Running Head: SEQUENTIAL GEARBOXES
Abstract
This paper will discuss the technology of sequential gearboxes. Relatively new technology, the sequential gearbox has been applied mostly in ATV’s, motorcycles, and the automobile racing industry. Recently this technology has begun to reach passenger cars. There are three main points of discussion; the workings of a manual transmission, how a sequential gearbox works and the advantages of them, and the applications of it today. The sequential gearbox is extremely revolutionary and is only used in high-end passenger cars, but maybe one day it will be a luxury the majority of the population will be able to experience.
Sequential Gearboxes
The sequential gearbox is a very interesting twist on a manual transmission. It dates back to the early 20th century; used mostly on motorcycles and other off road equipment during the World Wars (Italia, 1993). Since then this transmission has exploded into not only the racing world but also the passenger car world (Immell, 1994). Sequential gearboxes have numerous advantages over a standard manual transmission. To further understand the concept of a sequential gearbox one must know the basics of how a transmission works, and then can fully understand the advantages of a sequential gearbox.
Manual Transmission Basics
Cars or motorcycles need transmissions because of the physics of the gasoline engine. First of all any engine has a redline. A red line is the maximum rpm value above which the engine cannot go without blowing up and sending parts flying everywhere. Transmissions use gears and gear ratios to keep the engine running under its redline. Secondly, transmissions are needed in order to keep the engine in its maximum torque range. Without a transmission the engine would not be efficient at all, because it would never stay in the rpm range with the most power (Brain, n.d.). The whole philosophy behind shifting gears is to keep the engine in its best possible working range. When talking about transmissions there are essentially two different types of them; automatic and manual. A manual transmission simply means that the driver has to shift his or her own gears. An automatic transmission selects the...
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...ill be possible in the future.
References
Brain, M. (n.d.) How Sequential Transmissions Work. Retrieved March 27, 2005, from http://auto.howstuffworks.com/sequential-gearbox.htm
Brejcha, M. (1993). Automatic transmissions and transaxles: Fundamentals of operation, 31-50. New Jersey. Prentice Hall.
Immell, M. (1994). Automobiles Connecting People and Places, 36-51. San Diego. Lucent Books Inc.
Italia. B. (1993). Great Automakers and their Cars. The Oliver Press Inc. Minneapolis.
Markus, F. (2002 July). BMW M3 SMG. Car and Driver. Retrieved March 26, 2005, from http://www.caranddriver.com/article.asp?section_id=16& article_id=1878&page_number=1
Stone, M. (August 2002). Shifty Business. Motor Trend. Retrieved March 26, 2005, from http://motortrend.com/features/11_0208_trans/index.htm
Note: The parts listed are for a T5 or T5Z transmission. Swapping to an aftermarket tranny (example: TKO, 3550, T56, etc.) will require a slightly different list of parts. These questions may be answered in the new Q&A list that is under developement.
* This type of system is also referred to as a continuously variable transmission. It is called this because as the engine speed increases the final drive ratio increases. That is, the difference between the engine speed and track speed decreases. It is equivalent to an automatic transmission on a car with an infinite number of gears that you never felt shift. Let's take a look at how this "infinite gearing" process works:
Remove the 18mm bell housing bolt. There will be 4 easily accessible from the top with 3.1, 5 with 3.8. Next install the holding fixture with two hooks to support the engine while the trans is removed. This is a large frame like device that has two hooks that support the engine from above while major components have been removed from below. Raise and support the vehicle.
Specifically, on a standard five speed, the gears are as follows: Neutral is located in the middle of the panel. From neutral, gears must be changed accordingly. First gear is found to the far upper left, and is used to get the car moving from a stopped position. Down left is second gear, used for speeds up to twenty-five miles per hour. Third gear is located upper middle of the panel, used for speeds from about twenty-five to forty miles per hour. Fourth gear is found at the lower middle and would be good for between forty and fifty miles per hour. Fifth gear is found to the far upper right, and is used for higher driving speeds such as on the freeway. Last but not least is reverse, which is to the far bottom right, used for backing up. These gears must be maneuvered the exact same way each time the automobile is driven.
In 1960, the American car landscape itself had expanded as Detroit began offering “compacts” alongside their full-size models. Many drivers, however, were looking for something in between these full size and compact model; this interest gave way to a new class, the intermediate. With many innovations between 1960 and 1964, like the 406 cubic inch V8 from Ford, the 389 from General Motors, and the wedge V8s from Chrysler, the golden age of muscle cars began in 1964. The Pontiac Tempest G...
So you are buying a new car and you ask yourself, Manual or Automatic? So choose. I told you the pros and cons on automatics and manuals. I told you which kind I like best. And even threw an opinion from another source. But in the end the choice is all yours. I can not tell you what kind of car to drive. What kind of transmission to get. Or even how to drive it, that is your prerogative. All I can tell you is that if you want some excitement in your ride, and do not want to spend a lot of money in the maintenance of you car, your best choice is a manual transmission. Even though manual transmissions are "it", for lack of a better word, in the end, it all comes down to the individual's preference
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7 the data we obtained from BMW with research in the library and on-line. We then developed a
„h Always place the gear shift lever in park or in gear in the case of a manual transmission.
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