Emerald Flat-Shift & gear indication

[k80rum]

Has anyone had a go at implementing the flat-shift function on the Emerald K3 yet?

 

My ECU's just come back from it's upgrade and I was going to have a look at doing so. Hardware-wise I'll just need to sort out the clutch pedal switch - I need to have a proper look in the pedal box tomorrow as I've just gone hydraulic but I'm thinking along the lines of a plate and plunger-switch arrangement as used on the brake switch.

 

The new gear position calculation function is quite intriguing too - performed using a look up table, the engine rpm and a wheel speed input. I've already got an inductive pickup on the front wheel for the dash but it wouldn't be much of a hardship to wire a second one in to one of the rear wheels which could be dedicated to the Emerald. There's no real reason to have a gear indicator (especially on a non-sequential box) but its quite interesting as a project.

 

Thing is, although the Emerald can work out what gear you're in, I'm not sure if it has the capability to output to a display. I have a feeling the only use it can be put to is for tailoring different flat-shift power cut durations for different gears. I know you can buy aftermarket devices but I don't want one that badly - just wanted to get the most out of the Emerald ☹️

 

Today's work has resulted in a natty key-switch in the engine bay though, which allows switching of maps by use of a master key I took the decision that I wouldn't be swapping on the fly so this will suffice for pre-selection of either an MOT map, a low-octane, low power map with much lower cut-outs (used for lending the car out to friends probably ) or a bonkers map for high-octane fuel and with high limits and the flat-shift set

 

Darren E

 

Website and Emerald maps library

 

Superlight R #54

 

 

 

Edited by - k80rum on 11 Aug 2007 00:42:27

[Peter Carmichael]

The Emerald K3 can be hooked up over a CAN BUS link (two wires) to talk to an Aim MXL dash. The Aim dash can display gear indication, although its software includes several options that might make more sense than relying on the Emerald for a gear signal.

[Peter Carmichael]

The point being that output from the ECU is now "industry standard". It will just take a while for kit car instrumentation to catch up with this technology.

[k80rum]

Hi Peter, It's reassuring to see someone else up and about this early

 

Yep, I'd noticed in the literature that the K3 speaks CAN BUS and wondered if most of it's data could be sent via it. Unfortunately for me my Stack won't be as flexible as the AIM in either it's output or interfacing.

 

I take you point too, that if it's really something to be achieved, using the Emerald as the starting point might not ideal as it'll be pretty limited.

 

It's a shame but I think that particular avenue has reached a dead end. I'll leave it at sorting out the flat-shift which'll use the blanket cut option anyway, rather than being gear-specific.

 

It'll be interesting to see whether Stack adopt the 'standard' soon or buck the trend and stick with proprietary (I hope not..Otherwise they're likely to start losing customers, me for one )

Darren E

 

Website and Emerald maps library

 

Superlight R #54

 

Edited by - k80rum on 11 Aug 2007 01:20:55