I'm sure this procedure works for putting smoke back into a system where you accidentally released it. 😈 I confess, I thought the same thing when I saw "smoke test". Great video.
I am in the sales department of a GM dealer in Mexico, and we just started to commercialize Bolt EV, despite all the training that we receive from GM Mexico, this video helps us (at least to me) to understand the technical part of the vehicle. Thanks professor.
I've been a "Shade Tree Mechanic" all my life, it's nice to see that even the professor is pleasantly surprised when he connects the battery and no smoke comes out!!! No codes are set, and it worked properly :-) Well done sir!!! I think I'll leave these electric cars to you ;-) My driveway would destroy that battery box!!! Had a hundred tons of gravel delivered yesterday, I took my little camry out b4 I scraped it down and drug bottom for about 100'... There would have been little batteries scattered all over the drive ;-) No need for a "smoke test" on that battery box!!! Great video sir!!! Well done :-)
It's always satisfying when a reassembly goes well the first time. It goes to show how important it is to read, understand, and follow the service manual!
The smoke test! LOL. Great way to test the system. I always remember many years ago a GM instructor in Burbank California told us this. "You guys have to understand. GM builds the part or unit with the smoke in. You guys come along and let the smoke out!" His humor helped to learn a lot about the system we were learning about at that time!
LOL, Thanks for your feedback. I attended the Burbank TC myself when I was a tech in San Diego a long time ago. I was sad when they closed it and moved to Glendale. Keep the smoke in those wires ;)
First time viewer. It's unlikely that I will ever do this kind of work but it was fascinating to watch a pro at work. Professor, you are an inspiration for differently abled people!
Professor Kelly, fantastic video Thank you very-very much especially my favorite part was @22:25 "must see battery reinstallation" you made that look so easy.
congratulations teacher for the video, I work in the automotive area for 20 years in Brazil and here is starting the hybrid vehicles, your videos are of great help thanks!!
Amazing how quiet and clear you can explain technical things. Also the videos are sharp and well illuminated. Could be a professional film crew behind:-) And no stupid background music as often to hear. Your students can be proud of you. One month with you, and servicing an E-Car would be as easy as boiling water. :-) Regards, Otto
Hi John. I just wanted to comment and thank you for all the time and effort you put into your video channel. I'm a self taught technician who has always lacked intricate, classroom based knowledge and your channel has helped me broaden the scope of work that I do. I was scared to open a transmission until I discovered your page. I truly wish that my life had someone like you in it while I was coming up.
Great info professor! I'm am absolutely convinced that the average DIYer will not be willing to invest in the lifts, nitrogen, special tools, or the smoke machine. GM made sure they go to the dealerships! Exceptional work as always professor!!
GM should reward you for these videos. It let the public see that actually Bolt is very well thought and designed in any way. Well except the absence of heat pump. My Leaf draws max 3-4kW in sub freezing weather and it blows hot air from the vents. I would say this is the major cons for Bolt EV and uncomfortable seats and slow DC charger ... and really very few CCS stations at some ridiculous prices per minute.
I was just today frustrated with the spinning coolant caps. When you showed how to remove one I paused the video, ran up to the garage and removed one and put it back on, just because I could. I also thank you for sharing your expertise.Wally in Iowa with my month old 2019 Premier.
Just imagine having to be a bolt tightener on the production line, 50 bolts each, minute after minute, day in, day out, torque passes as well, jeez !? Thanks Professor!
Brilliant, Professor 👏🏻 After watching your Bolt videos, I feel I know this EV quite intimately! GM did a great job on this car. I've only heard good reviews. Thanks for sharing all your work. Fascinating.
You said that you could not measure the battery voltage when you were removing the battery. I got chastised one time when I said I could not measure a voltage. Was my meter broken or could I not get to the connectors? The proper thing to says is "when I measured the voltage it was zero volts." Great videos. Very long but I watch every minute of them. Thanks for the great work.
I'm guessing the smoke molecules are larger than the normal air that would pass in and out of the battery. Thus, the smoke molecules may get stuck rather than pass through?
Thank you for such a cool review. Even freshly fallen snow can be seen :-) There is a desire to include in the reviews about the Bolt and Volt brake system. Parking brake system, brake system, replacement of brake fluid. ABS system. Thank you so much.
This is the first time I have seen a literal “smoke test”. Usually I’ve seen it referred to the first time something is powered up, hoping that one does not let out the “magic smoke” out of the electronics!
Great video. That battery pack looks much safer then the Tesla battery pack. That's the most important thing to me - the safety of the battery pack. Everything else is secondary.
As the owner of a 2019 Bolt which is subject to the battery recall, I am very interested in the process of removing/replacing the entire battery assembly. I wanted to know how complicated (or simple) the job would be, and how much room for error exists in the procedure. I am happy to see that it is actually pretty simple (if you have the proper lifting stand to handle the weight). Assuming the techs don't screw up removing and replacing the connections to the battery pack (electrical and cooling) and refilling the cooling system, it should not be that tough to do it right. My car should be near the front of the line when they actually start calling cars in to the dealer en mass for the retrofits. I'm hoping the techs will take their time for the first few months of what will be a long and probably (eventually) boring project. After doing the first several dozen cars, I'm thinking they may tend to get sloppy. Hope not!
Love the videos I am an electrician (proud I.B.E.W.) by trade and a mechanic at home with my uncle who is now a retired mechanic and we work on cars together. One question I have is what kind of safety procedures do they go through in the manual for this type of work? I see you have your high voltage gloves on but no other protection, and do they explain the proper procedure for testing your high voltage gloves every time before use? I ask these questions because as an electrician we go through alot of safety training and learning the details of an arc flash and the damage it causes the human body. My concern is unknowing service technicians not realizing these dangers. Now I'm guessing with the disconnect removed you lose all potential at the connectors but I noticed you still had your high voltage gloves on. Your videos are very good and would be an amazing class to attend with you. Thanks for the videos and keep up the good work.
Thanks for your feedback. I follow all of the safety recommendations in the factory service manual in regard to automotive high voltage. You are correct, there should no potential with the service disconnect level removed, but we are not allowed to remove the gloves until we verify there is no potential with a volt meter. Arc flash is a dangerous thing for sure, but at these DC voltages the arc flash boundary is less than 1mm according to NFPA 70E. This means face shields, sleeves, aprons, etc are not required. Have a great day!
Hello! Excellent instructor and content video. this really gives me a lot of knowledge of what i own (Bolt 2017). at least this gives me confidence what to do next if i should come in contact with any issues with the vehicle. Question, what are the steps to take if I decide to tow my Bolt with my RV? I heard you have to disconnect the vehicle battery (12VDC) to prevent triggering the parking brake...:).. I am planning to tow the vehicle with front tires on the dolly and the rear tires on the road...
I'm curious if the fast charge worked after reassembly. I'm guessing no but it seems silly for them to disable that beyond the two major components. Actually it seems silly to even offer this car without fast charging.
I have given up on trying to convert to DC fast charge. There are so many differences inside the car and under the hood that it is not cost effective over $3000. There are even harness inside the vehicle that are different with or without DC fast charge. Totally ridiculous! It could have been an add on option if it were designed to be either way. I will address this in an upcoming video.
@@WeberAuto really important for people to be made aware of this and make sure that their Bolt EV comes with that DC fast charging option (shown as GM RPO code "CBT") as a factory installed option (around a $750 option), since it has now become obvious it is not practical to retrofit it later with the factory DC fast charging option.
The smoke is blown into the battery with low pressure Nitrogen at 0.4 psi (2.75 kPa). I was surprised by how much the upper cover raised and bowed. I did not even realize it had happened until I was reviewing the video in fast speed. Thanks for your feedback!
I don't believe that battery cover torque sequencing. Especially when we see (in time lapse) that a whole side of the Bolt (no pun intended) battery cover isn't tightened until the very end of the sequence, which doesn't make sense. Somebody at GM was probably messing with you. I would do all 4 corners first, then make a cross pattern, and finish the remaining ones alternating sides. That way the cover would be pressed/held down equally all around. Anyway, great video John, as usual !
Do you have a favorite EV? I've only seen your videos about the 2017 Bolt and I'm very impressed with the car. The *Bolt motor deep dive* you did made me think this car was designed well. Is my admiration of the Bolt justified when it's compared with other EVs? Thank you for making these videos available on TH-cam.
What exactly is the height of this battery? I'm wondering if there are any jack stands or if a home car lift product (EZCarlift, Quick jack. Etc) would accommodate lowering and removing the battery in an enthusiast's garage?
BTW, a smoke test is when you plug something in that you haven't used in years, or you just bought, or you just took apart and put it back together, not a seal test using a pressurized fluid (or gas). Words mean things GM.
50 specially-torqued bolts to hold on a fiberglass cover...? What the hell? Did GM outsource engineering to Volkswagen or something? No wonder they lose money on the Bolt. Great videos, by the way. Thank you!
Thank you and Thanks for your feedback. The cover is not fiberglass, it is some kind of reinforced plastic. I forgot to mention that the rubber seal has metal inserts to prevent crushing.
Torquing it allows the seal crush to be even and equal all around reducing the likelihood of leaks! It’s assembled with pneumatic tools (nutrunner is a specific type) that is configurable to a certain torque range or limit. It doesn’t take any longer if you use the right tool. They don’t use torque wrenches in the factory.
On my Bolt the dealer replaced the battery. After a year after the battery swap I did my first charge on the CCS charger. It made terrible noise from the floor. Battery below. I took my GDS2 and run the battery coolant pump for 10 minutes. This brought some improvement, but I still have air in the battery coolant system. Does anyone has the same issue bleeding the battery. My idea is to redo the GDS function test for battery coolant pump on a steep ramp to see if this might improve the bleeding. What does the experts say? Here some additional information, if I do the GDS2 function test of the battery coolant pump to 80% max load, I have noise coming out if the battery pack. Do you have experienced the same behavior, is this air or coolant flow noise. I have no idea, since I trying to eliminate this noise which I realized at the CCS charger. Thank you for your comments. Regards Bob
Possibly for refilling the fluid after draining it. It depends upon the transmission vent design and seal designs. It would be in interesting experiment.
i tried think diag from launch it works with IOS\ android using diag zone program with Hyundai Kona to bleed the batteries , and read each battery capacity it real work good with EV Cars doing all factory functions but with Tesla not real advanced .
There is a large cover under the vehicle that I had removed. It covers all of those connections and components. It will be interesting to see what happens. Thanks for your feedback!
@WeberAuto How easy will it be, or is it even possible, to upgrade or replace the Bolt's battery in 5-10 years when my current one is not holding charge well enough or if I want to swap it out for newer battery tech? Tesla is largely a battery company, it's possible the could start making battery cells for other auto makers to use. Or other battery makers might make upgraded battery packs for EVs. Heck it may even be possible to DIY one.
If this was my car I would be a little concerned that the total pack voltage was allowed to drop to 241 volts . That means the individual cells were sitting at around 2.5 v. Pretty low when the nominal voltage is up around 3.6.
I really enjoy your videos. Thanks! One question: At 34:50, when you do a second round of vacuum, the red lever is on the close position, not allowing more coolant in. I would have expected it to be in the open position.
At that point I was applying additional vacuum in preparation of adding more coolant. The red valve was closed while the vacuum level was increased. Thanks for your feedback!
What a great video professor.. I don't know if it could have been any better. #respect Were you able to publish a video on GDS2 Service tool with 2017 Bolt EV?
Hello, my name is John and I am writing from Spain. We are many owners of Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera that we need to change the coolant of the batteries and the little official service we have does not know how to do it and does not have the necessary tools to do so. For the separation of GM and Opel have left us abandoned. You could make a video of how to change the coolant of Chrevrolet Volt / Opel Ampera please? It would help us a lot! Thanks and regards
16:25 Is it normal that the cover expanded from the smoke pressure? You mentioned you forgot to shut the machine off but is there the possibility it caused any internal damage? edit: watched the frames ahead, you noticed it.
The smoke is blown into the battery with low pressure Nitrogen at 0.4 psi (2.75 kPa). I was surprised by how much the upper cover raised and bowed. I did not even realize it had happened until I was reviewing the video in fast speed. I did leave the Nitrogen injection on too long, I am sure it affected the level of distortion. Lesson Learned! Thanks for your feedback!
Why are there 2 less electrical connections on the Bolt battery versus the Volt battery? (Auxiliary coolant module and electric compresser system) Is the Volt better in some way because of this fact?
WeberAuto Edit: thanks for responding The yellow filtered lenses are designed to block deep blue and UV light. If the only illumination is a UV or Blue LED light (matched to the excitation spectrum of the florescent dye if possible) you will get way better contrast and even tiny leaks will be easy to see. There may have been a specific accessory for the smoke generator with the best light and glasses. If you dont already have a blue/UV tracer light and can give me the part number of the fluid(?) used in the smoke generator I can see if there is a cheap light available that is matched well the the dye used.
First off-excellent instruction and knowledge. However, my take is that this just proves that EVs will eliminate the possibility of the average person from doing any repairs on their vehicles. There will be no "fixing up" old, used EV cars. Lower income people will not own cars any more because they will not be able to afford them. Where now a decent used gas car can be had for around a couple of thousand, a used EV will be close to 10 grand. The special tools required will not be affordable by the average mechanic or, even average independent repair garage.. This is many years in the future but, it will happen. Hopefully, there will still be the possibility of using gas powered vehicles that already exist- mainly classic cars etc since they have limited numbers and the overall "carbon foot print" will be negligible. I am in my 60's and glad I grew up in the golden age of automobiles.
I have the 2017 Bolt. I normally use hilltop reserve to prevent charging to 100% in order to extend battery life. Is this really necessary? Does Chevrolet already do this?
I charge my Bolt to 100% every night. The manual doesn't mention the need to not fully charge to increase battery life. Hilltop reserves purpose was to allow for regenerative braking to work and to charge the battery if you live in an area that starts with a large decline. Otherwise the system would have to use the friction brakes and probably bleed the excess energy back thru the motor.
Dave Barrett, I own a 2017 Chevy Bolt too. I also use the same Hilltop reserve setting to charge. Definitely can’t be wrong if you don’t need the extra miles. I hear it’s BEST to keep Li ion batteries in 20-80% charge. I wondered like you do if Chevy “already” places a buffer in there by stopping charge before it’s really Max’d-out on charge (ie says 100% charged but is actually 80% to max capacity). Also, I wish hilltop reserve stopped at 80% instead of 86% or whatever it is currently.
@@WeberAuto Just wondering what the repair would be. I would assume if it was between the upper and lower cases then the seal would need to be replaced? Are the fittings or electrical connections all replaceable or do you have to buy a new case? Maybe a just a upper or lower half of the case? Thx again.
LOL, I always figure smoke test was flip it on if it smokes its bad!, you literaly mean smoke test. :)
LOL, yes, literally a smoke test. Have a great day!
I'm sure this procedure works for putting smoke back into a system where you accidentally released it.
😈
I confess, I thought the same thing when I saw "smoke test".
Great video.
@@WeberAuto ok
I am in the sales department of a GM dealer in Mexico, and we just started to commercialize Bolt EV, despite all the training that we receive from GM Mexico, this video helps us (at least to me) to understand the technical part of the vehicle. Thanks professor.
That is awesome! I am glad they are helpful. Have a great day!
Wow- what an education you provide! Your students and TH-cam are fortunate to have you.
A sincere thanks for sharing your expertise.
Ron
Thank you!
I've been a "Shade Tree Mechanic" all my life, it's nice to see that even the professor is pleasantly surprised when he connects the battery and no smoke comes out!!! No codes are set, and it worked properly :-) Well done sir!!! I think I'll leave these electric cars to you ;-) My driveway would destroy that battery box!!! Had a hundred tons of gravel delivered yesterday, I took my little camry out b4 I scraped it down and drug bottom for about 100'... There would have been little batteries scattered all over the drive ;-) No need for a "smoke test" on that battery box!!! Great video sir!!! Well done :-)
Thank you very much!
It's always satisfying when a reassembly goes well the first time. It goes to show how important it is to read, understand, and follow the service manual!
Yes it is! Thank you!
The smoke test! LOL. Great way to test the system. I always remember many years ago a GM instructor in Burbank California told us this. "You guys have to understand. GM builds the part or unit with the smoke in. You guys come along and let the smoke out!" His humor helped to learn a lot about the system we were learning about at that time!
LOL, Thanks for your feedback. I attended the Burbank TC myself when I was a tech in San Diego a long time ago. I was sad when they closed it and moved to Glendale. Keep the smoke in those wires ;)
First time viewer. It's unlikely that I will ever do this kind of work but it was fascinating to watch a pro at work. Professor, you are an inspiration for differently abled people!
Thank you!
Professor Kelly, fantastic video Thank you very-very much especially my favorite part was @22:25 "must see battery reinstallation" you made that look so easy.
Great info, I just got started in EV technology and this video series on the Bolt is exactly what I needed! Thanks so much!
congratulations teacher for the video, I work in the automotive area for 20 years in Brazil and here is starting the hybrid vehicles, your videos are of great help thanks!!
Amazing how quiet and clear you can explain technical things. Also the videos are sharp and well illuminated.
Could be a professional film crew behind:-)
And no stupid background music as often to hear.
Your students can be proud of you.
One month with you, and servicing an E-Car would be as easy as boiling water. :-)
Regards, Otto
Thank you very much!
Hi John. I just wanted to comment and thank you for all the time and effort you put into your video channel. I'm a self taught technician who has always lacked intricate, classroom based knowledge and your channel has helped me broaden the scope of work that I do. I was scared to open a transmission until I discovered your page. I truly wish that my life had someone like you in it while I was coming up.
Thank you very much, Best wishes!
Great info professor! I'm am absolutely convinced that the average DIYer will not be willing to invest in the lifts, nitrogen, special tools, or the smoke machine. GM made sure they go to the dealerships! Exceptional work as always professor!!
Thank you! Yes, not a job for a DIYer. Have a good day!
This guy is a beast. He can take apart any and every car or car part. I wish he worked somewhere locally so I could have a trusted mechanic.
GM should reward you for these videos. It let the public see that actually Bolt is very well thought and designed in any way. Well except the absence of heat pump. My Leaf draws max 3-4kW in sub freezing weather and it blows hot air from the vents. I would say this is the major cons for Bolt EV and uncomfortable seats and slow DC charger ... and really very few CCS stations at some ridiculous prices per minute.
Thank you, and thanks for your feedback!
Great to appreciate the inner workings of these EVs from videos like this. Awesome - and thanks for sharing!
Thank you
Thanks for the free education! Very interesting on how many procedures you have to go through just to correctly put the lid back on!
Thank you!
Vry smart volt batery smoke leak detection & installation,coolant put wid vacuum,undoubtedly results r flawless no troublesome code,runs fine
having been raised in the carburetor era, I find these videos extremely interesting.
Thank you!
I was just today frustrated with the spinning coolant caps. When you showed how to remove one I paused the video, ran up to the garage and removed one and put it back on, just because I could. I also thank you for sharing your expertise.Wally in Iowa with my month old 2019 Premier.
They are frustrating, I am glad you figured it out.
Just imagine having to be a bolt tightener on the production line, 50 bolts each, minute after minute, day in, day out, torque passes as well, jeez !? Thanks Professor!
I agree, it was tedious work. Thank you!
Wow. Great information and done so well! I have learned so much! I could watch your videos all day! Thank you!
Thank you very much!
Brilliant, Professor 👏🏻
After watching your Bolt videos, I feel I know this EV quite intimately!
GM did a great job on this car. I've only heard good reviews.
Thanks for sharing all your work. Fascinating.
Love the vids. I’m fascinated how different manufacturers have different setups.
Thank you!
You said that you could not measure the battery voltage when you were removing the battery. I got chastised one time when I said I could not measure a voltage. Was my meter broken or could I not get to the connectors? The proper thing to says is "when I measured the voltage it was zero volts." Great videos. Very long but I watch every minute of them. Thanks for the great work.
I'm guessing the smoke molecules are larger than the normal air that would pass in and out of the battery. Thus, the smoke molecules may get stuck rather than pass through?
I do not know. that is a good possibility. Thanks for the feedback!
A tracer dye was mentioned, so it might partially condense on the patch and plug the pores. A check with a UV light would confirm.
Smoke particles can plug the membrane just like they would any air filter.
Looking forward to seeing the motor disassembly!
Thank you for such a cool review. Even freshly fallen snow can be seen :-) There is a desire to include in the reviews about the Bolt and Volt brake system. Parking brake system, brake system, replacement of brake fluid. ABS system. Thank you so much.
Thank you very much! I will add those ideas to my "Future Videos" list Have a great day!
This is the first time I have seen a literal “smoke test”. Usually I’ve seen it referred to the first time something is powered up, hoping that one does not let out the “magic smoke” out of the electronics!
Yes, it was a play on words on my part. Thanks for your feedback!
you're very knowledgeable, all the best to you ...
Thank you!
Boy, to those of us who work in electronics.. Smoke Test.. has a completely different meaning !
LOL! I know that. That is why I picked that phrase, to get your attention. Thanks for your feedback
this was a good learning tool for me. Thank you for posting and all your work. I saw the motor removal and wow you did a good job on that as well
:)
Thank you!
Great video. That battery pack looks much safer then the Tesla battery pack. That's the most important thing to me - the safety of the battery pack. Everything else is secondary.
Thanks for watching
This was very informative. I learned a lot and keep up the good work.
Thank you!
Nice teaching Professor
Thank you!
As the owner of a 2019 Bolt which is subject to the battery recall, I am very interested in the process of removing/replacing the entire battery assembly. I wanted to know how complicated (or simple) the job would be, and how much room for error exists in the procedure. I am happy to see that it is actually pretty simple (if you have the proper lifting stand to handle the weight). Assuming the techs don't screw up removing and replacing the connections to the battery pack (electrical and cooling) and refilling the cooling system, it should not be that tough to do it right. My car should be near the front of the line when they actually start calling cars in to the dealer en mass for the retrofits. I'm hoping the techs will take their time for the first few months of what will be a long and probably (eventually) boring project. After doing the first several dozen cars, I'm thinking they may tend to get sloppy. Hope not!
Love the videos I am an electrician (proud I.B.E.W.) by trade and a mechanic at home with my uncle who is now a retired mechanic and we work on cars together.
One question I have is what kind of safety procedures do they go through in the manual for this type of work? I see you have your high voltage gloves on but no other protection, and do they explain the proper procedure for testing your high voltage gloves every time before use? I ask these questions because as an electrician we go through alot of safety training and learning the details of an arc flash and the damage it causes the human body. My concern is unknowing service technicians not realizing these dangers. Now I'm guessing with the disconnect removed you lose all potential at the connectors but I noticed you still had your high voltage gloves on.
Your videos are very good and would be an amazing class to attend with you. Thanks for the videos and keep up the good work.
Thanks for your feedback. I follow all of the safety recommendations in the factory service manual in regard to automotive high voltage. You are correct, there should no potential with the service disconnect level removed, but we are not allowed to remove the gloves until we verify there is no potential with a volt meter. Arc flash is a dangerous thing for sure, but at these DC voltages the arc flash boundary is less than 1mm according to NFPA 70E. This means face shields, sleeves, aprons, etc are not required. Have a great day!
@@WeberAuto ok yeah I wasn't sure what the arc flash boundary was on that. Thanks for the info.
Hello, thank you for your informative video. Its this the exact same procedure for the earlier volt model. Thank you
Thanks professor
It appears the battery in the bolt will be very simple to replace. That is a huge consideration for buyers planning to drive the wheels off their EV.
Thank you for sharing! Looks like GM did a great job and you too!
Thank you!
Great Video Professor. Ya let the "controlled" smoke out! Good one.
Thank you!
Hi professor I am very pleased to watch your videos. thank you very much
Thank you very much!
Hello! Excellent instructor and content video. this really gives me a lot of knowledge of what i own (Bolt 2017). at least this gives me confidence what to do next if i should come in contact with any issues with the vehicle.
Question, what are the steps to take if I decide to tow my Bolt with my RV?
I heard you have to disconnect the vehicle battery (12VDC) to prevent triggering the parking brake...:)..
I am planning to tow the vehicle with front tires on the dolly and the rear tires on the road...
Grand master, Very good info!
Thanks
Thank you!
I like watching you work good job
Thank you!
Loved The Video. Great explanations of this New Automotive Tech. Once you drive an EV you won’t want to go back to an ICE car again..
Excellent content. Very well done!
Thank you!
I learn a lot ,thank you
Thank you Professor for this video!
Thank you!
Excellent tutorial professor!
Why didn’t the gore patches prevent the battery from pressurizing during the smoke test?
Thank you. Masking tape is placed over the gore patches during the smoke test.
I'm curious if the fast charge worked after reassembly. I'm guessing no but it seems silly for them to disable that beyond the two major components. Actually it seems silly to even offer this car without fast charging.
I have given up on trying to convert to DC fast charge. There are so many differences inside the car and under the hood that it is not cost effective over $3000. There are even harness inside the vehicle that are different with or without DC fast charge. Totally ridiculous! It could have been an add on option if it were designed to be either way. I will address this in an upcoming video.
@@WeberAuto really important for people to be made aware of this and make sure that their Bolt EV comes with that DC fast charging option (shown as GM RPO code "CBT") as a factory installed option (around a $750 option), since it has now become obvious it is not practical to retrofit it later with the factory DC fast charging option.
saludos profesor. desde republica dominicana.... me gustaria aprender de usted.
Thank you!
16:29 - well that smoke machine definitely pressurized the whole battery :) Those yellow tapes hold well :D
What.. those small air pressure filter meshes... those... held the pressure.
The smoke is blown into the battery with low pressure Nitrogen at 0.4 psi (2.75 kPa). I was surprised by how much the upper cover raised and bowed. I did not even realize it had happened until I was reviewing the video in fast speed. Thanks for your feedback!
THANKS FOR REPLY
I don't believe that battery cover torque sequencing. Especially when we see (in time lapse) that a whole side of the Bolt (no pun intended) battery cover isn't tightened until the very end of the sequence, which doesn't make sense. Somebody at GM was probably messing with you. I would do all 4 corners first, then make a cross pattern, and finish the remaining ones alternating sides. That way the cover would be pressed/held down equally all around. Anyway, great video John, as usual !
lol, maybe that is true. Thanks for your feedback!
I also noticed that the body was swollen as well when you took the cap off it released.
Yes it was. Thanks for your feedback
thanks
Do you have a favorite EV?
I've only seen your videos about the 2017 Bolt and I'm very impressed with the car. The *Bolt motor deep dive* you did made me think this car was designed well. Is my admiration of the Bolt justified when it's compared with other EVs?
Thank you for making these videos available on TH-cam.
Thank you! So far the Bolt EV is on the top of my list
Thank you !
Thank you!
Thank you for all the help with the vole hope u can help with other ev car please
Great videos. I know its an old car now but I wish you would take apart a 2012-2014 Toyota Rav 4 EV. Its a rare car made by Tesla for Toyota.
Thank you, I am familiar with that model. I doubt I will ever see one here in Utah. Have a good day!
What exactly is the height of this battery? I'm wondering if there are any jack stands or if a home car lift product (EZCarlift, Quick jack. Etc) would accommodate lowering and removing the battery in an enthusiast's garage?
It is approximately 13 inches (330.2mm) tall. That might work. Best wishes!
Great info, thanks!!!!
Thank you!
This makes EVs less scary thanks
BTW, a smoke test is when you plug something in that you haven't used in years, or you just bought, or you just took apart and put it back together, not a seal test using a pressurized fluid (or gas). Words mean things GM.
Thanks for your feedback
50 specially-torqued bolts to hold on a fiberglass cover...? What the hell? Did GM outsource engineering to Volkswagen or something? No wonder they lose money on the Bolt. Great videos, by the way. Thank you!
Thank you and Thanks for your feedback. The cover is not fiberglass, it is some kind of reinforced plastic. I forgot to mention that the rubber seal has metal inserts to prevent crushing.
Torquing it allows the seal crush to be even and equal all around reducing the likelihood of leaks! It’s assembled with pneumatic tools (nutrunner is a specific type) that is configurable to a certain torque range or limit. It doesn’t take any longer if you use the right tool. They don’t use torque wrenches in the factory.
Anyone know where the silver vent tape can be obtained once the sheet is empty from the test kit?
On my Bolt the dealer replaced the battery. After a year after the battery swap I did my first charge on the CCS charger. It made terrible noise from the floor. Battery below. I took my GDS2 and run the battery coolant pump for 10 minutes. This brought some improvement, but I still have air in the battery coolant system. Does anyone has the same issue bleeding the battery. My idea is to redo the GDS function test for battery coolant pump on a steep ramp to see if this might improve the bleeding. What does the experts say?
Here some additional information, if I do the GDS2 function test of the battery coolant pump to 80% max load, I have noise coming out if the battery pack. Do you have experienced the same behavior, is this air or coolant flow noise. I have no idea, since I trying to eliminate this noise which I realized at the CCS charger.
Thank you for your comments.
Regards Bob
Way to go Chevy..
I agree!
Can the cheviot on what you’re working with can have the high suspension
When you reassembled the Bolt did it start right up or did you have issues?
Would it be possible to use the same kind of procedure (with vacuum and pressure tools) to replace the transmission fluid?
Possibly for refilling the fluid after draining it. It depends upon the transmission vent design and seal designs. It would be in interesting experiment.
Where can I buy some gore patches, any size and shape? Tried ebay and aliexpress, but no luck.
Any GM dealership part department. Part number 20791600 Battery Valve Vents
No GM dealerships where I live, but part number helps a lot. Thank you.
At work we have an unofficial "smoke test" every time we first put power to a prototype electrical circuit.
I am familiar with that version of the test ;)
was there a gasket or o-ring between the top and bottom half, and should it be "lubed" if it's a o-ring as I would guess.
Yes, there was a double ribbed rubber seal with metal inserts. No lube, just dry. Thanks for your feedback
i tried think diag from launch it works with IOS\ android using diag zone program with Hyundai Kona to bleed the batteries , and read each battery capacity it real work good with EV Cars doing all factory functions but with Tesla not real advanced .
Wonder how it will fair after 10 years in salt country
There is a large cover under the vehicle that I had removed. It covers all of those connections and components. It will be interesting to see what happens. Thanks for your feedback!
I was wondering the exact same thing. Extreme cold, moisture, and road salt make life so wonderful don't they?
I'll tell you in 10 years
@WeberAuto How easy will it be, or is it even possible, to upgrade or replace the Bolt's battery in 5-10 years when my current one is not holding charge well enough or if I want to swap it out for newer battery tech?
Tesla is largely a battery company, it's possible the could start making battery cells for other auto makers to use. Or other battery makers might make upgraded battery packs for EVs. Heck it may even be possible to DIY one.
You all vedios very nice sir. But l need to know new genaration mithsubishi hybrid system. Can you make vedio sir? Also fuel- cell technology
I hope to someday, thank you
thank you sir
If this was my car I would be a little concerned that the total pack voltage was allowed to drop to 241 volts . That means the individual cells were sitting at around 2.5 v. Pretty low when the nominal voltage is up around 3.6.
That may have been the original assembly plant voltage before the first preliminary charge. Thanks for your feedback!
I really enjoy your videos. Thanks! One question: At 34:50, when you do a second round of vacuum, the red lever is on the close position, not allowing more coolant in. I would have expected it to be in the open position.
At that point I was applying additional vacuum in preparation of adding more coolant. The red valve was closed while the vacuum level was increased. Thanks for your feedback!
What a great video professor.. I don't know if it could have been any better. #respect
Were you able to publish a video on GDS2 Service tool with 2017 Bolt EV?
Cool video... but when you were putting smoke in... where were your HV gloves when you plugged in the manual disconnect??.. lol
I was hoping you wouldn't notice that! The truth is that I forgot. I should have been wearing them. Good catch! Thanks for your feedback!
Hello, my name is John and I am writing from Spain. We are many owners of Chevrolet Volt and Opel Ampera that we need to change the coolant of the batteries and the little official service we have does not know how to do it and does not have the necessary tools to do so. For the separation of GM and Opel have left us abandoned. You could make a video of how to change the coolant of Chrevrolet Volt / Opel Ampera please? It would help us a lot! Thanks and regards
Great suggestion. I will do that.
Thank you very much! 😊
16:25
Is it normal that the cover expanded from the smoke pressure? You mentioned you forgot to shut the machine off but is there the possibility it caused any internal damage?
edit: watched the frames ahead, you noticed it.
The smoke is blown into the battery with low pressure Nitrogen at 0.4 psi (2.75 kPa). I was surprised by how much the upper cover raised and bowed. I did not even realize it had happened until I was reviewing the video in fast speed. I did leave the Nitrogen injection on too long, I am sure it affected the level of distortion. Lesson Learned! Thanks for your feedback!
Why are there 2 less electrical connections on the Bolt battery versus the Volt battery? (Auxiliary coolant module and electric compresser system) Is the Volt better in some way because of this fact?
No, the Bolt EV just moved them to a separate box under the hood. Thanks for your feedback!
WeberAuto, Thank YOU 🙏😊
Дякую
Professor hello cool info thanks for sharing sir. cheeeeers
Thank you!
Those gore patches look exactly like the gore tape used to seal seams on gore-tex rain coats...
Yes, I believe they are the same type of material
High Voltage Battery Disconnect Control Module Assembly ...wow
Lol, yes, the HVBDCMA!
Where located?
I assume the smoke has a UV tracer dye. Wouldn't it be somewhat better to use a UV light to look for leak traces?
Thank you. Yes, it would be more helpful. The service information just says to use a bright light. The filtered lenses really help. Have a good day!
WeberAuto
Edit: thanks for responding
The yellow filtered lenses are designed to block deep blue and UV light. If the only illumination is a UV or Blue LED light (matched to the excitation spectrum of the florescent dye if possible) you will get way better contrast and even tiny leaks will be easy to see. There may have been a specific accessory for the smoke generator with the best light and glasses. If you dont already have a blue/UV tracer light and can give me the part number of the fluid(?) used in the smoke generator I can see if there is a cheap light available that is matched well the the dye used.
Any plans for the Spark EV dissasembly?
It is not likely, I have no access to that car.
You should sell me that Bolt. I know how well its put together. nice work.
Thank you very much!
First off-excellent instruction and knowledge.
However, my take is that this just proves that EVs will eliminate the possibility of the average person from doing any repairs on their vehicles. There will be no "fixing up" old, used EV cars. Lower income people will not own cars any more because they will not be able to afford them. Where now a decent used gas car can be had for around a couple of thousand, a used EV will be close to 10 grand. The special tools required will not be affordable by the average mechanic or, even average independent repair garage.. This is many years in the future but, it will happen. Hopefully, there will still be the possibility of using gas powered vehicles that already exist- mainly classic cars etc since they have limited numbers and the overall "carbon foot print" will be negligible. I am in my 60's and glad I grew up in the golden age of automobiles.
I have the 2017 Bolt. I normally use hilltop reserve to prevent charging to 100% in order to extend battery life. Is this really necessary? Does Chevrolet already do this?
I charge my Bolt to 100% every night. The manual doesn't mention the need to not fully charge to increase battery life. Hilltop reserves purpose was to allow for regenerative braking to work and to charge the battery if you live in an area that starts with a large decline. Otherwise the system would have to use the friction brakes and probably bleed the excess energy back thru the motor.
Dave Barrett, I own a 2017 Chevy Bolt too. I also use the same Hilltop reserve setting to charge. Definitely can’t be wrong if you don’t need the extra miles. I hear it’s BEST to keep Li ion batteries in 20-80% charge. I wondered like you do if Chevy “already” places a buffer in there by stopping charge before it’s really Max’d-out on charge (ie says 100% charged but is actually 80% to max capacity). Also, I wish hilltop reserve stopped at 80% instead of 86% or whatever it is currently.
KIA got a good looking electric vehicle!
Thanks for you feedback
just wondering what you would need to do if the smoke test failed? Great video as always.
You have to repair or replace the leaking component. No leaks allowed.
@@WeberAuto Just wondering what the repair would be. I would assume if it was between the upper and lower cases then the seal would need to be replaced? Are the fittings or electrical connections all replaceable or do you have to buy a new case? Maybe a just a upper or lower half of the case? Thx again.
All components for the Bolt EV battery are available for purchase.
I am thinking if GM redesigns Volt battery so it can fit for real 3 people in the back. But still will be problem the head room in the back.
Thank you for your feedback! I love the Volt, but I doubt we will ever see a Volt redesign again.
Maybe they could rethink the concept and do something as bmw i3 Bigger battery flat with small gas generator.