coolant leak motor?

[Leander]

If found some coolant dripping from the motor.

it comes from under the cover at te left side and becomes obvious when you put it on the kickstand after riding.
don't think this is normal, is it?

[Chocula]

No, that is not normal, it should not be leaking anything.  The location of the drip is the low point when the bike is on its side stand and likely not where the leak actually is.  Hopefully it is an externally accessible hose or something else quick and easy to repair.

[Leander]

I took a look behind the cover.

the fluid seems to come from between the seal and plastic ring where the cover attaches to at the location of the lower screw.
Could it be that that screw also works as a plug?

[Leander]

Leakage is still there it's small but non the less there shoundn't be one.

fluid has a yellow color, I think it's coolant.
unless there is some fluid used in the motor it self.
Anyone an idea if the motor itself runs in a fluid?

[Leander]

Bike is running again after the charger connector meltdown

But,there always is a but, now that I let the motor spin without the cover over the motor cabels, much more coolant is coming out, alot actually.

Did some one here already do a rebuilt of the motor (Parker GVM) it self?
I'm not afraid too, but would like to know where I'm getting into.

[nunux59]

Be careful that you will need to resync the motor encoder after removing the motor ! You need an IXXAT cable and the DVT or Brammo software to do it.

I  don't have IXXAT cable, this is what prevent me to try it. By the way if you do it, take la lot of pictures please !

[Leander]

Took the motor out and brought it to an electric motor repair company.
they are not familiar with this type of motor but know the Parker brand well.

they will fix the coolant leak and see if they can fix the internal temp sensor too (should be a spare inside according to the parker gvm info)

it'will cost a couple of hundred euro's...(labour)
but still much cheaper than an engine overhaul on my KTM 525:)

i'll keep you updated.

[jazz999]

That is cool that you can get it fixed like that.  Yes, keep us updated.

[Leander]

Good news but actually bad...

got a call today about the status of the motor.

Leak is fixed, just a damaged O-ring.
Sensor is recallibrated, they figured out how with the info I supplied them and that I in turn got from you lovely lot.

but, yes that one, Apperantly the resistance between the stator and the motor housing is just 0.5 Ohm witch means if the motor is runnig and someone touches it... Bad news!
this is something they discovered while testing it with the right equiptment.

Parker apparently isn't very helpfull. We as a forum have more info on the motor than parker would be willing to share.

so how do I proceed?
give up on my Empulse?
source an other motor or donor empulse?
put a new stator in if they even exist?
just put the motor back in the bike and hope for the best?
put a complete new different motor in or even a complete new drive train?

I would really hate to loose the bike.

[jazz999]

Yikes that is indeed bad news.   It would be a hard choice to give up on the Empulse but we need options for these kinds of things.  Thanks for the update and sorry

[siai47]

Might just be "wet" windings giving you a ground fault.  As the motor housing is grounded to the frame and the fault is internal shouldn't be a problem---from a shock standpoint.  I would run the bike and hopefully the heat generated in the motor will finally dry the motor windings out.  It could cause a winding failure but beyond that what do you have to lose.  If it gets bad enough, the inverter should sense the problem, set a code and possibly shut it down. 

[Leander]

that's my current reasoning too.

the repair shop put the motor in the oven for drying but that didn't help enough.
stator is complete encased in resin.
the shop is going to try to get some info from parker about this.

motor ran okay though when testing it after the intial repair and encoder realingment.

[Leander]

I've been to the repair shop today and discussed what we could do.

1. take it home as is (disassembled) and pay less.
2. let it be assembled with the leakage fixed but propably danger of electrocution but pay more and hope for the best.
3. rewind it at own risk but then the price will be at the same level of a new motor.

so...
ruling option 3 out.
1 means the end of the bike unless I can find a affordable replacement.
2 change of failure and more broken parts or in extremis death.

[siai47]

Just run it if it will.  There is no cause for alarm about electrocution from an insulation problem in a motor stator winding.  The motor housing is grounded and if a stator winding faults solidly to ground it will be within the motor internally.  This will likely shut down other things to disable the bike.  Also, although there is high current in the drive system, unless you short something (like a wrench or something) across the battery terminals there is little to worry about.  The voltage is DC and low enough that it isn't going to kill you.  I some cases you might not even be aware that you came in contact with the battery voltage.  Not saying that you should try it, but the system voltage is pretty low.

[Leander]

Got the motor back today.
will try to put it in this weekend.
fingers crossed.