Pneumatic Paddle Shifter for H-pattern gearbox

[kevo02]

Hey all.

I'd like to share with you guys the project I was working on for the last 2 years. It's fully pneumatic paddle shifter system for any cable driven H gearbox. This is at the moment mounted in VW GOLF 2, FIA E1 hill climb car.
The ECU that's controlling the valves can also control the clutch so one could use this on syncro gearbox also. Average shift I get is 0.08s which I'm looking to improve. I still have few miliseconds in my sleave

Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPRZ0MhzCuc

I'm constantly trying to improve the system so comments/Ideas are welcome.

More pictures & videos of the car on my facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mmemotorsport

p.s.: sorry for bad video at the beginning of the movie. I'm an engineer, not a professional camera guy

Thanks!

Marko

[JAFA851]

Wow that's a lot of work your have done to get that to work. Well done

[kevo02]

Thanks!

[wnut]

That is an awesome system, well done!

Way better than the paddle shift autoboxes that the car manufacturers offer on road cars.

Just bolt in and go?

[kevo02]

Hey. Thanks for positive comments.

Yes, the system is a bolt on with few adjustments, nothing big. I'm trying to reduce the size with different valves and smaller cylinders .. hopefully I can put it in some box so everything is more compact and better looking.

Marko

[Fatgadget]

I remember seeing a similar undertaking on a Nissan by a student as thesis/exam project early 2000s. Actuators worked directly on the gearlever and clutch pedal. micro-controller I think a motorola 68000 derivative! Description was by text - no video.
Interesting.

[kevo02]

Hey. Was it also a pneumatically actuated? Do you have anything else on the subject? Maybe the author name, location, thesis title etc.. would love to see maybe different angles

[JohnD]

I saw and admired a pneumatic gearbox change at a Sprint in 2012.
Rather more 'used' than yours!

John