Auto conversion to Prius drivetrain

[samuraikm]

Hey all! I would like to know if anyone has placed a Prius hybrid engine into another vehicle. Currently I have an old Nissan Axxess that dropped its transmission about a year ago. Transmissions of the 2.4L AWD type are REALLY hard to find. So I was thinking of purchasing a damaged Prius (undamaged engine) and installing it into the Axxess. The Axxess specs out PERFECTLY with my '06 Prius in size, engine space, and hybrid battery space. The Axxess sits much higher than the Prius, so bottom space is not an issue either. I think it would be acceptable to tie the Prius drivetrain to the floating differential on the Axxess, as the engine specs for the Prius is smaller (1.5L vs 2.4L). I expect to totally gut the dash of the Axxess (there is plenty of space for the MID and CD) or just replace the whole dash with the Prius dash. All electronics should be nearly the same with the exception of the doorlocks and Smartkey system and antennas. Both take a 11.9 gal gas tank, Prius's bladder type hopefully is not necessary or will not pose a space problem.

I was thinking of replacing the Axxess with a 2002 or 2003 Prius engine. Does anyone forsee installation, registration, or other problems? The Axxess is not demo, the transmission died. Otherwise the car is PERFECT!

[efusco]

"All electronics should be nearly the same..."??!!! Are you smoking Ganja?

There are some 16-18 computers in the Prius, many are functionally necessary 'brains' to make the HSD work. And you can't just throw the "hybrid engine" into another car, you've gotta take the Inverters, the Motor-generators, etc.

IMO, without expending funds far in excess of the cost of multiple Prii, there is absolutely no way to retrofit the HSD into your car.

[aaf709]

Yes, some may wish there was a Hybrids R Us place where you could convert your old car to a hybrid, but that's not available right now. It probably could be done, but way expensive.

[samuraikm]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(efusco @ Jul 16 2006, 11:06 PM) [snapback]287425[/snapback]</div>

"All electronics should be nearly the same..."??!!! Are you smoking Ganja?

There are some 16-18 computers in the Prius, many are functionally necessary 'brains' to make the HSD work. And you can't just throw the "hybrid engine" into another car, you've gotta take the Inverters, the Motor-generators, etc.

IMO, without expending funds far in excess of the cost of multiple Prii, there is absolutely no way to retrofit the HSD into your car.
[/b]

Yes, yes. Obviously all electronics need to be transferred. The ones not tagged according to the electronic specs from both vehicles are the SKS, variable speed wipers, airbag subsystem, VAR and antilock braking systems. But no systems critical to the operation and functionality of the Axxess, all are present and at proper voltages.

[KMO]

I think Evan's over-reacting a little.

It would be an interesting exercise, possibly not terribly easy, but certainly possible, if you can manage to fit the engine, transaxle and battery mechanically. The the rest of it "just" involves transferring all the main control computers and associated wiring.

The problems are going to occur where you have to interface between Prius and existing systems. Personally, I suspect instrumentation might be one of the trickiest problems. Either you transplant the Prius dash, or you're going to have to sort out some sort of display of your own. The Prius dash (and MFD) use the buses to get a lot of their info; it's not just individual wire signals. Hmm, maybe you could dismember the Prius dash to get at its control computer, and route the LED signals out to the Axxess's dash.

It would certainly a be a lot easier to find replacement original parts, but if you want the cachet of having the only hybrid Nissan Axxess, then it may be fun to attempt.

It's not really much more hare-brained than attempting an EV conversion of a car, and people do that quite regularly. The difference here is that the parts you're installing are mass-produced, proprietary systems, so you'll have slightly less scope for modifying their behaviour; you'll have to adapt around them. The whole project might be better thought of as a body transplant for the Prius, rather than a drivetrain transplant for the Axxess.

[efusco]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(samuraikm @ Jul 17 2006, 12:36 AM) [snapback]287435[/snapback]</div>

Yes, yes. Obviously all electronics need to be transferred. The ones not tagged according to the electronic specs from both vehicles are the SKS, variable speed wipers, airbag subsystem, VAR and antilock braking systems. But no systems critical to the operation and functionality of the Axxess, all are present and at proper voltages. [/b]

Let me begin just a tiny list of the issues you'd have. And I'm not concerned in the least about non-critical functions such as SKS, wipers, air bags, etc.

HV ECU--this system is not just a couple of wires attached to the ICE, it is a slew of wires integrated into nearly every function of the car, it ties into the battery, the brakes, the inverters and MGs, the speed sensors, the catalytic converters, etc. Some of this might be bypassable, but doing so would probably require a complete reprogramming of the ECU itself.

Battery ECU, recieves data from the regenerative brakes, the ICE, the MGs the Inverters. Again, you could probably figure out how to bypass some of this, but not without a major reprogramming.

One would need to figure out how to safely install and electronically shield all the various components.

Again, I don't mean to overreact, but accomplishing this would be a nearly futile exercise. It might make more sense and be more feasable to adapt something like Honda's hybrid system however.

[Presto]

It'd be easier to rip off all the body panels on a Prius and weld on the Axxess body pieces, and call that a conversion

[naterprius]

If you are going to all the trouble, why not put it into something cool, like convertible? Or an MR2?

Nate

[matteo]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(naterprius @ Jul 17 2006, 09:00 AM) [snapback]287559[/snapback]</div>

If you are going to all the trouble, why not put it into something cool, like convertible? Or an MR2?

Nate
[/b]

Or a Lotus Elise. They are already using the old Celica motor.

[ken1784]

Another tough part is replacing the entire brake system which is called brake-by-wire.

Why don't you convert it to EV?
http://www.electroauto.com/

Ken@Japan