Freelander 1 Freelander EV

This site contains affiliate links for which LandyZone may be compensated if you make a purchase.
It would make most sense to get the additional cells if you can, to bring the golf pack up to the same configuration as the Leaf pack. As well as being able to use the Leaf BMS and charger, it'll also increase the kWh rating, so it's a win win.

I'm looking forward to seeing the Golf pack without the top cover on, and some technical specifications of what's inside would be interesting too. ;)
That's what I want to do and it may end up better value too. The SimpBMS setup which can only monitor the e-Golf pack not balance it is over £500 and for a 3rd party BMS that can balance it would be around £1k. That is similar to the price of two modules so if I can use the Leaf BMS (still a big IF) it's a no brainer really.

I got a bit done on the motor mount bracket and started at the tie bar.
The plan is to make the top part of the bracket using two 5mm plates sandwiched together with the tie bar welded in between. I'll use a couple of drilled out nuts welded together to stop the plates compressing and old scaffold pole to go down to the bracket I made earlier.
I'll probably cut holes in the bottom plate to let the scaffold pole pass through and weld to the upper plate then the bottom plate for double strength.
The tie bar is 3mm steel with a bit of pipe the right diameter welded in between. The original tie bar bushing will be pressed in when I'm finished welding.

IMG_20210314_184756444.jpg

IMG_20210320_210148437.jpg
IMG_20210320_213225627.jpg
IMG_20210320_213229471.jpg
IMG_20210320_214435594.jpg


Still a lot to do here but I'm having fun so that is the whole point. ;)
 
Last edited:
Just reading up on this thread, 96s Lithium batteries! EEK! That's a lot of angry pixies! 355V-->432V dependent upon charge levels...

The mounts are certainly looking robust, good to see you've moved up to the stick welder for this stuff.
 
It's not a criticism of you or your project, it just that sort of voltage scares me.
I'm aware of the dangers so will be taking precautions, I've new electrical safety gloves ordered and will be insulating any tools near the pack. I've received a few mains digs in my time so I know how things can go wrong very quickly.
Believe me I will be nervous until I have it broken up. ;)
 
Believe me I will be nervous until I have it broken up.

Break the pack down by halves Ali.
First break the connections at the mid point, which will give you 2 smaller backs. Break them at the mid point, giving 4 packs, and so on until all the cells are separated.
This way, the total voltage potential drops by ½ every time you break the packs down.
;)
 
Last edited:
Break the pack down by halves Ali.
First break the connections at the mid point, which will give you 2 smaller backs. Break them at the mid point, giving 4 packs, and so on until all the cells are separated.
This way, the total voltage potential drops by ½ even time you break the packs down.
;)
I'm hoping there will be an obvious way to do this but yes breaking it in half and quarters etc was my plan of action. Once each segment is down to 80 odd volts I'll be reasonably happy it won't be able to kill me. :eek:
 
I got a bit more done on the motor mount yesterday. It ain't pretty (especially the welding) but when I'm finished it will be ground back and painted so it will be much nicer. As you can probably see by the mess and splatter I took Jayridium's advice and used the stick welder.

IMG_20210327_170812703.jpg
IMG_20210327_170754393.jpg
IMG_20210327_170821827.jpg
IMG_20210327_170833355.jpg


I need to weld on the top of the mount and tidy everything up so still a lot of work to do but I'm very pleased to say even with only the bottom half it is supporting the motor without any issues. When I'm finished this will probably be the most over engineered motor mount ever but at least I'll not need to worry about it.
When hanging without the lower tie bar it hangs pretty much in the same position as the original engine.

It will probably be off and on a few more times so I'll take photos of it on the bench from every angle.
 
Last edited:
I spent a few hours working on the bracket today going over some of the more dodgy looking welds and grinding back the pigeon poo.
IMG_20210328_151111821.jpg
IMG_20210328_151122953.jpg
IMG_20210328_151134901.jpg
IMG_20210328_151147962.jpg
IMG_20210328_151205671.jpg


I then finished off the tie bar and did a bit more fettling to the motor mount so the next step is to get the top of it welded on and boxed in.

IMG_20210328_180728441.jpg
IMG_20210328_181010026.jpg
 
That's looking pretty sturdy Ali. A lot better than the Mazda RX8 I've seen in that video.

It's looking very good indeed.
This is all getting very exciting you know. :)
 
That's looking pretty sturdy Ali. A lot better than the Mazda RX8 I've seen in that video.

It's looking very good indeed.
This is all getting very exciting you know. :)
Thanks John, I really appreciate your approval and I'm getting excited too. :)
I plan to get the bracket finished by the end of next week so I can move the car out of the garage and get working on the battery pack next Saturday.

Hopefully it won't perform like a spring board like the Mazda one would have. :eek:
 
@Alibro
Hope you are well.
I got some CAN data from my hippo that's also due for conversion. I can confirm that most of the CAN messages are the same as yours apart from one. See table below;

CAN.JPG


I have CAN message ID 43F which I confirmed to be for the JATCO Auto-Gearbox but I don't have ID 338 as you did.
Hope this adds to your data set.
 
Great to see you're seeing pretty much the same as I did.
Is your car petrol or diesel?
I haven't looked any further into the CAN signals as I figured a few of them would be redundant without an ICE anyway. I've have been concentrating on getting the motor installed and hopefully soon the battery pack. When I get the battery and electronics installed I can get back to getting the dash operational.
 
The CAN data and what effect it has on the remaining modules is going to be interesting. Thankfully the FL1 was pretty backwards electronically by comparison to other vehicles of the era.

I'm fully expecting the speedometer to work the way it should, as it gets its speed signals from the wheels.
Hopefully this will also mean that most ASB light will remain off.

The TC and HDC will probably come on, as they will be expecting data from a nonexistent EDC.
There are 2 ways to solve that. Either cover the lights within the Ipack, or somehow make the Ipack receive data it can use, to trick the lights to go off.

Oil pressure could be left off, or maybe rigged into an over temperature light.

The no charge light shouldn't come on, as there's no alternator to ground it.
Maybe this light can be used to show the main contactor is open circuit? Putting the light out when the main contactor has closed.

I don't know how the immobiliser is going to behave, but could probably be just left unconnected at the motor end, as there's no EDC for it to communicate with. As long as leaving it unconnected doesn't cause any lights or sounders to be triggered.

Temperature gauge will probably show cold, or hot, but I'm sure there's a way to fudge that.

The rev counter would be nice if it showed motor speed, but probably difficult to implement. Maybe easier to implement it as a kWh usage gauge instead?

The fuel gauge would be useful if it showed battery status, but that will need working on, thankfully its old fashioned analogue, so shouldn't be too difficult to do.


I'm looking forward to seeing all this come together.
Maybe I can get the wife to accompany me over to NI at some point, so I can look at the EV FL1 myself.
 
The CAN data and what effect it has on the remaining modules is going to be interesting. Thankfully the FL1 was pretty backwards electronically by comparison to other vehicles of the era.

I'm fully expecting the speedometer to work the way it should, as it gets its speed signals from the wheels.
Hopefully this will also mean that most ASB light will remain off.

The TC and HDC will probably come on, as they will be expecting data from a nonexistent EDC.
There are 2 ways to solve that. Either cover the lights within the Ipack, or somehow make the Ipack receive data it can use, to trick the lights to go off.

Oil pressure could be left off, or maybe rigged into an over temperature light.

The no charge light shouldn't come on, as there's no alternator to ground it.
Maybe this light can be used to show the main contactor is open circuit? Putting the light out when the main contactor has closed.

I don't know how the immobiliser is going to behave, but could probably be just left unconnected at the motor end, as there's no EDC for it to communicate with. As long as leaving it unconnected doesn't cause any lights or sounders to be triggered.

Temperature gauge will probably show cold, or hot, but I'm sure there's a way to fudge that.

The rev counter would be nice if it showed motor speed, but probably difficult to implement. Maybe easier to implement it as a kWh usage gauge instead?

The fuel gauge would be useful if it showed battery status, but that will need working on, thankfully its old fashioned analogue, so shouldn't be too difficult to do.


I'm looking forward to seeing all this come together.
Maybe I can get the wife to accompany me over to NI at some point, so I can look at the EV FL1 myself.
I'm hoping some of the work on CAN has already been done as the VCU I bought from Damien Maguire was originally set up for an E46. I believe the CAN data for it is still in the software and just needs enabled.
When I get that far I'll report back.

As for a visit you are always welcome John. I'd love to see you here. But of course that goes for everyone. :)
 
I'm hoping some of the work on CAN has already been done as the VCU I bought from Damien Maguire was originally set up for an E46. I believe the CAN data for it is still in the software and just needs enabled.
When I get that far I'll report back.
BMW CAN data should be very similar, if not the same.:)
As for a visit you are always welcome John. I'd love to see you here. But of course that goes for everyone.
It won't be yet Ali, but it's something I've been pondering for a while.
Thanks for the invite. I'll let you know. ;)
 
Back
Top