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AW-4 Shift Controller and LED Gear Indicator Mod

CobraMarty

NAXJA Forum User
AW-4 SHIFT CONTROLLER/GEAR INDICATOR MOD

So with some fancy electronic control boxes we built this device. What does it do? Watch here-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mnGzv28NGXA&feature=player_embedded
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GZ7rMjNdmg0&feature=player_embedded


Current version-
Gear Indicator- LED display showing what gear the trans in currently in. Right now it will display a number when the trans lever is in any location, even P,R,N,D,3,1-2. It shows gear 1-4 and then when the Torque Converter locks, like on the highway at/over 50mph, it shows 5.

Shift Controller- we wanted to be able to manually control the trans and 'shift' it like a manual but also have the automatic feature. Montana Fab has a control kit that lets you pick 1st, 2nd, or Drive(normal operation) but it uses a rotary switch which is kind of weird. We bought a RADesign rail shifter which is a great little device. It looks like a mini-shifter but it is needs to be 'stand alone' with no TCU and no automatic trans function/control or it requires additional switches to turn it 'on and off' and toggle between manual and automatic. We wanted something more integrated. With our 'control box' we reconfigured how the RADesign shifter controlls the AW-4. With the RAD shifter in '4th' gear position the AW-4 functions just as normal. Like it (the control box) is off. Then you can move the shifter into any of the other 3 positions and control/hold it in that gear and shift thru the gears at whatever rpm you want(not at 4800rpm like the TCU shifts at under WOT). So stopped or at a stoplight, move the RAD into 1st gear position and the trans shifts/is in 1st. Accerlerate and then shift the RAD into 2nd gear position and the trans shifts and stays in 2nd. Accelerate more and shift the RAD into 3rd gear position and the trans shifts into 3rd and holds it there. Accelerate more and shift the RAD into 4th gear position and the 'controller turns off' and the TCU takes over and shifts into 4th gear and over 50mph the torque converter will lock up as normal.
 
2013-03-16143724_zps027304c6.jpg
 
Picture shows a 'pigtail Jumper' I made plugged into the TCU, not needed.
Under the TCU is the black 'shifter control box' barely visable and wired directly into the TCU.
The 'battery pack looking thing' is the LED gear indicator control box.
And the RADesign rail shifter.
 
Both switches 'AUTO' down position = regular auto normal mode

Left switch UP 'FIRST/SECOND' pushed and right switch middle position 'FIRST/FOURTH' = 1st gear

Left switch UP 'FIRST/SECOND' pushed and right switch UP 'THIRD/SECOND' pushed = 2nd gear

Left switch middle position 'THIRD/FOURTH' and right switch UP 'THIRD/SECOND' pushed = 3rd gear

Left switch middle position 'THIRD/FOURTH' and right switch middle position 'FIRST/FOURTH' = 4th gear
 
That is what we need is a 'bezel' to mount the LED.
The LED gear indicator would connect to the RAD shifter and work without a TCU. Just needs 12v+, ground, tap/monitor sol#1 and sol#2. It would show 1-4.
 
Kinda curious why you didn't go tiptronic or use a rotary switch, it's almost trivial to do. I built one with a 4 position rotary switch, a toggle switch, and a couple relays that made it so I could just select a gear with the knob, select auto vs manumatic with the toggle, etc.
 
If I may, a half-assed apology. I did not even notice the RADesigns shifter in the initial post. It's an excellent product, don't get me wrong - in fact I've helped friends (including the last NAXJA president) install them and was impressed by the quality.

What I was responding to was the pair of toggle switches which appear to be for selecting a gear. If you have an RADesigns shifter in the XJ, why do you need a pair of toggle switches? My point was that a rotary switch or custom tiptronic is better than a pair of toggle switches. So is a RADesigns setup (or Montana Fab for that matter, if you prefer that setup) - so why the pair of toggle switches?
 
2 different apps.
One with the RAD shifter for those who want to 'row' thru the gears and no extra switches or switching required.
Other, with the switches and LED gear selector indicator in the vent panel for a cleaner look and less 'daily' need to switch thru the gears.
Don't like the rotary switch as a means of shifting and selecting gears.
Custom Tiptronic or paddle shifting for the XJ, that can be someone else's project.
 
No CEL with it?

Does torque converter lock up only happen in 4th selection (auto)?
No CEL.

And I'm not 100% sure on the torque converter. I'll have some time to play with it this weekend, so I might add another light just to monitor the torque converter lockup (independently of all the other shifter stuff) so I can see exactly what it's doing in manual mode.

I also want to see if manual mode works in the 1-2 shifter position because that means that engine braking would be possible with full manual control over the shifting. (there is no/minimal engine braking in D). Engine braking would probably make downshifting in manual mode more fun/useful.

And it looks like you can run an AB TCU in a XJ that originally had an AA TCU without any problems. WIN!


As for tiptronic... I might look into doing that for my XJ once I figure out how I would ideally like to do it since I have a Grand Cherokee steering wheel that has stereo control buttons on the back that I could probably remove to make room for paddle shifters. But Lead Foot is currently working on something to do with tiptronic...
 
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