Truth (was: Hi, I'm new...

[Roy J. Tellason]

On Monday 07 August 2006 05:57 pm, Tony Duell wrote:
> > On Sunday 06 August 2006 07:43 pm, Chuck Guzis wrote:
> > > Get yourself a good book on fluidics.  IIRC, a fluidic computer was
> > > supposed to replace electronics in rugged environment situations.
> >
> > Isn't that how an automatic transmission is supposed to work?  Although
> > they
>
> YEs. I have several workshop manuals that cover the Borg-Warner 35
> transmission (this was the common automatic transmission used on UK cars
> in the 1970s). It really is a clever design. The hydraulic pump, driven
> by the engine, is not just used to provide the pressure to operate the
> clutches and brake bands, said pressure is also used to move valves
> against spring pressure. The faster the engine turns, the more pressure
> you get from the pump, and at a certain point the valbe moves far enough
> to select some other function.
>
> The better manuals explain exactly what happens for each gear shift...
>
> > apparently have electronics in the newer ones...
>
> Alas yes. My father has just got a new car with electronics everywhere
>
> :-(. 

We have four vehicles here,  all with problems of one sort or another that are 
currently sitting idle waiting for the funds to fix them.  One car was on the 
road until yesterday when it was shut off and refused to restart,  and when I 
looked it over (some miles away from here unfortunately) it appeared to be 
getting fuel but no spark.  And thanks to the electronics that's as far as I 
could go with it.

> There's a control unit for the (automatic) gearbox. According to the
> workshop manual, there are 6 solenoid valves inside the gearbox, and also
> a manual slide valve coupled to the selector lever. Alas it doesn't
> explain what the latter does (if it fails you change the whole valve
> block), 

Here I've heard that portion referred to as "valve body".

> it doesn't explain what each of the solenoids does (it does give
> the dC resistances and the pins on the conector that each solenoid is
> linked to so you can find a defective solenoid)
>
> Oh well. I don't suppose I'll ever have to get amongst this, but it would
> be interesting to know what's going on.

I have a van sitting out back which has a real problem in that regard,  you 
put it in gear and nothing whatsoever happens as far as any motion is 
concerned.  And it's new enough to have one of those electronic transmissions 
which I believe got seriously overheated at some point.  I'm sure that the 
fluid that I checked is not supposed to be as black as motor oil turns out to 
be at times.  And either getting that one fixed or even getting one from a 
junkyard is looking to be a very expensive proposition,  unfortunately...

-- 
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space,  a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed.  --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James 
M Dakin