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Electric solenoid for shifting?
http://www.locostusa.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=8844
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Author:  L8 apexr [ April 16, 2010, 6:57 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Electric solenoid for shifting?

I have to enclose the engine to create a firewall as per the rules,I plan to use a scattershield blanket on the interior to cover both the back of the block for wayward rod bits and the clutch housing for obvious reasons.

Author:  Hank [ April 23, 2010, 11:16 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Electric solenoid for shifting?

I have the following kit for my Megabusa (not installed yet). It's a Flat Shifter Pro + Max system with paddle shift.
Image

The way that I understand it is when the electric solenoid is powerless I will be able to find neutral with the manual shifter. When I use the solenoid for up and downshift my manual shifter will move in a ghostly fashion. :) The reason for the 1" stroke is to never find neutral while racing. Who needs neutral unless you decide to stop at the end of the race?

Here's my interior that shows the manual shifter.
Image

Here's a shot where you can see the horizontal shift linkage converting to a vertical shifting linkage via the firewall pivot point. It's just above the vin plate towards the bottom of the image.
Image

Author:  erioshi [ April 24, 2010, 3:35 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Electric solenoid for shifting?

Hank wrote:
... Who needs neutral unless you decide to stop at the end of the race? ...

I can't remember ever using neutral on a race track but there was one time I used reverse as I was finishing a spin brought about by some mud another competitor had drug onto the track. I dropped into reverse as the spin was ending to back off the track and not get t-boned by the competitor trying desperately to avoid hitting me (or the guy who had him boxed in & pointed at me). Wet tracks can be way too exciting.

Author:  firebat45 [ January 10, 2012, 3:40 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Electric solenoid for shifting?

If finding neutral is a problem, you could have a small, secondary solenoid that places a bar in the way of the shifter, so that it gets stuck at neutral the next time you shift. Have it set up so you hold the "Neutral button" and shift with the normal button.

Or you might just find that a quick tap of the shift button instead of holding it is just enough to jostle the tranny into neutral. Might take some practice though.

Author:  IA599 [ January 11, 2012, 12:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Electric solenoid for shifting?

firebat45 wrote:
If finding neutral is a problem, you could have a small, secondary solenoid that places a bar in the way of the shifter, so that it gets stuck at neutral the next time you shift. Have it set up so you hold the "Neutral button" and shift with the normal button.


I like it! :cheers:

Though I think the mechanical linkage or cable is the way to go, bikes shift better when you preload the shift drum before going for the shift, and a solenoid can't really do that.

Author:  olrowdy_01 [ January 11, 2012, 2:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Electric solenoid for shifting?

IA599 wrote:
firebat45 wrote:
If finding neutral is a problem, you could have a small, secondary solenoid that places a bar in the way of the shifter, so that it gets stuck at neutral the next time you shift. Have it set up so you hold the "Neutral button" and shift with the normal button.
I like it! :cheers:

Though I think the mechanical linkage or cable is the way to go, bikes shift better when you preload the shift drum before going for the shift, and a solenoid can't really do that.
I haven't put the Megasquirt on my car yet but I've programed it and a PIC to read what gear the transmission is in and when you move the paddle shifter to upshift (which will basically energize an electrical circuit when the mechanical pressure has built up on the cable) the PIC will start the shift sequence by commanding the Megasquirt to cut the fuel off. When the PIC determines the xmission is in the next higher gear it will command the Mega to start squirting fuel again.

Down shifting and finding neutral will be done completely mechanical with present paddle shifter setup. If the electrical system fails I will just continue using the paddle shifter in the normal fashion (let off on the gas pedal etc).

By still using the paddle shifter and the cable I don't have to worry about solenoids (air or electrical) etc. And it's somewhat Locost in that it adds the minimum amount of new stuff. It all works on the bench and the time the engine is killed is determined by having the shift completed.

I tried a simple ignition kill with a fixed timing and I found that the shift seems to vary in kill time depending upon the speed, rpm of the engine etc. When it worked it was great but most of the time it just didn't shift at all. If the shift isn't done at just the right moment as the engine dies the car momentum spins the engine and then the reverse torque on the gears won't allow the shift with any reasonable pressure you put on the paddle shifter by hand.

I detailed all this on my website but just haven't been in the mood to work on the car for awhile.

Author:  kikiturbo [ January 12, 2012, 11:15 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Electric solenoid for shifting?

Hank wrote:
Who needs neutral unless you decide to stop at the end of the race?


on a bmw formula junior car I drove, we had a hewland 6 speed sequential gearbox with N-1-2-3-4-5-6 gear order, but the neutral was blocked, you had to pull a special lever to get into it..

Author:  thebionicman [ January 12, 2012, 8:41 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Electric solenoid for shifting?

IA599 wrote:
firebat45 wrote:
If finding neutral is a problem, you could have a small, secondary solenoid that places a bar in the way of the shifter, so that it gets stuck at neutral the next time you shift. Have it set up so you hold the "Neutral button" and shift with the normal button.


I like it! :cheers:

Though I think the mechanical linkage or cable is the way to go, bikes shift better when you preload the shift drum before going for the shift, and a solenoid can't really do that.


You could preload them if you had a PWM output to drive the solenoid.

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