Has anyone turned a manual gearbox into a semi-auto one?

[mikekx102]

I'm interested in trying this one day, probably with a motorbike engine and I'm just wondering how difficult it would be.

If some paddles and actuators for the clutch and gear lever were fitted then I'd still need some way of measuring the shaft speeds and write a program telling it to disengage the clutch, match the input and output speeds and then re-engage it. I'd like to use a motorbike engine since I can change gears much faster on that, than I can in my manual Hyundai Accent.

Would the additional hardware be expensive? Has anyone tried this?

By the way my name's Michael and I'm a third year mechanical engineering student from Western Australia. Hi everyone!

[Smokes]

if the motor bike engine uses barrel cams to engage the dogs it feasible but would be a packaging problem probalbe end up needing a redesign gearbox case.

[flynfrog]

a couple of actuators and an ignition cut. Plenty of FSAE teams have done it.

[Pierce89]

I'm interested in trying this one day, probably with a motorbike engine and I'm just wondering how difficult it would be.

If some paddles and actuators for the clutch and gear lever were fitted then I'd still need some way of measuring the shaft speeds and write a program telling it to disengage the clutch, match the input and output speeds and then re-engage it. I'd like to use a motorbike engine since I can change gears much faster on that, than I can in my manual Hyundai Accent.

Would the additional hardware be expensive? Has anyone tried this?

By the way my name's Michael and I'm a third year mechanical engineering student from Western Australia. Hi everyone!

On a motorbike engine/tranny, all you need is an ignition cut and actuators that just move the original shift lever, they also make devices that attach to the shift lever that cut your ignition when the lever moves.

[flynfrog]

Isn't there a problem not being able to finesse the clutch? I'm curious, not shooting the idea down.

You could still have a human controlled clutch or put an actuator on it. You really don't need it other than launch and stopping.

[marcush.]

automated manual box hardware is readily available:



VW lupo TDI 3l/FSI /Audi A2 1.2TDI had this ...it does bolt on directly to an otherwise almost std manual five speed box ...

http://www.daffieproductions.nl/pdf/3.pdf

maybe there is an english version also ..

[autogyro]

Why?

[stez90]

with a motorcycle engine you will need clutch for downshifts, as long as you don't use ride-by-wire and give a blip at the throttle.. the new mv agusta f4 rr has that system and it can make clutchless downshift..
for upshift ignition cut is ok..

[mikekx102]

Why?

Well yeah this wouldnt be for my dirtbike, but one day I'd like to make my own formula car and for now I've just joined the FSAE team at my university and they don't have paddle shift yet, but would like it. So I wanted to figure out how easy it would be to do.

It sounds like I was overcomplicating things by thinking "gotta match the revs" because then you might need a throttle actuator and that sounds potentially dangerous and maybe illegal... When I'm changing up gears on my dirtbike it is happy to do it without the clutch and with the throttle let off, but it would need a blip of throttle to go down happily so I could use the clutch when going down and not need it when going up by the sounds of it.

automated manual box hardware is readily available:
http://data.motor-talk.de/data/gallerie ... -54819.jpg
VW lupo TDI 3l/FSI /Audi A2 1.2TDI had this ...it does bolt on directly to an otherwise almost std manual five speed box ...
http://www.daffieproductions.nl/pdf/3.pdf
maybe there is an english version also ..

I didn't realise these were available. I'll look into it- thanks!

[flynfrog]

with a motorcycle engine you will need clutch for downshifts, as long as you don't use ride-by-wire and give a blip at the throttle.. the new mv agusta f4 rr has that system and it can make clutchless downshift..
for upshift ignition cut is ok..

or you could blip when you push the button. For a FSAE car id rather have a solid mechanical connection on a lever. 5 less things to go wrong on a car that maybe uses 3 gears any way. I think I recall one down shift for our car per lap. It would be sweet to have a servo clutch tied to wheel speed sensors for the acceleration though.

[autogyro]

Get rid of the antiquated layshaft gear cluster and replace it with an epicyclic gear train.
That will reduce torque loss and should be good for nearly half a second a lap.
Modify an automatic gearbox with a clutch instead of a torque converter and make it push button shifts.

[flynfrog]

Those don't come attached to motorcycle engines. So why waste the time to develop a new gearbox for very little gain when the off the shelf box will work fine for his application.

[tathan]

might be worth looking at BMW SMG 1, iirc it was the same manual 6 speed but with hydraulics to run the clutch and gearchange. Give you an idea of what is necessary anyway.

[marcush.]

I´m currently working on these:

http://www.enginetechnologyinternationa ... wsID=43324

definetely not something you´d be able to tackle successfully at home.

[autogyro]

I´m currently working on these:

http://www.enginetechnologyinternationa ... wsID=43324

definetely not something you´d be able to tackle successfully at home.

Good company marcush.
There is not much that Getrag dont know about gearboxes.
Good luck.