Roadster Rear Blower Maintenance

[m0rph]

In this blog post (Teslamotors, January 2012) I found following information:

New options and enhanced features of the updated Roadster include:

• Exclusive encore colors - Cosmic Black, Galactic Gray and Magma Orange - with new, complimentary interior colors
• A rear snow cover and improved motor and inverter systems for even better performance in snow and ice
• Improved air conditioning for driver comfort in the hottest months
• Xenon headlamps ideal for rural night driving
• Enhanced front windscreen seals to make the cabin even quieter
• Two new Mobile Connectors available for charging in Europe and Japan
  • The Tesla IEC Type 2 (Mennekes) Mobile Connector enables charging from Type 2 stations and outlets, the most common EV charging infrastructure in Europe
  • The J1772 Mobile Connector enables charging from a developing infrastructure of public J1772 charge stations in Japan

Updated Roadsters are available now in Europe, Asia and Australia, while they last.

As I own a late model (produced November 2011), I should have one of the "updated Roadsters". I will have a look under the car to see if I can locate that "rear snow cover".

 

[Mark77a]

I just had my car serviced. (VERY VERY impressed by Tesla SC see post about that HERE > on UK's speakev.com First Service - Like the car, Refreshing ! | Speak EV - Electric Car Forums

I specifically asked them to check cooling system (including motor fins) .... look what they found blocking the motor cooling fins ! > [Thanks Sam].

Before:

After: (I'm amazed I didn't get more over heating .. mustn't have been trying hard enough :wink

So now the cooling system IS clean on goes a replaceable, large area, high flow, filter between wheel arches and fan Plenum chamber.
I'm using stuff 'naturalaire' used for air conditioning systems (iirc about $4 from Publix supermarkets, I got several sheets on recent trip to USA)

close up ... its a large mesh material (little flow restriction).

The 'Plan' is to make an attachment to mount this so it can be easily cleaned / replaced.
Stay tuned.

 

[hcsharp]

I just had my car serviced. (VERY VERY impressed by Tesla SC see post about that HERE > on UK's speakev.com First Service - Like the car, Refreshing ! | Speak EV - Electric Car Forums

I specifically asked them to check cooling system (including motor fins) .... look what they found blocking the motor cooling fins ! > [Thanks Sam].

Before:
View attachment 81844

The 'Plan' is to make an attachment to mount this so it can be easily cleaned / replaced.
Stay tuned.

I cleaned my motor cooling system yesterday. Believe it or not, it looked worse than yours! And mine was cleaned a year ago. My blower and cooling system was so blocked up that I blew a 20A fuse to the blower.

I'm really glad you posted the Natural Aire filter material. I used a different material but looks very similar. Unfortunately it was totally unsuitable. The bending and stitching I did at the corners caused it to disintegrate and the stuff made a real mess. I'll start over with the material you used. Thank you for posting about all this.

 

[Chillout]

omg hcsharp and mark77a... That's horrific. I can't imagine there was a moment in designing the Roadster where one of the technicians said: "Hey this is how we're gonna do this; let's make this engine suck the most nastiest dirty stuff. At least we're trying to make this world a cleaner place!"

 

[bart513]

Mark77a,
I'll be waiting to hear how your new system works. It's inexpensive and hopefully won't get the same "mess" Henry got on his mod.

 

[Mark77a]

I cleaned my motor cooling system yesterday. Believe it or not, it looked worse than yours! And mine was cleaned a year ago. My blower and cooling system was so blocked up that I blew a 20A fuse to the blower.

I'm really glad you posted the Natural Aire filter material. I used a different material but looks very similar. Unfortunately it was totally unsuitable. The bending and stitching I did at the corners caused it to disintegrate and the stuff made a real mess. I'll start over with the material you used. Thank you for posting about all this.

WoW ! and Thanks Henry, I'm planning to do it this week - weather permitting. The square mesh on the filter material looks like it would stop the fans eating the mesh... provided its on the inside towards the fans.

I'd love to see a step by step guide to removing (and replacing) a PEM (usual warnings/responsibilities accepted ) iirc I cant remember seeing a full 'how-to' on TMC.

- - - Updated - - -

omg hcsharp and mark77a... That's horrific. I can't imagine there was a moment in designing the Roadster where one of the technicians said: "Hey this is how we're gonna do this; let's make this engine suck the most nastiest dirty stuff. At least we're trying to make this world a cleaner place!"

Yet upto c1996 Porsche 911's sucked too

 

[PV4EV]

I'd love to see a step by step guide to removing (and replacing) a PEM (usual warnings/responsibilities accepted ) iirc I cant remember seeing a full 'how-to' on TMC.

[/COLOR]

I think you might be referring to a PEM maintenance thread started by Wiztecy in 2014, shown below. Some excellent hints and tips. I miss his input on the Roadster forum. He had a lot of accumulated knowledge :-(


Did my own annual Maintenance found my lower blower shroud broken before removing it.

 

[Chillout]

I think you might be referring to a PEM maintenance thread started by Wiztecy in 2014, shown below. Some excellent hints and tips. I miss his input on the Roadster forum. He had a lot of accumulated knowledge :-(

I agree... :crying:


My car is in for service today, because of heat problems. There was another Roadster in for maintenance, having the same issues. The service guy reffered to it as: "it's like a vacuum cleaner with a filled bag... then it doesn't work as good as it should"

 

[dpeilow]

Interested to see how you get on, as I've been seeing a few temperature warnings lately with >130C temps on the motor and I wasn't exactly doing racetrack speeds.

 

[Mark77a]

I think you might be referring to a PEM maintenance thread started by Wiztecy in 2014, shown below. Some excellent hints and tips. I miss his input on the Roadster forum. He had a lot of accumulated knowledge :-(


Did my own annual Maintenance found my lower blower shroud broken before removing it.

Thanks Arch - Missed that. Pity pix show 1.5 which has a different PEM - the mechanical aspects wouldn't scare me, but disconnecting cables does .... in the right order (ie without frying any electronics, software .............or myself )

Agreed really Miss Wiztecy ;-( huge positive contributor - If you are reading this DO come back.

 

[mgemmell]

Hi all

Great to see the ideas as to how to get cool clean air down into the PEM and motor. If I were willing to sacrifice boot space a little I'm sure I could get good volumes of air down from under the aileron to the fan intake. However I'm just not up to changing (ie. destroying) any visible body panels. By the way we did remove the black plastic fins so as not to block air entry.

@ Mark77a... I'm itching to do the PEM cleaning myself too. My Roadster is needing its 4th service (PEM going into power limit mode all the time) and I'm getting hit with a €2000 estimate from Aix-en Provence for a ranger visit (last year and previous years it was just €800).

I downloaded the service manual pages that describe how to clean the 2.5 PEM (have you all seen you that can get these? glad to share with anyone interested). The only thing I need is the PIN to get into service mode, or the balls to pull the master fuse!

Anyone got the PIN? Please PM me it if possible. In return you will get infinite wine and jamon iberico when you come to stay

Once it is cleaned I am definitely putting a fitted cloth sock around the fans... It will be infinitely better to remove and clean THAT every few months than the PEM!

 

[n2mb_racing]

Can you send me the service manual? Thanks!

 

[Chillout]

you've got a PM

 

[hcsharp]

Hi all

Great to see the ideas as to how to get cool clean air down into the PEM and motor. If I were willing to sacrifice boot space a little I'm sure I could get good volumes of air down from under the aileron to the fan intake. However I'm just not up to changing (ie. destroying) any visible body panels. By the way we did remove the black plastic fins so as not to block air entry.

Black plastic fins? Not sure what you mean. Where are the fins? A better intake up high would be nice. There's plenty of room for a filter install around the fans. I picked up some of the Natural Aire high-flow filter material yesterday for this project.

 

[n2mb_racing]

Can you send it to me too?

you've got a PM

 

[mgemmell]

I'm getting ready to do this PEM cleaning... best wait until the Model S is back from the Service Centre at Aix (12V problem) or I could run out of working Teslas, and thats not worth contemplating.

I think with this info (+ a multimeter and some rubber gloves) I can do this!

@hcsharp: Black plastic fins... Yeah I didn't name them very well... The air intakes have black plastic inserts that have slots cut in them to let some air through into the PEM area. When we attached the ducting hose to the driver side one I figured it was best to cut the plastic so that more air would get through to the ducting. Referring to the photos in my post a few weeks ago about drilling the Roadster might clarify what I am trying to say.

As for a copy of the manuals... I accessed them at Welcome | Tesla Service and paid for a 24h login using my UK address (certain countries are allowed access due to laws that force Tesla to permit this) but the manuals are rather difficult to download as they are in a format that is made to complicate copying them. I took the sections that I most wanted (PEM cleaning) but they are not as pretty to look at (kind of raw html) but there are a lot of PDF Service Documents if you would like those.

 

[n2mb_racing]

Yes, please share whatever you have. In most of the US, Tesla isn't required to provide us with anything, unfortunately.

Thanks to all of you who supplied me with the PIN. Fantastic!

I'm getting ready to do this PEM cleaning... best wait until the Model S is back from the Service Centre at Aix (12V problem) or I could run out of working Teslas, and thats not worth contemplating.

I think with this info (+ a multimeter and some rubber gloves) I can do this!

@hcsharp: Black plastic fins... Yeah I didn't name them very well... The air intakes have black plastic inserts that have slots cut in them to let some air through into the PEM area. When we attached the ducting hose to the driver side one I figured it was best to cut the plastic so that more air would get through to the ducting. Referring to the photos in my post a few weeks ago about drilling the Roadster might clarify what I am trying to say.

As for a copy of the manuals... I accessed them at Welcome | Tesla Service and paid for a 24h login using my UK address (certain countries are allowed access due to laws that force Tesla to permit this) but the manuals are rather difficult to download as they are in a format that is made to complicate copying them. I took the sections that I most wanted (PEM cleaning) but they are not as pretty to look at (kind of raw html) but there are a lot of PDF Service Documents if you would like those.

 

[Mark77a]

Instructions: How to fit high flow filters between wheel arches and fan chamber

Mark77a,
I'll be waiting to hear how your new system works. It's inexpensive and hopefully won't get the same "mess" Henry got on his mod.

Here are the notes and pix: (see pix for dimensions)

Materials / Parts Needed:

• 1 sheet Galvanised Wire mesh - with 12.7mm / 1/2" square and 0.8mm wire £4 / $6 (wickes UK)
• 1 Sheet NaturalAire - Easy flow Home air conditioning filter approx $4 iirc / £3 (publix - USA)
• 8 'penny washers' ( zinc plated or stainless Steel) 25mm OD x 5.5mm ID
• 4 M5 Nuts ( zinc plated or stainless Steel)
• 4 12mm / 1/2" csk Self tapping screws
• about 12 100mm / 4" Black tie-wraps

Tools

• Cutters for wire mesh (or old scissors)
• Pliers for bending over sharp wires (eg where anti-roll bar goes thro')
• Scissors for Filter & cutting tie-wraps
• 8mm spanner for M5 nuts
• Pozi-drive screwdriver for Self tappers
• Gloves - if, unlike me, you have a good manicure
• Jack and wheel nut spanner to remove Rear wheels.

Time: 2 to 3 hours

I made templates in cardboard for the sizes (but you dont need to see template drawing below)

Here is the drawing - yep symmetrical LH & RH

1. Draw out (One) template eg on Cardboard - Use opposite sides for LHS & RHS .. (or cut 2)

2. Use template to cut out Wire mesh

3. Use template to cut out NaturalAire filter -it is pretty compressible, so cut to either the same size as the template/mesh or slightly over (say 6mm / 1/4" all round)

4. Bend wire mesh into position - see pictureS for bend details and fix with penny washers, nuts & self tappers (wheel arch is only a liner at the back - so no, you wont have screw thread thro rear bumber (fender) :tongue: ) the M5 Nuts fit on existing threads or bolts holding the rear diffuser/undertray

5. Fix with 1 tie-wrap (thro existing hole in rear subframe), 4 penny washers, 2 self tappers, and 2 M5 nuts .... as shown below .. see where edges line up ..

6. This would keep out leaves and stones, but for the full 'Vacuum cleaner filter' now add NaturalAire filter. Note: put the filter backing side, with its own mesh inwards - to avoid bits of filter being sucked in ...The filter material almost stays put in the curve of the wire mesh, on its own.... so it only needs about 5 tie-wraps plus, on bottom LHS and RHS (of each side), a small edge of underlying wire mesh can be bent round to grip the filter (I wondered about doing this all round - but didn't to avoid more cuts from sharp wire ends PLUS when changing / if changing the filters, the wire mesh might fatigue and no longer grip) SO tie-wraps are the simple, cheap solution .. splash out and use new ones if/when filter material is changed ! :biggrin:

Finally cut neat the ends of the tie wraps (done after this pic).

This is cheap, light, easy (and is at least as secure as the Tesla/Lotus fitted front wheel arch liners )

 

[mgemmell]

Fantastic work Mark!

No error messages or anything right? It should in theory reduce the air flow to the fans a bit, but I'm sure not by much.

 

[Mark77a]

Fantastic work Mark!

No error messages or anything right? It should in theory reduce the air flow to the fans a bit, but I'm sure not by much.

not yet .. its not very dense filter material - easy see thro' and as the areas per side are almost 14 x the fan intake area per side - I doublt it will be a problem.
Mind you, I didn't put filters on the rear vent slots as they are well inboard, and facing backwards... just in case ;-)