor the third lorry it should have gone onto this morning!

The tracking still says it will be delivered no later then yesterday! :roll:
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Jack Bauer
Posts: 3563
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2018 5:24 pm
Location: Ireland
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 87 times
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Jack Bauer »

If only the service was as good as the accounts dept in these places....
I'm going to need a hacksaw
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Jack Bauer wrote: Thu Oct 01, 2020 6:47 am If only the service was as good as the accounts dept in these places....
Haha! :D

It arrived this morning, on the one day this week I told then I couldn't be here to receive it.
Fortunately the driver phoned just as I was on my way out and I was able to postpone a meeting just long enough to have the pallet dropped on the drive and covered up for now.

I can check it later, or tomorrow, to see if it is all still intact.
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Pallet unpacking time! :D
20201002_091557.jpg
This is what Damien kindly sent to me, the Prius transaxle, Controller, driveshafts, and other useful stuff, and including a #SurpriseMakersParcel.
20201002_092653.jpg
20201002_092701.jpg
Not sure what the thing between the vacuum pump and the power steering pump is.
20201002_092709.jpg
Here is the Prius transaxle and the Skoda transaxle exchanging tenancy contracts.
20201002_093621.jpg
And the contents of the #SurpriseMakersParcel.
20201002_094307.jpg
For folks who don't know, in the Twitter #Maker community I often send out a 2kg #SurpriseMakersParcel on request, to fellow makers, full of random stuff to make with. It could be anything from my Dad's stocks of old electrical, electronic, mechanical kit, tools, novelty items etc. from his electrical wholesale, and repair shop in London before he retired and put it all in my basement!
I guess this is what it is like being the recipient of one. :D

I hope everything Damien included has made it safely and nothing is missing in transit.
Thank you so much!
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
RetroZero
Posts: 702
Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:48 pm
Location: France
Has thanked: 311 times
Been thanked: 38 times
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by RetroZero »

Nice paying it forward lesson from JB.
The thing between power steering pump and vacuum pump is the Park mechanism for transaxle
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

RetroZero wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2020 11:55 am Nice paying it forward lesson from JB.
The thing between power steering pump and vacuum pump is the Park mechanism for transaxle
Ahh, thank you for that.
I can't wait to start playing with it all and seeing how it fits in the car.

But gotta clear the workshop first, client jobs to do.
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Jack Bauer
Posts: 3563
Joined: Wed Dec 12, 2018 5:24 pm
Location: Ireland
Has thanked: 1 time
Been thanked: 87 times
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Jack Bauer »

Looks like it all made it:) Hope the random stuff is some use. Seemed a shame to dump. You will need to torque down the bolts in the transaxle case before use. The vcu and loom should be plug and go. There is also a powerwatcher kit in there :
https://powerwatcher.net/
and a bmw contactor box.
I'm going to need a hacksaw
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Jack Bauer wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2020 12:52 pm Looks like it all made it:) Hope the random stuff is some use. Seemed a shame to dump. You will need to torque down the bolts in the transaxle case before use. The vcu and loom should be plug and go. There is also a powerwatcher kit in there :
https://powerwatcher.net/
and a bmw contactor box.
Edit: Where's my reply gone? :? Try again.
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Jack Bauer wrote: Fri Oct 02, 2020 12:52 pm Looks like it all made it:) Hope the random stuff is some use. Seemed a shame to dump. You will need to torque down the bolts in the transaxle case before use. The vcu and loom should be plug and go. There is also a powerwatcher kit in there :
https://powerwatcher.net/
and a bmw contactor box.
Brilliant! And thank you so much!
I was wondering what the box of PCBs was. I will be asking a lot of questions as I go.
The Prius inverter: that's a Gen 2, isn't it.
I bought a Gen 3, I think, to modify for my other car later on when I have learnt how all this goes together.

I have had a play with the random stuff too. I should be able to put them to use. The tool batteries seem ok, but the chargers don't seem to recognise them for charging. If I can't repair them I can make battery converters to run them from Bosch or DeWalt batteries as needed. I have just gone from a 6 x 115mm angle grinder house to an 8 x 115mm angle grinder house! :D
If I can't use the drills here I can fix them up for one of the Working in Wood project or the Women's Shed.

Thank you.
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
Alibro
Posts: 829
Joined: Sun Feb 23, 2020 9:24 am
Location: Northern Ireland
Has thanked: 248 times
Been thanked: 144 times
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Alibro »

Maker_of_Things wrote: Tue Sep 15, 2020 3:57 pm
johu wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 7:05 pm Nice progress!
Maker_of_Things wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 5:48 pm I guess I will need to have some sort of hot water for the heater so that demisting passes inspection.
I managed to convince the inspector that the drive unit generates enough heat - with the addition of running non-torque producing current at stand still. He bought it :)
I think I will add something, anyway. I remember back in the old DC conversion days there was talk of using the inline heaters from dishwashers, plumbed into a short loop of coolant hose and a tiny reservoir, run off the pack DC voltage. Does that still work? I don't fancy removing all the interior to change the heater matrix for an electric ceramic heater, which was the other option back then.
johu wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 7:05 pm
Maker_of_Things wrote: Mon Sep 14, 2020 5:48 pm And then there is all the electrics, and CANbus stuff that I still haven't managed to get my head around. :?
This https://openinverter.org/wiki/Touran_Conversion and this https://github.com/jsphuebner/stm32-car will help (though I somehow assume you've come across it)
Thank you.
I have had a look but it is 'whoosh' straight over my head. I suppose I could explain to a lay person how CANbus works but, in the same way as explaining how computers work using binary, I can't understand how to actually make it work in real life. I am very much not a techy, IT, coding, electronics person at all.
I will persist and see if I can make some sense of it, and then ask for help. :)
Until recently I knew nothing about CAN and still don't know much but I managed to read the CAN data from my car and made a couple of videos showing how I did it.
This was the first of 2 or 3 and if you click on my username it will take you to my channel. Like I said I'm only a beginner and this is not the best way to do it but you might find it helpful.
I need a bigger hammer!
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Alibro wrote: Sat Oct 10, 2020 7:11 am Until recently I knew nothing about CAN and still don't know much but I managed to read the CAN data from my car and made a couple of videos showing how I did it.
This was the first of 2 or 3 and if you click on my username it will take you to my channel. Like I said I'm only a beginner and this is not the best way to do it but you might find it helpful.
Thank you. I will do that. Going to need a lot of help when it comes to it and I am grateful for all and any I get. :)
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Hi everyone,

Sorry I have been rather quiet recently, the project hasn't stalled, don't worry about that.
I have just been inundated with some technically fiddly work, the weather has been very wet and unpleasant to be outside working on the car, and I have been (still am) working my way through a nasty bout of depression.

The depression has drained me as it is taking all my effort to keep remembering that I am still a good and valid person who does useful and effective work for people while my mind and body keeps telling me to just give it up. I am uncontrollably emotional little things and it takes effort to hold things together so I am just doing the essential basics to keep going.

I wanted to say this so that you know I haven't given up on the conversion, but also to be open about mental health and not hide it. I have ups and downs by the day, and sometimes by the hour, at the moment. I can be working in the workshop quite happily and then I am overwhelmed by the need to hide somewhere and cry, for no reason at all. It is just brain chemistry for me, messing about and turning life upside down. Medication can help, but it is a long term thing with side effects, whereas I have learnt that my depression is relatively short lived and can easily have passed by the time I get a useful appointment for therapy and medication.

In the meantime I am trying to make time to learn about the next stage of the conversion, how to connect up all the parts Damien has sent, and how to test it all safely.

I have a nicely charged nominal 48v pack to play with and a 12v battery. I am hoping that will do for test and setting up.

I will get back to it soon and have stuff to share then.

Thank you.
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
RetroZero
Posts: 702
Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2019 2:48 pm
Location: France
Has thanked: 311 times
Been thanked: 38 times
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by RetroZero »

Thanks for the update. No need to feel pressure to keep us updated. Even without an illness, life and the present state of health affairs is throwing curve balls everywhere. You started after me, and already have your car in bits, along with a great donation from Santa 😉. Chip away at it in your time. After many of us had set up issues with Gen2, Damien and Johannes have put together a nice start up video.
I think 48v is on the light side when it comes to FOC tuning and finding the slip point, but that's for later.
All the very best in getting on your feet🤞. We're here to help each other, so keep in contact, even if not much has been completed, especially in these times where personal presence is a problem.
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Just a very quick update, photos to follow later.

I finally got my act together, two mobility scooters and a powerchair not withstanding, and attempted to loosely install the motor transmission. It didn't fit!
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

After a ten month pause, I have finally started to tackle the conversion again and decided to attempt a trial fit of the transaxle.

The pause has been partly poor mental health, winter weather, parents using my working space to store their mobility scooters, and needing to earn money with a few more regular part time jobs taking up most of the day times.

However, I know that I can't let this project lapse and also that there is help if I ask for it on the forum.
The first stage of this next part is to do a trial install of the Prius transaxle and see where it needs to fit. I can then work out temporary, and then permanent, mounting points for it.

The first stage was to check where the original transmission mounted and work out where the drive flanges would be.
20210803_144349.jpg
I refitted the transmission mount torque bar underneath the diff. This has a known position to bolt onto in the engine bay near the drive shaft flanges. So notes made of fore/aft and vertical positions of the flanges.

It was a complete waste of time though!
I craned the Prius transaxle into position and...
Well, I need more space. Here the transaxle is about 25mm from the inner wing, but touching the ABS pump! It still needed to move another 40-50mm to the nearside to line up with the driveshaft flange. That puts it inside the inner wing metal work! Oh poo! 
20210803_150750.jpg
20210803_151434.jpg
But then I had an idea! There is no petrol engine being attached tot he Prius transaxle so it doesn't need to be on the nearside of the engine bay.
I swapped the driveshafts over, and the transaxle can go more or less central!
20210803_152453.jpg
I did a test and it will go in there but I need to swap to the drive shafts that Damien sent in the package. The CV joints are different and the shafts are quite a bit shorter to allow for a wider diff flange spacing.

No photo of that bit as I had to put everything away again and go to work!
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
User avatar
Bigpie
Posts: 1586
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2019 8:11 pm
Location: South Yorkshire, UK
Has thanked: 74 times
Been thanked: 299 times

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Bigpie »

Glad to see you picking this back up
VW Beetle 2003
Outlander front generator
Prius Gen 3 inverter (EVBMW logic board)
Outlander charger
3x Golf GTE batteries
Chademo Charging
Outlander water heater
User avatar
bobby_come_lately
Posts: 465
Joined: Sun May 03, 2020 5:39 am
Location: Manchester, UK
Has thanked: 33 times
Been thanked: 36 times
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by bobby_come_lately »

Great news this is moving again. Just down the road if you need any help!
User avatar
Maker_of_Things
Posts: 67
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2020 8:01 am
Location: Greater Manchester
Been thanked: 1 time
Contact:

Re: Skoda Octavia Estate 2001

Post by Maker_of_Things »

Thank you both.
Time is still a PITA at the moment, and also wondering if I can get it running before the insurance costs more then an early used Leaf! 🤣
Alfred Chow - Maker of Things.
My Skoda Octavia conversion blog
Post Reply