My Elio Alternate Project Is Underway.

[Sonoran Sam]

...the vast majority of us are very happy with the power plant Mark has chosen

Quite happy!! I am familiar with Honda's 1.5L engine was used in my '91 CRX that I drove for 25 years. Very reliable and easy to work on. I know the present 1.5L will be updated and improved. I do have two questions, though.
(1) Is the manual transmission model going to have a 5 speed or 6 speed gearbox??
(2) Will it be easy to change the timing belt?? Adequate room to get everything apart??

 

[84mpg]

Quite happy!! I am familiar with Honda's 1.5L engine was used in my '91 CRX that I drove for 25 years. Very reliable and easy to work on. I know the present 1.5L will be updated and improved. I do have two questions, though.
(1) Is the manual transmission model going to have a 5 speed or 6 speed gearbox??
(2) Will it be easy to change the timing belt?? Adequate room to get everything apart??

Hey Sonoran Sam…..
I’ve heard a lot of good things about that 1.5L engine. Do you recall about how many RPMs yours ran at 70mph? What trans did you have?

i love the thought that this engine is going into the Mongrel.

 

[Mark BEX]

Quite happy!! I am familiar with Honda's 1.5L engine was used in my '91 CRX that I drove for 25 years. Very reliable and easy to work on. I know the present 1.5L will be updated and improved. I do have two questions, though.
(1) Is the manual transmission model going to have a 5 speed or 6 speed gearbox??
(2) Will it be easy to change the timing belt?? Adequate room to get everything apart??

1/ I would hope for the 5 speed due to the size and weight, but I know 6 speeds are available too.

2/ L15s don't have a timing belt, unless you mean the fanbelts, they are easily accessible.

 

[Rickb]

Sadly, I don’t think a manual tranny is a manufacturing efficient option for a mass produced vehicle based on 2020 demand (likely even lower in 2022):

 

[Sonoran Sam]

Hey Sonoran Sam…..
I’ve heard a lot of good things about that 1.5L engine. Do you recall about how many RPMs yours ran at 70mph? What trans did you have?

Sorry, I don't remember the rpm(s). I owned the HF version and it was geared for maximum miles per gallon, so the rpm's were rather low at highway speeds. It was a manual 5 speed transmission. City/highway combined was always around 45-50 mpg.

 

[Sonoran Sam]

1/ I would hope for the 5 speed due to the size and weight, but I know 6 speeds are available too.

2/ L15s don't have a timing belt, unless you mean the fanbelts, they are easily accessible.

(1) It would be great to have the 6 speed, but I understand size and weight restrictions. Whatever you decide, I'm sure it will be perfect!!
(2) That is great news. It's been quite a while since I last worked on a Honda 1.5L engine and my '91 had a timing belt. It's good to see that Honda went to a timing chain.

 

[Sonoran Sam]

Sadly, I don’t think a manual tranny is a manufacturing efficient option for a mass produced vehicle based on 2020 demand (likely even lower in 2022):

Yes... I understand. My father taught me to drive on a old pickup with "3 on the tree", so from day one my left foot always had a job to do. What is that saying about "Old habits... die hard".
I've always liked the simplicity, lower maintenance and longevity of a manual transmission vehicle.

 

[Mark BEX]

The suspension all fits, zero bump steer, everything looks right for the moment, so pulled everything back off again, and welded it all up.

You can see the spring is back on the left front, but boy did it put up a fight. Had to modify the spring compressor to make it work and a special guide tool to get the strut shaft through the spring cap hole, weird because I've had it on and off twice before, and suddenly wouldn't work today ..

I've always liked the simplicity, lower maintenance and longevity of a manual transmission vehicle.

Most autos last forever, many now don't even allow you to change fluid, being sealed for life.

I would contest that manuals get noisy bearings, especially input shaft, and of course clutches need changing likely twice in it's lifetime.

 

[Mel]

Sadly, I don’t think a manual tranny is a manufacturing efficient option for a mass produced vehicle based on 2020 demand (likely even lower in 2022):

View attachment 26069

As I have said many times before, sales have little to do with demand. Manual transmission sales are down because of availability.
Manual transmission was not even available in my 2018 pick-up unless I went with the puny 4 cyl. That engine had very bad reviews.

If it had been available, my pick-up and my BMW convertible would both have manual transmissions.

 

[Hog]

well "sealed for life" doesnt really work, and while older auto trans used to be bulletproof (TH-350), the newer ones are very fragile. I just replaced mine in my minivan at 65,000 miles, mainly due to the fact it was "sealed for life", so I was completely unaware that the fluid had gone low due to a seep in the hydraulic lines for the cooler. Now it is know this is a problem and Chrysler has issued a "drain and replace fluid at 30,000 miles notice", which I will be doing in teh next month. And I had to buy a special "dipstick tool" to measure my fluid level at certain temperatures to make sure it stays up. It is impossible to see the cooler lines as they are covered in a plastic conduit, so seepage there is completely unnoticed. Too many electronics inside now and too many gears and clutches.