Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

Hi there, first time posting. I have a Honda Civic Hybrid 2003 with an old (but presumably still somewhat working) IMA. The light has been on for a couple years and it hasn't seemed to be a problem. Only recently I noticed strange engine noises and a more draggy drive and took it into the shop (non-dealer). They saw that the IMA was being a drag on the engine and removed the belt.

Since they did that, the car's been driving much better. Mileage is only a little worse though I have yet to really test that, it's only been a few days since the fix. My question is: is it safe to operate my car like that long-term? It's a manual transmission, if that makes a difference.

Re: Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

What you ask is not answerable.

No such thing as a belt on the IMA. The IMA motor is between the engine and transmission and operates on a rotor mounted to the output shaft. The IMA motor is your only source of electricity as the car has no alternator. If it were removed or disabled, you wouldn't charge your 12V battery, and the car would die as you deplete your 12V battery every 50 miles or so.

So either they completely BS'd you, or you misunderstood what they told you.

The IMA battery pack can be bypassed with a specific procedure; however, you will only charge the 12V battery in a 1500-4000 rpm range or so. You must avoid excessive idling or slow/fast driving for extended periods that keeps your rpm outside that range. The red 12V battery light will come on when you are not charging. It will go off when you are charging.

Good luck,

Steve

Re: Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

Thanks for the reply, Steve! I probably misunderstood as I have very little car knowledge. I'll ask the shop again what they did.

Re: Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

If your A/C compressor was dragging, the belt can be replaced with a shorter one that doesn't loop the compressor pulley, and you won't have A/C anymore.

If you're going to continue to operate the car with the IMA system inoperative, you really should bypass the battery. Additionally, while it may be beyond your DIY threshold, grid charging frequently brings a battery pack back from the brink and restores IMA functionality with ongoing periodic grid charging/discharging to maintain performance.

Steve

Re: Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

Thanks for the info. I'll look into grid charging. I'm a DIY'er in other aspects of my life, so it's about time I start figuring out some things about cars. Incidentally, turns out the guy who checked me out at the mechanic's also had no idea what he was talking about. They took off the one belt under the hood (probably A/C compressor) and then put it back on, leaving the car unchanged. I'm going to have the dealer look at it to see what the situation is.

Re: Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

Be prepared for a multi-thousand dollar repair suggestion. I avoid the dealer like the plague.

You indicated that after the visit to the shop, the car improved. Is there any explanation for that?

Re: Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

Haha, of course. I would only be interested in seeing what codes come up when they do their scan (which is free). I was actually looking at some of your other posts about building your own grid charger, and the other options for IMA replacements (Bumblebee and ReVolt)---didn't know those existed.

I have no explanation for why I noticed the slight improvement, other than some combination of placebo effect and maybe a general principle I've encountered a couple times before where if I take something apart and put it back together, it can sometimes inexplicably help. This past weekend I took apart an espresso machine that wasn't working, changed nothing, and voila, it was making espresso again. But obviously a hybrid car is a bit more complicated than an espresso machine.

Re: Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

Our dealer charges $140 for diagnostics. Good for you. Make sure to report back on the codes.

The biggest hassle is the installation and removal of the pack. Once you do it a few times, it's a 20 minute job. The downside to DIY is the fact that the fan is PWM controlled, and it takes some circuitry that is beyond my skill level, and it's a ~$50 addition to the cost of the DIY unit. For those wanting the convenience of in-place grid charging, Hybrid Automotive sells a charger+harness that permits just that. They also have a discharger option available.

Re: Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

I've been looking at the Hybrid Automotive ones. I am somewhat intimidated by this as I have no experience working on cars---the closest thing I've done has been building and modifying computers. But getting a grid charger does seem like the best option, especially since the "new" batteries from the dealer are just other old batteries for a few thousand, and I do want to hold onto my Civic for as long as possible.

Re: Is it safe to remove the belt from an old IMA?
 

HA offers step-by-step installation instructions with pictures.

If you're comfortable with your hands in the guts of a PC, you'll do fine.

Do not consider a Honda pack. Consider BumbleBee or Hybrid ReVolt.

Even if you're past the benefit of a grid charger, it is an effective tool and can be used to extend the life of a new pack.

Steve