car computers

From: Don Maslin <donm_at_cts.com>
Date: Mon Aug 17 19:58:01 1998

On Mon, 17 Aug 1998, Don Maslin wrote:

> On Mon, 17 Aug 1998, Tony Duell wrote:
>
> > >
> > > >>Don't forget the most important thing, you can REALLY control the spark
> > > >>curve :)
> > > >
> > > > Yes and the transmission shift points in some cars.
> > >
> > > What?!? Took me a couple of minutes to work out what you're even
> > > talking about, there.
> >
> > :-)..
> >
> > >
> > > These (mostly non-electronic) analogue computers were quite popular in
> > > larger cars (in the UK, anything with more than 2.5 litres - 150 cu. in.
> > > - of engine) in the early 'seventies, but they were inefficient and
> > > unreliable and I never use them if I can avoid it...
> >
> > Actually, if correctly maintained, automatic transmissions can be very
> > reliable. I still don't like the idea of automatic control of _anything_
> > that can be manual, though...
> >
> > Renault made an electromechanical automatic transmission. It used an
> > electromagnetic clutch and a conventional gearbox with a motor/solenoid
> > assembly to move the selector rails (3 speed + reverse). There was a
> > relay box to operate that with inputs from a push-button assembly near
> > the driver, a mechanical speed sensor (worked like the spinning-magnet +
> > Al disk speedometer, but with contacts on it), etc. The relay unit also
> > operated a flap on the inlet manifold to drop the engine speed when
> > appropriate.
>
                 Hobbs
> Don't forget the^Mechamatic, designed and built by one of your countrymen
> - whose name escapes me at the moment - which was an all mechanical
> automatic transmission without fluid coupling or torque converter, IIRC.
>
> - don
>
> > Alas the shop manual I have for it doesn't give any internal details of
> > the relay box or the actuator assembly, so figuring out how it works
> > (without owning the car!) is impossible.
> >
> > >
> > > I refer of course to automatic gearboxes. If you want control over the
> > > transmission shift points, get a manual gearbox with electric overdrive.
> > > Every time!
> >
> > What about Roverdrive, then. For those (everyone on this list!) who've
> > not come across this transmission-designed-by-a-committee, it consisted
> > of a torque convertor (like on an automatic), a conventional dry clutch,
> > a 2-speed+reverse synchromesh gearbox, and an electric overdriver. The
> > last could be automatically controlled, but the rest was entirely manual.
> >
> > -tony
> >
> >
>
> donm_at_cts.com
> *-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
> Don Maslin - Keeper of the Dina-SIG CP/M System Disk Archives
> Chairman, Dina-SIG of the San Diego Computer Society
> Clinging tenaciously to the trailing edge of technology.
> Sysop - Elephant's Graveyard (CP/M) Z-Node 9 - 619-454-8412
> *--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*
> see old system support at http://www.psyber.com/~tcj
> visit the "Unofficial" CP/M Web site at http://cdl.uta.edu/cpm
> with Mirror at http://www.mathcs.emory.edu/~cfs/cpm
>
>
>

    donm_at_cts.com
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
    Don Maslin - Keeper of the Dina-SIG CP/M System Disk Archives
         Chairman, Dina-SIG of the San Diego Computer Society
       Clinging tenaciously to the trailing edge of technology.
     Sysop - Elephant's Graveyard (CP/M) Z-Node 9 - 619-454-8412
*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*
        see old system support at http://www.psyber.com/~tcj
    visit the "Unofficial" CP/M Web site at http://cdl.uta.edu/cpm
            with Mirror at http://www.mathcs.emory.edu/~cfs/cpm
Received on Mon Aug 17 1998 - 19:58:01 BST

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