Freezing the Slushbox. Torque Converter on-demand lockup switch.

[IsaacCarlson]

If you put the microswitches close enough together, they will turn on and off at roughly the same time. but i am sure there is a better way.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by Tygen1

ChrisT, just try to draw up your proposed wiring diagram and I'm sure you see why I was leaning towards the PLC idea. Although I've got three Shift Solenoids, so mines a bit more complicated. The timing issue of turning off switches as you simultaneously turn on others is also an issue. Here is a link to the diagram I finally settled on to get the mircro switches working: Diagram for Manual shifting ATX! - TeamZX2.com
Maybe this will help?

There is no simultaneous switching in my setup. The biggest problem would be shifting very quickly so that the transmission didn't get the signal to engage 1st gear while you were between gates.

What would happen is that the first gate would be 1st gear, and as you're leaving first gear, your shifter is headed for gate 2, which is gear 2, and has a single switch to turn on solenoid #1, while leaving solenoid #2 off. As you leave 2nd gate, both solenoids are off, which puts the trans back into first gear, before you can get to 3rd gate. 3rd gate has one switch, which energizes solenoid #2, and not solenoid #1.

Shifting between gate 3 and gate 4, turns off both solenoids again, putting you back into first gear again, until you get into gate 4, which has a single switch that turns on both solenoids.

You only need 3 momentary contact switches for a 4 speed with 2 solenoids.

The only real problem w/ the shifter is that it goes back into 1st gear every time you move between gears, so timing would be critical, and that depends solely on how the solenoids are used to activate each gear.

[orange4boy]

Small world.

I posted on the local board about my MPGuino resetting problems and got a call from someone about 2 miles away from me who is marketing a microprocessor I/O assembly similar I believe, to the CLIK units mentioned earlier on this forum. I'm meeting with him later this week to see if one of these can be used to run the shift switching duties.

[Christ]

Wonder if you could use a slap-type shifter w/ a micro controller? Set it in a sequence to that up only goes to the next up gear, and down only goes to the next down gear using 2 single momentary contact switches to input to the controller.

Then, install a normal floor shifter assembly that will allow you to shift through the manual selections, PRND.d

[2000mc]

i know its not nearly as cool... and maybe i missed a few posts if this was already talked about.... but what about just flipping 3 switches.

assuming...
1st =off off
2nd =on off
3rd =off on
4th =on on

all switches off = 1st
flip first switch, powering sol 1 = 2nd
leave first switch on, flip second switch, a 3way to move power from sol 1 to sol 2=3rd
leaving first 2 switches on, switch on 3rd switch to power sol 1 = 4th

so up shifting and down shifting would be a logical sequence... i think a 3way switch would jump fast enough the off time inbetween shouldnt be an issue.

[Christ]

Originally Posted by 2000mc

i know its not nearly as cool... and maybe i missed a few posts if this was already talked about.... but what about just flipping 3 switches.

assuming...
1st =off off
2nd =on off
3rd =off on
4th =on on

all switches off = 1st
flip first switch, powering sol 1 = 2nd
leave first switch on, flip second switch, a 3way to move power from sol 1 to sol 2=3rd
leaving first 2 switches on, switch on 3rd switch to power sol 1 = 4th

so up shifting and down shifting would be a logical sequence... i think a 3way switch would jump fast enough the off time inbetween shouldnt be an issue.

This is almost what a gate shifter would do, except the timing would be critical between shifts.

Have you ever dropped your tranny a gear? It doesn't engage as soon as you hit the gear, it takes a second, right? If you shifted, and missed the next gate, for even a second, you'd be in first, killing your engine. The only way around that would be to use NC type momentary switches, so that if you weren't in gear, the transmission would default to 4th.

*I think I just solved the problem....*

[Dust]

I don:t know if it would help you but the surf guys are doing something similar, I willt ry to find the thread later.

[orange4boy]

I think the practical end of things is somewhat less muddy than when we began this dicussion. The TCC lock switch is working beautifully and I can already shift on demand on the tree. The next step is to streamline it and make it ergonomic.

Now for a muddier question. How much is to be gained from it?

The slush is rated at 15 city to the manual at 16 which is a 6.6% improvement. If I can pulse and glide though, I may be able to get more out of it. On the highway at steady state, I may not see any improvement but here on Bowen Island where we have a lot of steep hills, I'm hoping for more than 6% but that may be optimistic.

If I get my MPGuino running again, I can do some "instant testing" for what it's worth.

From a CNET article on the V2 concept. Volkswagen's 170 mpg car | Frankfurt Auto Show 2009 - CNET Reviews

Where Volkswagen gets really clever is incorporating a hybrid system into its seven-speed Direct Shift Gearbox (DSG). The DSG transmission uses two computer-controlled clutches to provide automated shifting with manual transmission performance.

HA! It took me 10 minutes to do the same with my 16 year old Van......sort of....

[Christ]

I'm just going to go on faith, and say you'll get 20 city if you get this mod working correctly and relearn how to drive afterward.

[orange4boy]

I already get much better than that in the city. I just used those numbers because they are the only reference I have. My 90 day average is about 25 which is about 60% hilly/city and 40% highway. 6.6% better would be 26.6 mpg. If I assume no benefit on the highway the the advantage would be about 4% which would return 26mpg average.

I'm hoping to get a good idea before the winter gas starts