shifter for electronic trans in older car?

[pontiacjeff]

Didn;t someone make an electronic shifter to put a -60e in an older car? I rememeber about 4 years ago someone building one for himself, maybe one of the fiero guys? I am thinking of putting a 4T40 Daewoo trans in my not-a-60-degree-v-6-powered Grand Am Turbo, but I don;t want to spend 700-bucks on a PCS control box for it.

I was thinking of a series of relays and some kind of sequencing switch to go from position 1-2-3-4 to 4-3-2-1, in order to achieve the four solenoid states, on/off-off/off-off/on-on/on. But I am not an electronic wiz, anyone else here?

[gectek]

a 4t40e trans or a 440t4...i know gm and maybe fast or TCI make a stand alone 4t60e trans controller, but i hadnt heard about a stand alone shifter for the 4t40...you mean kind of like a tap shift or just a shifter with the contacts built into it.

[pontiacjeff]

I am looking for something like a tap shifter. all those controllers are expensive, I don;t need full control, just shift up and down. I wish i could find someone who would build a manual valve body for it.

[sunhub]

Jeff,
I can build you a controller for around $150, but you will need to make your own shift paddle or ratchet type shifter switch to actuate it. This would be a simple microcontroller to provide manual shifting of an 4T60E type tranny.

sunhub
88 FieroGT Turbo3.2 4T60E

[pocket-rocket]

The microcontroller is how Brian89gp did it years ago in his GTP.

[pontiacjeff]

Jeff,
I can build you a controller for around $150, but you will need to make your own shift paddle or ratchet type shifter switch to actuate it. This would be a simple microcontroller to provide manual shifting of an 4T60E type tranny.

sunhub
88 FieroGT Turbo3.2 4T60E

You da man!!!!! That's what I'm talking about, but I have no knowledge of electronics such as microcontrollers, etc. Cool!

What is involved with the actuation of the controller, on/off switches? ground circuits? I would like to make it work with a ratchet shifter, I have a good B&M unit that is compatible with a 4-speed trans. What kind of switches would I need to make it work with your controller? I assume I would be able to set it up for the proper solenoid sequencing or you could provide a pinout so I know whuch outputs do what?

I'll send you apm with my email, I am very serious and ready to buy two of these, one for my 4T80 Bonneville and the other to put the 4T40 in my turbo Grand Am. Thnks!

[pontiacjeff]

The microcontroller is how Brian89gp did it years ago in his GTP.

that's right! I knew it was brian, just couldn;t remember. How's he doin, is he still hangin out here?

[pocket-rocket]

I haven't heard from him for about 3 years now

[IsaacHayes]

check out frank_ster on v6z24. He has a 65-e with microswitches and a ratchet shifter. Manually controlled.

[sunhub]

Jeff,
You could probably use the ratchet shifter. I used two micro switches to build my little mini ratchet shifter. I think they were $1.99 each from Radio Shack. It's been about two years since I built mine and it still works fine. The voltage and amps are real low to the switches and the solenoids in the tranny, so it doesn't take large switches. I will provide screw type terminal connectors that you connect the wires from the tranny and power to along with instructions from my 4T60E experience. The wiring on the outside of the 440T may be different, but if you look online you will probably find the schematic. All the logic is done in the programming.
It will take me a couple weeks to get all the circuit components ordered in and a board built up. Do you have a place on your dash or console that you can mount a small single digit numeric LED? That is what I use to let me know what gear I'm in. It's like a single digit from an RED LED clock. I used a dremel tool and cut a small hole on my dash in my Fiero.
I will try to post some photos later.

Tim
sunhub
88 FieroGT Turbo3.2 4T60E

[TurboGTU]

This this controller controll the Force motor selinoid too? The 4t60-e didn't have one.

If not, Jeff you can try to locate a hydrolic schematic and see if you can put a spring on the boost valve the force motor selinoid controlls.
On a 4t65 the select spring goes between the boostvalve plug and small plunger. See the GM ecotec powermanual to see what I mean. I would assume on the 4t40 its what ever plunger the selinoid feeds to pushes.

http://www.sonnax.com/announcements/33886-03K.pdf

I would assume it goes between the end plug and the purple valve. Thats if you just wanto use firm shift (high pressure)

[pontiacjeff]

OHHHH, you are the man. If it will expedite the process, I will send you 150 now and another 150 when they are finished. I need two. The 4T80 Northstar trans in my Bonneville and so i can put a 4T40E in my Grand Am. Will it matter the solenoid sequencing or will I make that "connection" when I hook up the wires? Can we switch to direct email?

I'm at tech@engineered.net

[pontiacjeff]

On the 4T80 in the Bonneville, I will be using a vacuum control solenoid from Transgo desined for the 4L60/4L80. It's simple, really. On the 4T40 in the GA, I will probably do the same thing, or just run the PCS wide open for full line pressure all the time.

[sunhub]

Jeff,
I travel some for my job and I am on the road now and when I am away from home I can't always get my email to go out on my personal account. If you want to send the first $150 now that would help me to pay for the stuff. i will email you directly tomorrow night when i am back home with my address and info.
From the schematics I have looked at of the GM computer controlled trannys they all seem to function somewhat the same with two solenoids. So with that said this circuit can control two solenoids and the lockup converter.
TurboGTU may be right in that you may need to do something else to the others, but I can tell you from experience that you can shift a 4T60E with it. The way I program it you start in first gear when you crank it up and place the gear selector in Drive. You then must shift it with this ratchet shifter to 2nd 3rd and 4th and back down again as you would a manual tranny. I call it a clutchless manual.

Tim
sunhub

[sunhub]

Oh... I also have a 5th gear which is 4th with the converter locked.

Tim
sunhub