Repairing a Flooded Tesla Model S : HOW-TO

[Saghost]

I find Elon's tweet interesting: Elon Musk on Twitter
"Drive units and battery are sealed"

I though there was a breather hole on top of the motor, as mentioned many times on this thread.

It seems quite clear from the experiences in this thread and a couple others that the early Model S has vent holes in the top on both.

It seems unlikely to me that Elon would make a mistake in this sort of matter and push it out to the whole world.

At this point, my guess is that at some point after 2013 Tesla changed the design to fully seal those components.

 

[e-FTW]

Even if that is true, this is being picked up and interpreted in different uninformed ways. We will definitely see more flooded Teslas, and those of the older vintages might lose their DU in the process.

 

[Ingineer]

I can assure you, they have not changed the design, at least not on the large rear motor. It's definitely open on top. If the top doesn't get wet, you'll be ok.

On this weeks EVTV Jack shows another drive unit that got water in it, he tried to power it up and it exploded.

 

[JRP3]

I can assure you, they have not changed the design, at least not on the large rear motor. It's definitely open on top.

How difficult would it be to fix that? Would a simple one way breather cap fix it?

 

[brkaus]

How difficult would it be to fix that? Would a simple one way breather cap fix it?

It would appear that a Gore-Tex vent would solve the problem.

 

[Ingineer]

Yes, the GoreTex plug would be easy for Tesla to use.

 

[AntiFish03]

@Btr_ftw I signed up just to be able to say awesome work! Super informational.

 

[Saghost]

Yes, the GoreTex plug would be easy for Tesla to use.

Is this practical for individual users to retrofit onto their cars?

 

[Ingineer]

I think it would take some machine work. The existing vent just snaps into the top, whereas most of the gore plugs I've seen are threaded.

I suppose you could JB Weld it.

 

[fabi]

Video of Tesla Model S swimming sparks Musk to reveal submarine car as "side project"

 

[^DJ^]

What is the purpose of this vent? How much air goes through it? Does a GoreTex plug have the necessary capacity for this use? What temperatures can it handle?

 

[^DJ^]

Fantastic thread by the way

 

[Saghost]

What is the purpose of this vent? How much air goes through it? Does a GoreTex plug have the necessary capacity for this use? What temperatures can it handle?

My *assumption* is that these vents exist for the same purpose as vents on most other electronics and mechanical assemblies - to equalize the pressure inside the box with outside so that changes in temperature and altitude don't apply loads to the seals.

If that is the case, the flow through these vents should be very minimal, just enough to keep up with environment changes.

 

[SPXMike]

Also Gore-Tex has an extremely wide usable temperature range - far outside anything the car would be expected to see.

 

[Btr_ftw]

UPDATE

oh yeah. here is how the pack was moved by the way, only time someone showed up was to ask what the HELL I was doing.

Pulled out the pack from under the car using a come along, and backed up the trailer right in front of it, used a jack to jack up the pack and a come along to pull it onto the trailer, ton of work by yourself but I managed it

 

[JRP3]

ton of work by yourself but I managed it

Well done, but, closer to a half ton of work

 

[Btr_ftw]

Well done, but, closer to a half ton of work

 

[pedriscoll]

Just had to bump this thread back to the first page! Anxiously awaiting the next installment.

 

[Btr_ftw]

UPDATE

Welp, as you may have noticed my updates have slowed down to a crawl, mostly because I'm so busy with other things AS MY INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS WOULD KNOW but I digress, a few local people have reached out to me for assistance with their Teslas and I've been so busy selling off parts and meeting up with other potential Tesla owners to give them advice on things I havent really had the chance to work on my own.......

Anyway.... I got the shell on the trailer by backing the trailer right up to the car on jackstands, then using a winch to drag it onto the bed.

of course i'm making it sound far FAR easier than it actually was, but it was still refreshing to get the shell out of the tow yard, getting it onto the trailer was the easy part, getting it off will be the challenge, plus... where is it going to go? wife says no freaking way is that thing going to the house and she isn't losing her garage space sooooooooo......

 

[TMobe]

UPDATE

Welp, as you may have noticed my updates have slowed down to a crawl, mostly because I'm so busy with other things AS MY INSTAGRAM FOLLOWERS WOULD KNOW but I digress, a few local people have reached out to me for assistance with their Teslas and I've been so busy selling off parts and meeting up with other potential Tesla owners to give them advice on things I havent really had the chance to work on my own.......

Anyway.... I got the shell on the trailer by backing the trailer right up to the car on jackstands, then using a winch to drag it onto the bed.

of course i'm making it sound far FAR easier than it actually was, but it was still refreshing to get the shell out of the tow yard, getting it onto the trailer was the easy part, getting it off will be the challenge, plus... where is it going to go? wife says no freaking way is that thing going to the house and she isn't losing her garage space sooooooooo......

I thought the shell was sold and went away 2 weeks ago from the post pic on Instagram?