Repairing a Flooded Tesla Model S : HOW-TO

[Ingineer]

not much progress last night, but for the heck of it I decided to check the fuses, turns out of all the fuses only one is blown. Its the 30A fuse that handles the exterior and interior lighting... interesting

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one of the codes thrown by the car was the "service heater" code. It looks like the water line reached that as well. *SIGH* this does not look pleasant to remove. I'd like to avoid pulling the dash if possible.

Pull the glovebox, the passenger knee airbag and the crossmember below the glovebox and the heater slides right out. You can unsnap the cover and take off the 2 HV wires, but check voltage first. Tape them up really good or disconnect the other end (DC-DC converter in the passenger wheel well behind the splash cover).

I found general corrosion in here and damage to one thermistor on one of my flood cars.

The battery is an integral stress member of the chassis, that's why it is bolted in so well. It will stay up in the car with only 4 bolts, so leaving all the rocker bolts in is more than adequate for static loads, just don't drive the car like that.

It should be possible to slide the battery out sideways, but you will need 4 jacks. Yes, the suspension crossmember (subframe) can support the car, especially w/o the weight of the pack!

You will need to rather evenly jack up all 4 corners if you are going for the side exit. If you drop the DU first and disengage the 2 rapidmate connectors in the back, you could do a 2-jack tilt to the passenger side and bring the pack out the driver's side, but don't do it the other way, or you'll likely break the front coolant quick-connects.

If I were you, I'd pull the DU first, get it out of the way. You absolutely need to do this anyway, then the pack will be easier.

The first thing I did on my flood cars is pull the interior, I gutted it bare. Then the DU.

Unfortunately there is a thick pad on the firewall behind the dash that is a nice sponge. It must be removed in your car or it's stinky swamp mold city. The sooner the better. The bad news is it's hard to take out. If you don't want to discharge the A/C system, you have to cut it, but it is do-able. Until then your car will always be a stink humid mess!

 

[Btr_ftw]

Pull the glovebox, the passenger knee airbag and the crossmember below the glovebox and the heater slides right out. You can unsnap the cover and take off the 2 HV wires, but check voltage first. Tape them up really good or disconnect the other end (DC-DC converter in the passenger wheel well behind the splash cover).

I found general corrosion in here and damage to one thermistor on one of my flood cars.

The battery is an integral stress member of the chassis, that's why it is bolted in so well. It will stay up in the car with only 4 bolts, so leaving all the rocker bolts in is more than adequate for static loads, just don't drive the car like that.

It should be possible to slide the battery out sideways, but you will need 4 jacks. Yes, the suspension crossmember (subframe) can support the car, especially w/o the weight of the pack!

You will need to rather evenly jack up all 4 corners if you are going for the side exit. If you drop the DU first and disengage the 2 rapidmate connectors in the back, you could do a 2-jack tilt to the passenger side and bring the pack out the driver's side, but don't do it the other way, or you'll likely break the front coolant quick-connects.

If I were you, I'd pull the DU first, get it out of the way. You absolutely need to do this anyway, then the pack will be easier.

The first thing I did on my flood cars is pull the interior, I gutted it bare. Then the DU.

Unfortunately there is a thick pad on the firewall behind the dash that is a nice sponge. It must be removed in your car or it's stinky swamp mold city. The sooner the better. The bad news is it's hard to take out. If you don't want to discharge the A/C system, you have to cut it, but it is do-able. Until then your car will always be a stink humid mess!

Yes, DU first. Since my flood levels were not that high, perhaps I can get away with cutting the sponge up to the flood level behind the dash. Were knee airbags standard on all models?

What did you do about the explosives for the seatbelt tensioners? did you replace?

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I have been following this thread with increasing interest. I really like Btr's attitude and desire to accept a challenge. Even if restoring the car ultimately does not succeed, the pursuit of this quest is admirable. Btr, your are a brave man. I wish you the best of luck in this endeavor, and will continue to follow...

Thank you my friend

 

[Quantum`]

Hm, sounds alot like Ingineer repairs and sells these flood cars...
Note to self: Don't buy a Bay Area car. Doubtless the wiring harness is not replaced.

Also, Ingineer describes as "the right tools" to open the battery pack when ppl ask him specifically what. I suggest a long, thin-gauge cable-saw. Maybe better would be heating the glued areas to 165 first and a stiff putty knife; a long-handled one for the center after the sides are open. The adhesive appears to be stronger than silicone, probably a body panel adhesive like Lord Fusor 2098, as is used in structural members of the MS. This would make sense to add structural rigidity.

A guy on eBat repairs the seatbelts, pretty cheap.

 

[Ingineer]

Hm, sounds alot like Ingineer repairs and sells these flood cars...

I haven't sold any cars to people I don't know. Also, I'm completely up-front with all the car's history. It should also be evident that I take pride in my work and am not just pawning off junk. In fact, My wife drives one of the restored cars every day.

 

[Gizmotoy]

I haven't sold any cars to people I don't know. Also, I'm completely up-front with all the car's history. It should also be evident that I take pride in my work and am not just pawning off junk. In fact, My wife drives one of the restored cars every day.

Sounds fun. If you could ever use some help from a guy who enjoys wrenching on cars and has a background in the digital part of electrical engineering, let me know!

 

[Ingineer]

Tomorrow I start work on another salvage car for a friend. I'll try to take more pix this time.

 

[kwjayhawk]

I wish I was 10% as smart as Ingineer and FTR. I admire your go get 'em abilities.

 

[cman8]

heres a pack if you need one.

 

[apacheguy]

@Ingineer - How many Tesla packs have you opened up? Can you comment on the differences between hardware revisions?

 

[Ingineer]

I haven't yet had any recent packs apart. So far all are almost all the same. I'm itching to look at a Ludicrous fuse system!

 

[brantse]

heres a pack if you need one.

Wow... I'm surprised wk hasn't grabbed this already.

 

[Btr_ftw]

heres a pack if you need one.

Hes been slowly dropping the price. That started at 11k

 

[scaesare]

Hes been slowly dropping the price. That started at 11k

You've been keeping an eye out for replacement packs...

I am Jack's complete lack of surprise. :wink:

Should you end up having to go the pack-replacement route, I'm very curious as to what the inside of your current one looks like.

That having been said, a pack repair attempt would be interesting as well...

Again, great thread my man...

 

[Btr_ftw]

You've been keeping an eye out for replacement packs...

I am Jack's complete lack of surprise. :wink:

Should you end up having to go the pack-replacement route, I'm very curious as to what the inside of your current one looks like.

That having been said, a pack repair attempt would be interesting as well...

Again, great thread my man...

If I have to open it up, trust me, you'll see the inside.

 

[green1]

heres a pack if you need one.

What a shame I'm not ready for such a project, that pack is practically next door to me!

 

[Btr_ftw]

UPDATE


Spent about an hour last night removing the junction box, boy what a royal PITA. It should be an easy process however there is so much salt and corrosion (literally looks like road salt) that removing the quick connectors required soaking in wd40 and pbblaster and whacking with a rubber mallet about 20 times.

Take a look at the residue left behind by the standing water sitting in the junction box. It looks like kitty litter.

 

[ArtInCT]

Holy Moly that residue is INSANE! Hard to imagine that much mineral content in the water... Sheesh....

 

[Btr_ftw]

Holy Moly that residue is INSANE! Hard to imagine that much mineral content in the water... Sheesh....

That's what I'm saying. Its definitely SUPER SALTWATER

 

[scaesare]

UPDATE


Spent about an hour last night ... whacking [connections] with a rubber mallet about 20 times.

Well, I hope at least that part was therapeutic.

 

[AudubonB]

What the GreatSaltLake??????


Would you be able to scrape about a tablespoon of that and see if you can dissolve it in about a half-cup of water? I'm wondering if all of that is marine evaporates, or something else.