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Custom Comanche adjustable upshift light


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Awhile back I posted a thread asking how to get the favtory upshift light to work, well I got replies on how bad it sucked. So I improvised and used a JEGS RPM activated switch and 3 red 194 leds I had and came up with this... here's a youtube link http://youtu.be/G3Wr49NDSa8

so what do you guys think? I can make a write up next time I have the dash apart so just let me know!

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Not to throw cold water on the project, but...

 

I learned to drive on a 1953 Studebaker with an automatic transmission.  Second car was a 1959 Rambler with a 3 on the tree. After another stick shift Rambler it was on the the same British sports car you see James Bond driving in Dr. No.  Then it was a new 1969 Corvair with a 4 speed.  Had stick shifts all my life.  Been doing it so long, it is second nature to listen to the engine and shift.  I watch my tachometer also - needed to on my rotary engined Mazda.  That thing hit red line really fast.

don't get me wrong, it is a nice project.  But I do have to ask - what good is it?

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Well, I like it. :)

 

What controller did you use? 

 

 

As far as use., as others have asked. 

 

I race in sand / mud. With one of my race trucks, I can program the shift points in the computer. It shifts through 5 gears in about ~5.5 sec, when racing in 300ft. It's this rapid shifting that helps my truck to dominate. Can't manually shift that fast. 

 

Anyway, with my Master Jeep (MJ), I may race it too. However transmission control in these seems to be lacking. Shifting is controlled my throttle position, RPM's, load, and other things. So if I want to shift at say, 5500rpm exact, there seems to be no way to allow this electronically. However, with a custom shifter, one that allows the driver to bump the shifter up. And a shift light, it will be more constant. And your solution for a shift light is awesome! 

 

Even just for everyday driving. 

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Thanks all, and in all honesty I don't need it, what so ever. But ever since I was a kid I loved knick knack stuff a lot and this fit in the category! I love wireing and soldering with a passion, as weird as that sounds.

 

That does NOT sound weird.  Doing it just because it is fun is a great thing.

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Thanks all, and in all honesty I don't need it, what so ever. But ever since I was a kid I loved knick knack stuff a lot and this fit in the category! I love wireing and soldering with a passion, as weird as that sounds.

That does NOT sound weird. Doing it just because it is fun is a great thing.

I just said that because the majority of people I know hate wireing and problems. But ive always had a thing for it I love fixing little wirig gremlins and finally getting to the bottom of things.
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Well, I like it. :)

 

What controller did you use?

 

 

As far as use., as others have asked.

 

I race in sand / mud. With one of my race trucks, I can program the shift points in the computer. It shifts through 5 gears in about ~5.5 sec, when racing in 300ft. It's this rapid shifting that helps my truck to dominate. Can't manually shift that fast.

 

Anyway, with my Master Jeep (MJ), I may race it too. However transmission control in these seems to be lacking. Shifting is controlled my throttle position, RPM's, load, and other things. So if I want to shift at say, 5500rpm exact, there seems to be no way to allow this electronically. However, with a custom shifter, one that allows the driver to bump the shifter up. And a shift light, it will be more constant. And your solution for a shift light is awesome!

 

Even just for everyday driving.

The part number for what I got is 555-40824 from JEGS, it's $51.99.

 

And wow that programmable shift sounds really really expensive! And thank you!

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Instead of a tach, my FSAE team used a series of coloured LED's that came on at specific RPM intervals. Initially it was supposed to just be an "almost. almost NOW!" sort of shift light, but then we had the idea to extend it downwards. Far less weight than a gauge, and far less work than a digital display.

In regular, day-to-day commuting, I can see a shift light not really being that big a deal, but when you need some kind of consistency, like the precision required on a race track, or even just regularly having multiple drivers, the shift light is better than "playing it by ear" and much more noticeable than a gauge. Of course it should be coming on at a reasonable rpm... many of the OEM shift lights I've seen are either set for "maximum fuel economy" or "shift right the @#$% now or you'll asplode your engine".

 

As far as wiring it up, though, I doubt I could contribute anything useful. Our aftermarket ECU had the functionality, so we just used that.

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Instead of a tach, my FSAE team used a series of coloured LED's that came on at specific RPM intervals. Initially it was supposed to just be an "almost. almost NOW!" sort of shift light, but then we had the idea to extend it downwards. Far less weight than a gauge, and far less work than a digital display.

In regular, day-to-day commuting, I can see a shift light not really being that big a deal, but when you need some kind of consistency, like the precision required on a race track, or even just regularly having multiple drivers, the shift light is better than "playing it by ear" and much more noticeable than a gauge. Of course it should be coming on at a reasonable rpm... many of the OEM shift lights I've seen are either set for "maximum fuel economy" or "shift right the @#$% now or you'll asplode your engine".

 

As far as wiring it up, though, I doubt I could contribute anything useful. Our aftermarket ECU had the functionality, so we just used that.

the wiring for this was pretty simple I wired i spliced into the tach signal wire, the ran a power and ground and then wired up the accessory wire to activate the lights.
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my MJ has no tachometer stock. (never understood why you wouldn't put a tach in a manual) i have the shift light but as everyone has said its set for a stupidly low RPM. I like your digital tachometer and would love to know wher you got it. also how to set one up, not to keen on wiring and would love some help.

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my MJ has no tachometer stock. (never understood why you wouldn't put a tach in a manual) i have the shift light but as everyone has said its set for a stupidly low RPM. I like your digital tachometer and would love to know wher you got it. also how to set one up, not to keen on wiring and would love some help.

The part number for what I got is 555-40824 from JEGS, it's $51.99. Wiring was easy, the red wire will go to your power source so an open fuse port that gets power with the ignition source, the black wire will go to the Ground, if you don't know we're to find one hook it up to the negative side of your battery. The blue wire will go to the negative lead of the accessory your powering, and the grey wire will splice into the green and white wire behind your gauge cluster (this is the tach signal wire) And then your set to go! (:

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