DIY Tesla Repair?

General Discussion
62

Very true. However, one must also consider the mass efficiency of the engine design in overall dynamic compression ratio. In addition, the RPM where it is designed to operate most efficiently. A high performance engine can overcome the theoretical losses due to cam overlap with mass efficiency enhancements. It’s common to call this volumetric efficiency but I think mass efficiency describes it better. Air has mass and the system needs to be designed to overfill the cylinder under normally aspirated conditions. Intake pulse charging is one way to enhance “volumetric efficiency” and establish a dynamic ratio closer to the mathematic value derived from cylinder volume alone.

For the example of a race car, it is likely operating in a design range where the dynamic compression meets or even exceeds the static compression ratio…

I love the smell of partially burned high octane hydrocarbons in the morning :slight_smile:

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63

I’m not arguing there. My only point was that an engine can have a very high compression ratio and not go into diesel mode.

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64

Research into using crab shells to make batteries is an absolutely brilliant idea and I’ll bet the poor, underpaid PhD candidate who came up with the idea of a research project assuring them of a limitless supply of free hardshells will someday win a Nobel Prize. or at least become a Senator! :rofl:

And they say today’s kids aren’t smarter than their parents …Haah!

65

Repair would be by module or major assemblies or programming. You can see some EV teardowns on Youtube.

66

You’re referring to the powertrain presumably. Indeed that part of an EV may not be diy’er friendly repair-wise. But Teslas still have a suspension system, struts, ball joints, steering column, door switches, window & lock mechanisms, and wheel bearings, headlamps, stop lamps, dash switches, A/C system, right? Seems like those could be diy repair items. But very few posts here.

Seems like even the drive-train electric motor bearings could be diy’er repaired i you knew how to do it. I replaced an electric motor bearing on my home A/C system, somewhat challenging, but diy’er doable imo.

67

I’m not sure someone with a $70-100,000 electric car is quite the target market for car talk. Now the lady raising goats and chickens with a 15 year old pick up the she named is more to be expected.

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68

Was wondering if that’s the reason, but Model 3’s are priced lower I think, on level with some mid-range Mercedes I’d guess, and we get diy’er posts here from Mercedes owners from time to time.

69

Weve had posts from owners of Mercedes and other expensive cars, frequently asking if/how they can cheap out by using regular gas instead of premium, or some maintenence practice like oil changes.

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70

Tesla says not to use a regular home generator-I suspect the output is too unregulated and “dirty,” perhaps with spikes that could cause damage. I am open to correction.

71

The BMW i3, no longer available new in the US, had an available accessory of a gasoline-fueled generator to be used if your battery were low. My understanding, though, is it only gave about 60 miles of charge.

72

I think DIY repairs of a Tesla or other fully electric vehicle are not common for several reasons. There are fewer poblems that occur but when they do they may require proprietary parts (at this time I can’t picture Auto Zone carrying an electric motor for a Tesla or a Leaf). Some of the problems are electronic, again needing a specialized part and perhaps special knowledge. There is no oil change or regular antifreeze replacement.

There are/will be mechanical problems like brakes and suspension that a DIY might be able to handle, but even with these the parts and techniques may be special.

The in-cabin air filter is relatively easy for a consumer to replace.

Tesla prices may not be as bad as you think, especially since the average new car price in the US is about $47,000 (KBB for June). The base Tesla Model 3 is $48,500 and the most expensive Model 3 is $63,000. There are few options and no dealer bargaining.

73

I’m not sure how those Model 3s are priced, but I see an incredible number of them on the road in my neck of the woods nowadays. On my typical 28 mile round-trip drive to Princeton, I usually see a minimum of ten Tesla Model 3s. For some reason, most of them are painted white, and they look pretty drab, IMHO.

74

Not true.
Most EVs use liquid coolant for the battery, motor and inverter.
Also oil for the gearbox.
All of which need periodic replacement.

There are lots of Teslas in my Wash. DC neighborhood.
After driving my BILs little Kia Niro I can see one reason why EVs are so popular to city dwellers.
The “throttle” response is instant and linear.
Just the thing for maneuvering in close quarters.

75

Yes, I am aware of the presence of battery coolant, but the manual (available at Tesla.com) says it does not have to be replaced normally; you are discouraged from opening the reservoir. The Tesla gearbox is not, ASFAIK a DIY project for most, at this time and is not mentioned as needing regular maintenance. Of course, brakes and tires are similar to most cars in terms of maintenance, and you even have to add windshield wiper fluid. Overall, EVs need far less attention to the mechanical aspects, as there are far fewer parts to be concerned about.

76

Now you add all these conditions and caveats.
I stand by my response to your original statement:

77

I know I will be jumped on, but I’ll say it anyway.

These EV’s are going to be an ecological disaster. This will be clear to even the most ardent supporters by the 10 year mark.

Time, not mileage, vehicle life:
For Tesla, the battery has an 8 year warranty meaning at 8 years you’ll have at least 70% capacity of a new battery. This also means the engineers are planning for that battery to fail in the 9 to 12 year range.

At that point, the battery (if even available) replacement cost will be uneconomical; the car goes to salvage and you have to buy another. How is this green?

A Tesla Model 3 costs 2x that of a Toyota Corolla and the Corolla can easily run for 20 to 30 years with proper care. For every Corolla that hits the landfill, you’ll send at least 2 Tesla’s.

I could go on, but I leave it at that.

Not against EV’s, my argument is we are building the cars before A LOT of other important issues have been solved…like where does the electricity come from…the materials for the battery come from mining…what do we do with spent batteries…etc…these questions/problems should be solved first and THEN we build the cars.

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78

How could you–or anyone else–know the replacement cost for that array of batteries in 9-12 years?

In case you never noticed, the price of technology consistently declines over the years. The examples that come to mind most readily are TVs and computers, but other electronic devices have also declined drastically in price over the years. Your argument is no more valid than those who say that the electrical grid is insufficient for the number of EVs that we will have in 5 years–without considering the current and planned improvements to the electrical grid that will take place over the next few years.

… or, as jtsanders pointed out a couple of days ago, they might come from discarded crustacean shells.

As time passes, it favors technology in terms of both scientific advancements and a drop in the costs.

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79

Replacement batteries are not “technology”, they are physical materials.

If, in 12 years, the materials that go into that battery go down in price, significantly, then you win.

Answer me this…how long will manufacturers be REQUIRED to stock battery packs?

Will today’s packs be exactly the same in 12 years?..of course not, so someone is going to have to stock MILLIONS of replacement battery packs as the years go by.

Family Stunned After Learning That Used Electric Ford Focus’ Batteries Cost More Than The Car Itself

Through further research, he later found out that batteries weren’t even available for the car. “So it didn’t matter.

An 8 year old EV, and Ford has already abandoned replacement batteries…

Another question: To go 100% EV, we need, at a minimum, a 40% increase in generation/delivery capacity. How long is that infrastructure build going to take and where does the electricity, roughly 1,141,800,000,000 kWh, come from?

Nuclear?
5,000,000kWh is typical output for 1 reactor

1,141,800,000,000/5,000,000 = YIKES!

PS. I’m actually working on a 20 year old car today…and a $22 part has it back on the road in perfect running condition.

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80

I’ll post an article later on but the grid and mining issue are not to be minimized. A horrendous amount of minerals need to mined in China and work performed by child labor. And the overall pollution from an electric is comparable to an ice all things consider. This is not about the planet, never has been.

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81

Depends on your abilities, facilities, and experience. These days, I check Youtube before starting a repair to see if I could be getting into something beyond my capabilities. And on some of those videos they are not always doing it right.