Talk:Automatic transmission
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It might be worth working up something about Constantinesco's non-hydraulic torque converter of the 1920s. Unfortunately I don't have a link at the moment, but I seem to recall altavista finds it easier than google for some reason. PML.
- I'm also pretty sure that some work with hydraulic torque converters began much earlier than the 50s. --Morven 06:48, 7 Oct 2003 (UTC)
- Googling for "Constantinesco torque converter" seems to find a few references. --Morven 06:50, 7 Oct 2003 (UTC)
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- I think the place to look might be [1] - "fluid" because he also looked into power transmission in fluids by means of energy pulses. PML
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[edit] Gear selection / Shifter
This was completed on January 5 2007 KG
It would be useful to include a section on the shifter mechanism found in automobiles with an automatic transmission. This comes to mind as I work on D (disambiguation) and encounter "D for Drive". I know of three main types: push-button, floor shifter (illustrated in this article) and steering column shifter. Questions that come to mind are a) are there any other styles? and b) is "D for Drive" the same across all languages, or might it be (looking at Wiktionary) "F for Fahren" in German or "V for Vehar" in Ido (though I'd be verrry surprised to see a gear selector encoded for Ido :) ). Thanks for thinking on this and perhaps editing it in. Regards, Courtland 02:13, 29 September 2005 (UTC)
Some cars, e.g., the early (1961) Pontiac Tempest, had the transmission selector on the dashboard, next to the ignition switch and radio (IIRC). There were only four choices: R, N, D, and L (i.e., no P). 71.131.218.173 01:04, 20 July 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Honda Automatic
Did you know that all Honda automatics are actually hydraulically operated manual transmissions with torque convertors in place of the clutch? The transmissions of the Chapparral race cars of the 1960's, such as the famous Chapparral 2J 'Fan Car', were similar as they used a torque convertor instead of a clutch, however the synchro-less 4-speed gearbox was manually shifted.
- I find this incredibly doubtful, to say the least. While I'm not certain on the operations of the Chaparral gearboxes (I've heard that they were everything from simply a built-up manual valvebody TH400 to being a dog-box with a torque converter), the idea that Honda automatics are really hydraulically operated manuals (instead of planetary-gear / clutch-pack equipped automatics) is far-fetched at best. Hydraulically operated manuals have not even been in racing use for a terribly long time, and only a handful of cars on the street use them (any Ferrari with the 'F1' designation, or the recent BMWs with the SMG transmission) as their cost is very high compared to a normal automatic. Ayocee 14:57, 6 February 2006 (UTC)
[edit] Japanese "Kei" Cars
Some Japanese "kei" cars (yellow license plate, with a 650cc engine for reduced tax) have a bizarre combination auto gear box. Two fixed ratio low gears, and then a CVT gear above for regular driving. Confirmed in the Suzuki WagonR, and Daihatsu Move, and not in the Subaru Vivio. Unfortunately, I don't know enough about how they work to put an entry in the article, and it'll be difficult to find an english speaking engineer to explain. Given how underpowered these engines are (I estimate under 50bhp), it's probably an attempt to eke out a little more power, and it certaintly seems to help for going up mountains.
[edit] PSA AL-4
There is no mention of the AL-4 gear, in the models list. This gear is used by all/many of the recent models of French cars Peugeot, Renault, Citroen . Can you add a link to it, and a list of cars where it is used. It has had many reliability problems. —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 89.0.228.55 (talk • contribs) .
Were not Mercedes (rather than BMW) the first to offer a five speed automatic transmission? If I remember correctly it was available in their 1989 SL?
