Step 11: Mounting Spacer and Adaptor

Description: Attaching The spacer and the adaptor plate to the electric motor.

Tools Needed: Allen ratchets, torque wrench, red loctite.

Estimated Time: Open

Caveats: Got a rear shaft?

Purpose of this step: The electric engine needs to be attached to the engine in much the same way the old motor was. It sits in front of the transmission, on the old motor mount and the adaptor allows you to to attach it to the transmission. The spacer gives you the correct distance (the electric engine is a bit shorter in length) so that the transmission still sits in the same place it did before.

Above is the front of the engine and the spacer. The crate that the engine came in is different than the one for the ADC, so you have to use your imagination a bit when deciding how to move the engine around on the crate to work on it. You basically need to turn it upside down when doing this (which I assume will have a reason later). You then attach the spacer.

It fit snugly on the engine with some gentle tapping from my rubber mallet. You can then screw it in using the allen cap screws provided with the kit. Before you put them on, though, you put a little red loctite on them.
This is some kind of goop that keeps the screws in there tight. There is also a blue loctite (don't be fooled by the blue bottle - this is red), which is not as strong. I don't know when you'd use the blue.

The bolts are put in using a torque wrench to prevent overtightening. This is my first time using one and it was fun. I got one that you set in advance, so you can feel it slip when you get to the desired torque (in this case 35 ft. lbs.).

The next thing they ask you to do is put the motor key in the slot on the shaft.

This is a bit of a problem. The slot or groove on the shaft is curved in the back. I assume the ADC groove was a straight cut, so the motor key, which is a little piece of rectangular metal that comes with the kit, doesn't go all the way back into the curved groove and juts out a bit. I discovered later that this is a problem when attaching the hub, which needs to be flush on the shaft. I have e-mailed Electro Automotive about it (I'm not holding my breath for a reply). I'm considering just sawing off the excess, but if they have a better remedy, I'll wait.
*Note: I address the motor key issue in Step 13, when I attach the hub and flywheel.





Now it's time for the the adaptor plate to be attached. The EA instructions say to mount this with the "flat edges of the plate should be on bottom and to the left when viewed from the drive end of the motor." This tested all of my spatial coordination and I found myself still lacking. Eventually, I held the adaptor to the transmission and I think I was able to establish witch way it should fit on the engine by matching the adaptor plate to the transmission. This is attached using some flathead bolts and red loctite, with the same 35 lb torque.

I hope this is correct, but I suppose I'll find out eventually.

***This is where I was originally held up. I was going to have the flywheel and clutch attachment as part of this step, but you can see that at step 13 and 14. While waiting, I did the rear suspension in step 12, but you can hold off on that until after steps 13 and 14 if you want.