₦airaland Forum

Showing the locations of the blower fans(Rx400h).

The blower fan for a hybrid rx400h inspection.
Its pretty much clean, and no need for servicing it.

A Camry hybrid blower fan motor.
Notice the dust on the exit plumbing, and on the fan blower.

INTRODUCTION
One of the major killers of any battery, especially, high voltage(HV) batteries, is HEAT.

Major manufacturers around the world, that have ventured into hybrid and electric vehicle technology, have always being faced with the challenges of how to improved on BATTERY RANGE, and CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE (applicable to battery electric vehicles only), and whilst full or semi hybrid vehicles often tines, ponders on the most fuel efficient, small engines (ICE) to used on their various platforms.

But because of the future lawsuits that may occur as a result of unreliable battery technology, as a result of the tremendous amount of heat generated by these vehicles during driving, and regenerative purposes, manufacturers of HV batteries, in liaison with auto manufacturers of these vehicles, have designed, tested, and developed various COOLING METHODOLOGIES to cool these batteries, and avoid legal ramifications in cases where those batteries prematurely degenerates, and causes safety concerns to occupants of whatever vehicle.

Its with the above scenario in place, that, though, depending on the type of battery chemistry used by any of the major car brands, a combination of one or both cooling methods are employed.

1. AIR COOLED. Just as its applicable on conventional vehicles, for instance, VW beetles those days were using only ambient air to helped cook its engines.

For the Toyota synergy drive system(TSD), the air cooling system was chosen to help with the cooling of the HV battery.

This was chosen, considering the less severe nature of NIMH(nickel metal chemistry).

This system uses a blower 12V electric motor, with different fan speeds to helped cool the HV battery.

Cool air from the interior of the car, via the electric AC system, is sucked to helped cool down the temperature of the modules, depending on the heat status of the battery.

2. WATER AND AIR COOLED. This system combines both air and water in cooling a HV battery.

Example of this system is what is obtainable in Tesla vehicles, Chevrolet, and Ford fusion.
Water air cooling is mostly used because of the huge safety concerns that Lithium ion battery packs could posed, when there's insufficient heat transfers, these batteries are capable of exploding.


SO HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR BATTERY COOLING EFFICIENTLY?
1. Have a scheduled maintenance regiment in place to clean the blower fan.

Some of the hybrid vehicles I have worked on over here in Nigeria, and those imported from the USA, had a lot of dog/cat furs and dust stuck in their blower fan blades.

This prevents efficient air movements through the plumbing of the fans, and hence over and under the pack; and "kills" the bearings of the motors.

2. Always insists that the blower fans are properly cleaned up, before installing a brand new or used HV battery pack in your vehicle.

Doing this, would ensured that your new pack wouldn't die prematurely, just in case it was the root cause of a previous replacement.

3. Ensure the cooling system plumbing are properly fitted well, after every blower/battery service.

4. Do not block the blower fan inlet with passengers sitting at the rear.

5. Don't stuck grocery stuffs, and all that at the rear of the seats, to cover airflow


CONCLUSION
It pays to on your parts, helped prolonged the lifespan of your HV battery by at least getting the power fan cleaned at schedule, than to spends hundreds of thousands of dollars on HV battery purchase.




PS:
Driving your car without the AC system working, is as good as getting prepared for another HV battery, just in case you think that consumes fuel.

Your car's AC system does not run off of your engine, but from the hybrid battery.

So you that "thing", to the fullest guys!






Regards,
Joseph
DW Nig Ltd
Isolo,
Lagos
08066643532
www.dxta.com.ng

@Arantess. That stuff too would work, as long as its stated in there on its application.

I really appreciate your inputs. Thanks a thousand.

A piece of toilet tissue to help with the cleaning. Should a clean one

Pls only use this stuff for cleaning the MAF sensor, and not a carb/injector cleaner.
Works wonders.
I used it on some of my circuit boards.

An electronic cleaner

An already cleaned MAF sensor, ready for installation.

That needle like thing is what is called the thermistor. That's what the yellow arrow is pointing at. Pls do not use tour hands to touch that portion of the sensor.

That's how a clogged MAF sensor looks like.
When its clogged this way, the thermistor in the sensor can't send correct signals to the ECU for informed decisions.

Unplugging the MAF sensor connector from the sensor

Picture of the MAF sensor, and the airflow assembly shown

INTRODUCTION
The MAF sensor, just like other sensors embedded in your car's engine, etc, works like your body's "thermometer".

When your body feels its catching lots of cold, your brain automatically tells you to adopt countermeasures against the cold, by putting on warmth providing clothing, in order to help your body's mechanism work properly.

A car's mass airflow sensor, does almost similar functions, as your body's" thermometer ".

It measures the amount of outside air coming into the manifold (engine), and uses this information, to compared to an existing standard in the car's ECU.

That way, the MAF sensor collaborates with the ECU, and a host of other sensors, in determining the appropriate air-fuel mix ratios needed by the engine.

SO WHAT HAPPENS IF THE MAF IS WORKING OUTSIDE ITS STANDARD NORM?
Some of the problems you'd notice when the sensor misbehaves, are;

* vehicle may stall

*in some cases, excessive fuel consumption can be noticed with black smoke from the exhaust

* misfiring, and in some cases, hard start.

*lack of power when accelerating

While some of these symptoms may vary from vehicle to vehicle, it's important you get these few symptoms handy.

Its not just getting abreast with these symptoms, or any other, that's the problem.

The KOKO now is how do you know the problem (s) with your car is related to the MAF, and how to go about fixing it.

Well, its not that difficult trying to figure this out.

First things first.
1. Identify what sort of symptoms you're battling with, and see if some of them compares/matches with the symptoms above.

2. If you're a car owner, and a sort of an enthusiast, you could get one of the Chinese made Bluetooth code reader, or any handheld code reader.

I like clients with code readers.
We tend to share ideas together, as regards their vehicle fixes.

3. Go retrieved the code(s) straightaway!
a) plug in your code reader's connector to the obd2 link, before turning on the ignition system.

b) in order not to drain or run down your 12V battery(just in case the radiator fan has being connected directly), you could retrieved the codes, while you idle the engine.

NOW YOU'VE RETRIEVED THE CODE(S), WHAT NEXT?!
The common mistakes people make is to immediately order for a replacement sensor, without actually studying the code.

You might be temporarily successful with the fix, but I bet the problem would still return.

HERE'S HOW I DID FIXED A P0101: MAF sensor performance malfunction.

I would be comparing two brands and what experiences I got.

1. 2006 HYBRID HIGHLANDER
Symptom here was a rough idle.
Operational environment, was Awoyaya area of Lagos state.

Interpreting Toyotas definition of "severe" operating environment, I'd classify this vehicle as such.

2. 2005 NISSAN INFINITI M45.
Symptoms noticed were excessive black smoke from exhaust tailpipe(of course this translates to poor MPG); terrible loss of power when trying to overtake or when more power demands is required.

FOR THE TOYOTA?!
From already seeing the condition of the engine, and how dusty it was, I already knew the problem of the car 100% might be related to clogged MAF sensor.

There was just nothing to suggests rodents infestations of the wiring harnesses of the car, and all that.

¶ the air box assembly was removed for inspections.

The air filter was terribly dusty, and air box assembly had some debris lying in there.

¶ replaced the air filter with a new one, and cleaned out the debris lying in the air box assembly.

¶ decided to removed the MAF sensor itself from the airflow hose, to have that checked also.
What I saw afterwards was pathetic.

The MAF sensor had completely gotten clogged with dust.

¶ because of how sensitive the thermistor in the MAF sensor was, I had to use an old toothbrush i had lying somewhere in the shop dust off some of the stuffs on it.

¶ used a clean toilet tissue to wipe off any debris remaining on it.

¶ this is the most delicate part of the tasks.
I only used electronic parts cleaner to get rid of any other stuffs hanging in on the MAF sensor thermistor.

Pls do not use any other solvent to clean a MAF sensor.

Doing otherwise, would damaged the sensor.
Some people do use carb/injector cleaner(that is horrible).

¶ fixed the cleaned MAF sensor back, and connected the connector back in.

¶ cycled the ignition system twice, before starting the engine.
You do this to allow the ECU, reset the MAF sensor parameters again before starting the car.

¶ the check engine light responsible for the MAF sensor related codes, immediately went off.


FOR THE INFINITI?!
The experience was quite different.
There wasn't a trouble code for the MAF sensor.

But the symptoms the car was exhibiting was closed to what a faulty MAF sensor gives.
Some of the symptoms noticed here were,

¶ erratic idling

¶ terrible loss of power when I try to over take

¶ black smoke from the exhaust tailpipe

Solving this was not a problem.
The air filter of the car was a new one, and the vehicle wasn't driven in dusty areas (I'm not trying to be...you know what I mean I guessed).

¶ since i had come across similar issues like these on some vehicles, I just ordered for a replacement MAF sensor, and that was it.
It took care of all the problems on the car.

How to prevent sensor malfunction
Most parts on pur cars these days are serviceable items, that needs replacing.
Parts don't last forever.
Even human beings don't.

1. If you drive in an environment that's dusty(could be the ambient air, or the raid pavements), always make it a duty to always check and dust your car's air intake assembly.

2. Replaced the air filter, more often(only applicable in severe environments).

3. When a check engine light pops up on dash, don't always neglect it.
It could metamorphosed to something big later.

4. Never use a carb/injector cleaner to clean a MAF sensor.

Use only electronic cleaners.
They are suitable for sensitive electronic parts.
That's the fastest way to kill it(using a carb cleaner).

In conclusion, it appears that of performance functions of some sensitive sensors on cars these days, are dependent on manufacturer, technological advancements, and on environmental conditions too.

PS:
I have noticed some Hyundai/KIA vehicles, do not trigger a check engine light on the dash
sometimes, to help with diagnosis.
In situations like this, experiential knowledge comes into play.



Regards,
Joseph
DW Nig Ltd
Isolo,
Lagos
www.dxta.com.ng
08066643532

This is the hybrid pack of the highlander on display, showing the blower motors (fan).
The blower helps provide cooling to the batteries.
Their efficiencies are reduces, when dust and furs gets trapped in the motor vanes.

Here's the justification for replacing the transmission fluid.
When we got the old one out, it had some metal chippings in there, and the colour of the fluid, was terribly black.

After five years, that was how the fluid looked like(left hand sample).

The fluid with red colour, was the new transmission fluid that was bought.

After the transmission fluid was drained, a new one was poured in there.

Knowing the right quantity of transmission fluid to pour in the transmission system, requires you measure exactly how much quantity you drained from the transmission, using a graduated container in liters, and pouring same back into the transmission system.

Radiator reservoir filling

Coolant poured into the radiator

Coolant poured directly into the inverter reservoir

Getting set to fill up the inverter assembly with coolant. Get a funnel close by to help. That prevents coolant wastages.

Those are the gallons of Toyota SLL coolants, WS transmission fluid, and the AC cabin filter.

Showing the radiator reservoir. Always filled up the radiator, before filling up the reservoir. Ensure you only fill to the FULL lever.

That's the transmission fluid coming out of the transmission system.

Draining the transmission fluid.
Use only the marked point for draining transmission fluid.

Inverter bleeding process. There are several ways you could get air bubbles out of the system. 1. using a professional code reader to activate the pump 2. Activating the pump directly via its relay in the engine fusebox. Don't try this if you don't know the basics of electricity.
3. Using the small diameter hose as shown in the picture, and READY the car.

I chose the third option, during this process.
The marked portion is a bleeder point for the inverter pump "radiator".

The most difficult tasks in pouring in new coolants in the radiator and inverter assemblies, is the bleeding part.

It tasks a lot of effort, and skill, to get the air bubbles out of the cooling systems.
With air bubbles lurking in there, you got a greater chance of overheating problems, and water pump noises occurring.

Ensured the bleeder on that radiator is flowing with coolant, as you pouring the coolant through the radiator neck.

The most difficult tasks in pouring in new coolants in the radiator and inverter assemblies, is the bleeding part.
It tasks a lot of effort, and skill, to get the air bubbles out of the cooling systems.
With air bubbles lurking in there, you got a greater chance of overheating problems, and water pump noises occurring.

To get the coolants to be effective, you MUST drain out all coolants from the radiator, and the engine block, as seen in this picture.
Not draining also from the engine block, would cause a dilution of the new coolants being introduced.
Use a 10mm socket wrench to break the bolt loose.

Shows the drain bolt for the inverter coolant. Use oy 10mm Allen wrench to break it loose.

Coolant drained out from the inverter assembly of a 2010 hybrid highlander.