Re: [AMC-List] E-stick

["Widiker, John D" <john.widiker@xxxxxxx>]

 I've been following this thread with growing fascination, what cars and
years was this system available in out of curiosity?

~John

-----Original Message-----
From: amc-list-bounces@xxxxxxx [mailto:amc-list-bounces@xxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of Swygert, Francis G MSgt 436 CES/CECM
Sent: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 2:03 PM
To: mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Re: [AMC-List] E-stick

I agree, something like a BASIC Stamp could handle all the logic much
easier than the "analog computer" design of the original system. 

The one I had was in good working order -- those old switches and such
were well built, not like the Mexican/Chinese junk we sometimes get
today! The big problem was low oil pressure on a 90K mile engine. The
fellow I bought it from already had all the parts to convert over, just
hadn't done it (I may have said before that he started converting, but
he'd just collected the parts). I didn't drive it much before
converting. There was an incline at a stop sign right at the house I was
in. The engine had to rev way up and the clutch would get to nearly
smoking the couple times I did drive that way. I don't recall driving it
more than 3-4 short trips before converting. But everything worked as it
should have. If one switch was out it would likely be apparent which,
I'm not sure. 

It looks and sounds more complicated than it is. Poor vacuum and oil
pressure would kill it before a bad switch. At least from what I
remember (will have to look over a TSM again!) a bad switch should be
obvious -- like grinding going into a gear or something. For
deceleration the servo compared engine vacuum with oil pressure. The
amazing thing is the engineers managed to make it all work without a
speed or motion sensor, they extrapolated that MECHANICALLY with vacuum,
oil pressure, and shift lever position information only!! Smart guys... 

--------------
Date: Wednesday, December 20, 2006 01:19 PM
From: Tom Jennings <tomj@xxxxxxx>

On Wed, 20 Dec 2006, Swygert, Francis G MSgt 436 CES/CECM wrote:

>
> Actually, I see no reason it shouldn't be compatible with overdrive.
> When you let off the gas to go into over drive it might declutch, but
I
> don't think that would be a problem. OD would still come in as long as

> the car was moving fast enough. Kicking down OD should have no effect.

There's servo gunk to make it engine-brake on decelleration, where it
would seem it would want to simply declutch. It's really complicated!
Did you drive one in perfect working order? I bet there were few of
those after a year or two -- it just looks like a prone-to-problem
system. Not badly designed, just a lot of stuff that's unique, hard to
test, and subtle. Probably not a good combo for the corner garage in
1960-ish. Umm like fuel injection.

> The main difference in the oil pump is that the gears are about 1/2"
> longer than the standard pump (and of course the pump body).

Actually, after reading it over, the oil pump is the LEAST of the
changes, and the most understandable. (Though that pump would make a
nice performance pump.)  I shold scan that photo and the E-stick pages,
the theory-of-operation is similar to the auto transmission, color flow
diagrams and all.

> Tom, I'm going to have to write an E-stick article for AMC now!!
Luckily

That would be cool. I've always had a sick curiousity about all the
failed "new ideas" in cars; e-stick, hill-holders, that sort of thing.

> I figured out the exact sequence of operation a long time ago (don't
ask
> now -- I have it in my old book though!). Distilling it down into an 
> easy to follow path was a chore the first time -- I think I re-wrote 
> that one small section 3-4 times before I was satisfied with it, and 
> will likely re-write 2-3 times for an article again!! I've been
writing
> so much over the past few years that I have my rough draft thought out

> in my head before I even put pen to paper (or rather finger to 
> keyboard).

It would probably be easier to describe it in some simplified computer
language! A tiny microprocessor would make E-Stick work perfectly, for
example decell, and avoid low-engine-oil-pressure didn't slip the
clutch, etc.

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