Got the software for determining what gear it's in, and when it upshifts in boost working, and it will now output a signal for a pre-programmed amount of time for each gear change (1-2, 2-3, 3-4). I can setup a different amount of time for each gear as needed. Basically when it commands a shift, it will send a signal to MS3 and it will kick into flat shift settings to drop the RPMs fast by reducing fuel/spark to reduce torque for faster gear changes and less slippage. Hardware and software for this is tested on the bench, will finalize and install/test on car soon.

Also got a well respected name in transmissions on the phone, and they are working on getting me a parts list with prices to get this trans to hold all the powers. He seemed to know his stuff on these boxes. I sent him some more info after we talked and I'll be waiting to get a quote for parts. Plan to just build it myself at this point. He thinks he can get me the parts for it to hold 500whp.

Back to trans computer, I'm also going to add a feature to allow me to take over control of torque converter lockup. I think it's going to be something like, "If RPM above some threshold, and TPS above some threshold, and boost above some threshold, lock the converter. Once locked, stay locked until boost/tps/RPM drops below some other thresholds. When not locked due to my conditions, follow factory lockup" That's basically what I'm thinking at this point. I may tie vehicle speed into it as well to guarantee it never tries to lock when brake boosting or something dumb.

 

How are you setting up the kick down from 4th to 3rd?

 

I'm not. Stock trans computer will shift the gears, I just monitor when it commands an upshift and apply torque management.

 

I think Ms3pro has some automatic trans support for spark cut while shifting and whatnot. Have you looked into it.

 

I haven't I'll check into it. The flat shift settings look like that will work.

 

Now have a gear indicator, torque management, and torque converter lockup all working on the bench. Will finalize and put on car next. Hoping to get everything in the car, it help a lot, and go run it at the drag strip friday.

 

Hardware built, going to install it now. A black box with power, ground, 5 wires to TCU (3 taps, 2 intercepts), 2 wires to MS3 (MAP1 and input for torque reduction request), and an ethernet cable going to a 6 LED display. Took a while to get it all built... Oh well, I tested the crap out of it on the bench so hoping it works on the car out of the box.

 

Quick question. For Digital Switched In 1, it's wired to my torque management and my box spits out a ground to Digital Switched In 1 when I want it to enable "flat shift" so the timing will pull back and all. This is how you wire it, right? Ground to enable? No connect to disable? Pretty sure that's how it was with the clutch pedal.

If so something I did is grounding it all the time, as my flat shift setting are on all the time for some reason.

Other than that, gear indicator and torque converter lockup is working as designed. Hoping to get the flat shift part fixed quickly tomorrow. Need to add a dimmer as lights are too bright but that is a minor thing to fix.

 

Ok actually my box was working all along. Apparently when the TCU switches from one gear to the next, there's a significant time delay before that actually happens. Also, with the converter locked in 1st, it commands a 1-2 upshift a lot sooner than 7,000. That's odd. Might test it with converter unlocked to see if behavior changes. Could be turbine speed dependent instead of VSS.

 

I don't think you want the torque converter locked at all in first.

Have you read anything about torque converter theory and how torque converters multiply torque?

 

Yeah, a little bit. They do something something and spin and stuff, right?

If you were serious, yeah I know how a converter works, I didn't swap an auto into my car and build my own TCU without knowing the most basic parts of how an auto works. I rebuilt a C6 about 10 years ago as well.

 

Failed the line pressure test on the 2nd gear circuit. I suspected it was a hydraulic problem on 2nd gear and it is!

Data below:


IDLE TEST
_________Reverse________DRIVE_______2nd______1st
SPEC____73-81__________53-58_______53-58______53-58
Measured_75_____________50__________50_________50

Reverse ok, failed all the others but barely out of spec, all low by about 10%.




STALL TEST
____________Reverse________DRIVE_______2nd________ 1st
SPEC_______181-216________141-162______141-162____141-162
Measured____200___________135-140_______102-104____135-140

Drive and 1st are low, just out of lower limit of spec.
2nd gear is wayyyy low, 32% lower than spec! Well there's why 2nd slips on 1-2 but holds once it's applied.

 

So now the question is, was it bad before you installed it, or did you blow it up already?

--Ian

 

It was already like this. On the first test drive I made one pull and it slipped with 14 PSI on the 1-2. As soon as I knew it was slipping I got out of it. I then tried the 2-3 and it was great there. Did it one more time with about 15 PSI this time and it slipped again on 1-2. Then put it to stock power by running 2* of timing and it STILL slipped very bad on the 1-2, in fact it was the same even though the power was way down. Then clicked it into 2nd from a stop and it held fine once applied.

The fluid that came out of this thing was nasty, and it's high mileage. I'm pretty sure it was neglected and the contamination caused a seal failure before I bought it.

I gotta contact the guy I was talking to about the trans again. I'm 50/50 for swapping in a low mileage stock box, or building a low mileage box and then installing it. I'm kind of curious how much a healthy box would take with the torque management working.

 

Currently looking at two different autos on ebay. Both from 2003 miatas.

One has 65K miles, free VIN search checks out his mileage claim, he took a pic of odometer as well. He wants about 550 shipped for it.

The other one, he claims it has 17K miles on it, and he wants about 675 shipped for it. But a free VIN search shows the car did have 17K in 2008, but that is the last record for the car. Very odd, why no records in 8 years? Why no miles in 8 years? Also no odometer pic.

I emailed Mr. 17K about why no updates in 8 years. Maybe it was wrecked in 08, no reported, and this trans has sat on a shelf for 8 years? I dunno, but seems fishy.

 

why waste money on another stocker when you're going to need to build one anyway?

 

Pat of me wants to know what a healthy one would take. If a stock auto would take 30 PSI when in good condition, that would be very good info to have. That would mean I don't need to go too crazy building it to get it to hold the rest. With my new lame rev limit around 7K, this fuel system should run out of fuel around 46 PSI.

I am buying a second one even if I just build it or this one, I want one trans in the car so it runs/drives, and then build the other and swap when it's done. More driving, less jackstands, and then have a spare to build to have ready if needed.

 

Didn't Genesplicer track an auto NA? Has he popped in here yet?

 

I think he grenaded it and it's now 6sp

 

LOL, so was just about to buy a 65K mile trans for 485 shipped, and then I found one for 100 bucks locally with 55k miles on it! Bought it, but gotta go pick it up about 3 hours away. Still that's awesome for 100 bucks plus some gas for a 55k mile transmission.