A340/AW4 Auto Trans Controller

[smurf182]

I'm currently working on a control box to give manual control of the A340 auto transmission as found in various Toyotas and Jeeps (it is commonly known as the Aisin-Warner AW4 when behind a Jeep engine).

The Surf/4Runner and Cherokee are it's most common applications I believe, though there are a few others.

There will be a switch to change between manual and regular automatic shifts on the fly.

The box will have two momentary inputs, one push button for change up and one for change down, basically like a tiptronic trans. Unlike a tiptronic box though it will hold gears through redline and allow one to move off from stationary in whatever gear they please. Gear selection is entirely up to the driver.

There will also be manual control of the lock up clutch in the torque converter.

A seven segment display will show the driver the currently selected gear. A separate LED will light when the torque converter has been locked.

Off-road it will be a gem, particularly in low range, where at present the computer (in my Surf) always selects 1st when stationary and doesn't change up till around 3000rpm. Annoying to say the least. Torque converter lockup in gears other than 4th will be quite useful as well.

Basically I want all the benefits of an automatic (read: lazy around town driving) with the option to chose whatever gear I want when desired.

The first prototype is built and ready to be installed in my 1991 Surf tomorrow, weather permitting.

Just wondering how many people with this trans would be interested in the option of full manual control and if so, are there any other features you would like to see?

[hosehustler]

I would be interested.
What are you doing to allow for torque converter lockup to be released when brakes are used if in lock up mode

[De-Ranged]

This is something I was going to build for a project... if your price is right I'm sold

Cheers Reece
De Ranged Engineering

[smurf182]

I would be interested.
What are you doing to allow for torque converter lockup to be released when brakes are used if in lock up mode

I was thinking that the torque converter should be automatically unlocked if the brakes are applied.

The question I have is, should the torque converter lockup be reactivated automatically when the brakes are released or would you prefer to reactivate it manually?

[hosehustler]

automatically

[SupraLux]

Would that work if you were in 'manual' mode, top gear and you braked almost to a standstill... if the manual lockup was reactivated automatically in that situation what would happen then? I'm certainly no whizz on autos, but that seems like a bad idea. Maybe an easily accessible lockup button with a 'locked' LED beside it would be a better idea? Or a manual/auto relock option?

Sounds like a job for a PIC...

[vitara888]

Do you think the lock up clutch is strong enough for engine braking? The clutch is only sized to lock up high gears for economical cruising where there isn't a lot of power being transmited.

[smurf182]

Would that work if you were in 'manual' mode, top gear and you braked almost to a standstill... if the manual lockup was reactivated automatically in that situation what would happen then? I'm certainly no whizz on autos, but that seems like a bad idea. Maybe an easily accessible lockup button with a 'locked' LED beside it would be a better idea? Or a manual/auto relock option?

Sounds like a job for a PIC...

I think the manual/auto re-lockup option is a good idea.

I considered using a PIC or ATmega style microcontroller, though at the moment it's all being done with discrete logic (74HC/LS series) to keep development costs down.

[hosehustler]

Plenty of info on Pirate and some of the other sites about this sort of set up
http://radesignsproducts.com/default.aspx

[smurf182]

Plenty of info on Pirate and some of the other sites about this sort of set up
http://radesignsproducts.com/default.aspx

I've seen those before, as well as the AWshifting controller (AWshifting.com seems to have disappeared, with alot of bad press on Pirate4x4 and NAXJA).

I'm pretty confident I can do it cheaper than the yankee gear.

[Denby]

What is the 4 speed transmission used in the mid 90s Suzuki Vitara?

The Asian Warner 4?

[smurf182]

What is the 4 speed transmission used in the mid 90s Suzuki Vitara?

The Asian Warner 4?

It may be an Aisin trans but I doubt it is the A340.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Aisin_transmissions

[U-BOAT]

Torque converter lockup in gears other than 4th will be quite useful as well

as far as i'm aware lockup in 1st gear cannot be acheived in in A34#'s as the valve body needs to be modified to do this. I asked a few places in chch a few years ago when i installed a 1KZ and A343F in my hilux and no one seemed interested in helping. http://www.automatictransmission.com.au/ these guys are developing a valve body for the 343f found in V8 cruisers but i supose it would work for our prado and surf 343's aswell. lock up in 1st is really what is needed for steep descents and 4wding but the other consideration is that 1st gear in 343f's is 2.8:1 (approx) and 1st gear in a manual such as a G52 (2.4, 2.8 hilux) box and R151F (1KZ) is closer to 4.9:1. So unless someone had some rare 5.71 diffs or double transfers, even in low range you would look at stalling before you would be able to go slow enough as at the moment its the slip in the torque convertor that gives us our slow crawl speed while in 1st. With that being said having the ability to have the transmission take off in second gear without having to "wind' 1st gear out would be a big bonus as would selectable lock up in the other gears.

just my 2c
marc

[Heath]

What about a button that you hold in when you want lock up, release it and it opens back up? could be in the selector beside the od switch.

Dont have an auto at present but interested for later.

[smurf182]

Made a bit of progress, the prototype is in, and working

Mounted the up/down buttons on the centre console, they seem to be in easy reach here



Now just have to work on the TC lockup bits

What about a button that you hold in when you want lock up, release it and it opens back up? could be in the selector beside the od switch.

Dont have an auto at present but interested for later.

This can be done easily enough, though it could be quite a handful to control at times?

[wjw]

I'm planning on doing this, have the diagrams etc. Just have to fix an issue with my auto that neither rick or I can figure out. The torque lockup works manually but won't work through the trans computer

My plan is:

Joystick mounted in centre console for up/down shift

Manually actived torque lockup, which will deactivate when brake pressed, Planning to us a joystick with button on top for this.

as deranged said if the price is right I'd buy a 'kit' or the complete setup ready to wire in,

The guy from AW....com hasn't actually done an A343F and the wiring is different to what he has built so far.

The wiring for A343H (Surf) A343F (Prado) and the AW4 is the same. The A340 series which are on the back 1UJ, 2JZ's and anything high HP auto have an extra Solonoid.

I have an AW4 Jeep computer controlling my A343F now. It actually works better as the AW4 controller is a second generation one.

[smurf182]

The A340 series which are on the back 1UJ, 2JZ's and anything high HP auto have an extra Solonoid.

Any ideas what the extra one is for? AFAIK the A340H has 2 shift solenoids, a TC lockup solenoid and a solenoid in the transfer to engage low range.

[wjw]

The A340 series which are on the back 1UJ, 2JZ's and anything high HP auto have an extra Solonoid.

Any ideas what the extra one is for? AFAIK the A340H has 2 shift solenoids, a TC lockup solenoid and a solenoid in the transfer to engage low range.

maybe it's only the A340e series then... hmm ... just checked, It's on the 2JZ-GTE and on the 1UZ

http://www.wjw.co.nz/Toyota/95%20Supra% ... JZ-GTE.pdf

Page 6

There are five solenoid valves on the valve body.
The No.1 and No.2 solenoid valves are turned on and off by signals from the ECM to control the shift valves,
and change the gear shift position.
The No.3 solenoid valve is operated by signals from the ECM to engage or disengage the lock–up clutch
of the torque converter clutch.
The No.4 solenoid valve is operated by signals from the ECM to control the engagement speed and reduce
gear shift shock.
The No.5 solenoid valve is operated by signals from the ECM to regulate the line pressure to throttle pressure.

[hosehustler]

Any further progress with this set up Smurf??
Really keen to hear how you've got on, would love an update

[smurf182]

Hmm, didn't realise it had been almost 2 months since starting this project..

Anyway, I've been testing (read: driving around) with the prototype for a few weeks. So far, it works really well.

This is the current setup. Three buttons on the centre console, red to shift down; black to shift up and the smaller button in the centre to lock/unlock the lock-up clutch. They come to hand quite easily in this position. The torque converter is unlocked whenever the brake is applied.


The display is a seven-segment LED that displays the selected gear and another LED that lights when the torque converter is locked. The rocker switch to the right of the shifter turns the controller on and off (manual/auto). The display box at present is big and fugly and I am looking for something smaller to mount it in.


That's basically all there is to it as far as the driver interface is concerned. The electronics are mounted in the glovebox which keeps them out of any water (the same can't be said about the engine ECU and trans ECT units which are in the passengers and drivers side footwell respectively in my LN130).

AFAIK the KZN130 Surf has the motor and trans ECU as one unit however the signals will be just the same.

I can confirm what U-BOAT stated before, lock-up is available in every gear except 1st.

Manual control of the trans really makes the Surf a lot more fun to drive, particularly climbing hills with TC lock-up in 2nd and 3rd (the stock ECT only ever locks the torque converter in 4th gear (overdrive) at speeds above about 70km/h).

Also being able to move off from stationary in 4th gear (or any other gear you choose) in low range makes progress a lot smoother off road. Personally I think manual-ising an auto gives you the best of both worlds.

I am going to lay out a PCB (printed circuit board) for the control box as it is currently about 3x bigger than it needs to be (all the circuitry for the prototype has been done on veroboard which is like breadboard but the components are soldered). I also need to find a better looking way of mounting the display.

Once this is done perhaps an ORE member can have a setup for the cost of parts only, in return for feedback on the unit.

It may take a few weeks and I need to stress I am not selling anything as of this time, though expressions of interest are invited

[VX Scotty]

Ive got a petrol surf with that trans. Except my transfer case is computer controled as well. T Case has its own cooler, valve body etc etc.
Cheers Scotty

[wjw]

Any news?

I can source parts if you can supply a list and a PCB...

[WeresWolly]

Hi Smurf, hows this project coming along? is a sellable item nearing completion?
If not how about selling a wireing plan and a parts list with a few pics..?
sounds like theres enough intersrest out there for somthing like this

[juz]

http://www.radesignsproducts.com/Rail.html

[T-Boon]

I am also very interested in this, Got a 1UZ with a Surf auto behind it, at the mo i`m controlling it with the stick offroad and its not ideal.

They also do them, but nonw with TC lockup last time I checked.
http://radesignsproducts.com/

[Big]

Just read through ya post and would be interested if the price was right as othgers have said.. But I also have 2 auto's here with No controller at all and Im in the process of finding either a jeep or the crown uz ecu... but that seems to be as scarse as rockin horse shyt..
Im also on the hunt for the adaptor plate that connects the xfer to auto.. seeing as I have 2 xfers here..Keep me in the loop please

[juz]

T boon I use one on my cruiser, works sweet, I just have a button for t/c lockup. useful also for added engine braking downhill.

[T-Boon]

Make any progress on this ?

[Big]

wuts the go