Need the help of R3V - Amputee Driving a Clutch

[TurboJake]

That was the timer pot. But the solenoid will need to be capable of it. More chance than not it will need to be a linear solenoid, or linear motor. But that's what I was trying to say. Instant disengagement, Timed engagement. You could also have a second button underneath that would be outside of the timed release. Giving you the option to clutch kick. basically.

Mounting a rotary solenoid will yield much more force though. That may be the route it would have to go.

[bmwstudent]

jakes right, this is totally doable. A lot of drag car setups use an air shifter with an electric solenoid activated by a switch. You would just have to use a 12 volt linear motor like he suggested. Very good idea with the timer pot too.

[5Toes]

If only you werent so far away so you could help me make this happen!

[TurboJake]

Just off the top of my head. You would really want this to be done with a PLC. Probably a 12v micrologix that was capable of a sourcing output to a PID controller. putting everything in a closed loop, monitoring it, and very reliable. Let me do a little bit more reasearch into the micrologix family of PLC's and find out if it can do a variable output with enough current to accurately power a linear solenoid. That would eliminate the PID controller, and make it super, super, super easy to hook up, and program.

It doesn't matter how far away I am. I do kind of own an E30 after all.
And I do have a spare transmission sitting in the garage. (Or 2...)

[5Toes]

So Jake. Can you draw me a picture of the basic circuit? paint would work

[bmwstudent]

you just went way over my head lol

[5Toes]

So the PLC is a computer basically that will be programmed with different engagement speeds? So really I just push a button and the PLC fires the solenoid?

[TurboJake]

It depends on a lot of factors. Just give me a little time and I can have something worked up for ya. Allen Bradley makes a LOT of stuff. The catalogs aren't exactly the easiest to browse because of it.

But that's the just of it. The PLC gets the input, based on what you program that input to output. It does it that way. It's all fairly complicated in the programming terms, but for a person who has learned the RSlogix 500 language (Me), it's pretty rudimentary.

This is what I do. Industrial automation and robotics.

[5Toes]

Alright. Have you know, though. I dont have a G260 in my garage... nor the other components needed for a swap

[TurboJake]

Doesn't matter. If something is there, even if it's just a design and a program. It won't be that much to get crackin on it once you do.

And, extreme bonus. If it's already figured out. You dont even need to worry about getting the pedal set, hydraulics, etc. Meaning you'd need a tranny. Driveshaft, and shifter.

That's it...

[5Toes]

Yup. That would be nice!

So do you think a solenoid would fit where the slave cylinder goes?

and what is this gonna cost me ? lol

[TurboJake]

I think the solenoid will have the same exact shape as the slave cylinder, and be able to bolt into the same exact holes.

E30 slave


Tubular linear solenoid (NOT exactly what you'll need, but I'm sure there's one in this form factor that will work)


I can see this being less than $200. Depending largely on the PLC

[5Toes]

Awesome, awesome awesome. I dont have access to machining tools for mounts and stuff. If I could say (one day) buy the parts and ship them to you to mock up for me... and maybe machine the mounts and then ship them back to me.

I would of course pay all the shipping costs and you for your work.

[TurboJake]

We'll see. This is at best speculation at this point. I'll look into if a micrologix (Small, and cheap) PLC is capable of what we're looking at. Or if there's an OMRON Zen out there that can.

But it won't hurt for me to keep it in the back of my head, and take some looks

[5Toes]

Cool. Thank you so much Man