Transmission Idea- Autostick conversion

khrispy · 05-22-2004, 01:22 AM

OK, this is probably an insane and un-workable idea, but since the automatic tranny in a saturn is electronically controlled, couldn't you theoretically modify it to work like a manual? A lot of cars now come with autosticks, those auto transmissions that can also be used as sequential manuals (think Acura RSX, MR2 Spyder). Wouldn't it be cool if you could do that to a saturn?

It'd just be a matter of designing the electronics to control the solenoids, so that they'd engage in the right sequence for each gear, right? Or you could take another approach and come up with a way to fool the transmission computer by sending it dummy VSS, RPM and TPS signals so that it'd choose the gear you want and not whatever gear the computer wants. It wouldn't be that hard, since TPS is just a potentiometer... but I'm not sure how closely the transmission computer and PCM are linked and whether it'd be possible to fake out one and not the other.

Granted, I don't have the electronics experience necessary to pull something like this off, but in theory I don't think it'd be hard for someone to design.

OK, you can start flaming now.

ausgeflippt13 · 05-22-2004, 01:47 AM

yeah actually, that would be a worthy project, although I don't have the experience or knowledge needed for something like that, so I honestly have no idea how difficult it would be.

If you want to do it just to see if it can be done, then by all means, do it!

but if you're doing it for functionality then just swap a manny tranny in...

khrispy · 05-26-2004, 07:56 AM

AHA! It can be done. Now if I could get someone to do it for Saturns... http://www.baumannengineering.com/tcs.htm

ausgeflippt13 · 05-26-2004, 05:38 PM

that's crazy. But personally, seeing as how it's already been done, the "worthy project" incentive is now left in the dust. I've always thought that those trannies were cheating, cuz it's like a manual transmission only for wusses who don't want a clutch and don't want to have to go through the pattern of manual shifting...IMO.

RiceRocket · 05-26-2004, 05:48 PM

^^ Execpt it STILL doesn't put the power to the ground like a manual.

I would like to see someone do it though, and if its not hard I'd like to do it on mine while I wait for manual swap moneys.

khrispy · 05-26-2004, 10:42 PM

True. I finally found a rudimentary wiring diagram in the chilton manual which lists which pins on the PCM control the transmission- there's five wires, I assume four operate the gears and the fifth is the TQ lockup. It'd just be a matter of attaching a voltmeter and driving around (with an assistant!) and watching which wires are hot when.

The hard part would be designing electronics to control it sequentially. You could half-ass it by just creating "bypass" buttons instead of a up/downshift toggle; ie hold a button to stay in 1st, 2nd etc...