lockup-mate for the Challenger PB/PC

[m_and_m]

Hi
How far behind he Lock Up Mate do you think the Auto Mate for the Challenger will be?

I’d say about 3 months.

[Gusey]

I’d say about 3 months.

Awesome, thankyou

[old Jack]

I have had the Challenger back from MM4x4 for a week and have clocked up another 450km of mixed driving and testing. I have had numerous emails wanting to know progress so here is an update.

Very early days for fuel figures but indications are about 5% -10% better than using sports mode and about 20%- 25% better than using Drive.
These figures are for city/suburban driving where there is a lot of start stop under 70kph and are hugely dependent on traffic and how I drive in the conditions. I do not expect to see this level of improvement on country touring except in hilly terrain and if towing. I am hoping for similar improvements when off road since I can now lockup the TC in 2nd and 3rd in both high and low range.
We have to remember fuel savings are not the main reason for fitting a TC lockup, it is to keep ATF temperatures under control.

I will be catching up with M&M next week for the next round of software updates/fine tuning and getting the Scangauge II back online so I can start monitoring ATF temps.

There is still a lot of testing and fine tuning to be done before I am happy to give it the OJ seal of approval but it is looking promising, particularly if we can get Auto-Mate working and change the gear shift points, after all, us auto owners did not buy an auto so we could change gears!


OJ.

[nj swb]

... after all, us auto owners did not buy an auto so we could change gears!


OJ.

Speak for yourself, OLD jack.

I bought an auto because they offer benefits off road. The ability to crawl to a halt, and lightning fast gear changes being the two primary benefits for me (which not all manufacturers enable as well as Mitsubishi's Sport Mode). Yes, engine braking might suffer, but (with the Aisin transmission) I think that's more a result the ridiculous gearing - tall first and diff ratios, and pathetic low range - locking the torque converter doesn't make an appreciable difference to engine braking.

However, (ignoring the factory's deplorable programming) I still can't just steer, and let the ecu change gears for me - I still want to change gears on my terms, hence the paddles.

[coughy]

Hi MandM great work

so for us that have a lock up kit already like this installed and working

https://automatictransmission.com.au/shop/genii-torque-converter-lockup-control-kit-to-suit-mitsubishi-challenger-5-speed/

what do we need to intergrate this system with the lock up kit we all ready have??
or are we waiting for the auto mate???

because as i see it what u are doing with lockup mate is the same or similar as what i have already???

or have i misunderstood the consept

im buying one from you when ready as i have seen the effects on the kit i have now i wont better shifting and auto control and better fuel economy

so yes pls explain a little more for me and others

cheers coughy (peter)

[nj swb]

Hi MandM great work

so for us that have a lock up kit already like this installed and working

https://automatictransmission.com.au/shop/genii-torque-converter-lockup-control-kit-to-suit-mitsubishi-challenger-5-speed/

what do we need to intergrate this system with the lock up kit we all ready have??
or are we waiting for the auto mate???

because as i see it what u are doing with lockup mate is the same or similar as what i have already???

or have i misunderstood the consept

im buying one from you when ready as i have seen the effects on the kit i have now i wont better shifting and auto control and better fuel economy

so yes pls explain a little more for me and others

cheers coughy (peter)

Hi coughy,

Yes, lock-up mate would effectively replace what you currently have, adding some additional smarts to turn the lock-up on and off for you. As you already have a lock-up kit, you would buy lock-up mate lite, which will switch your lock-up kit.

Lock-up mate alone won't change shift points (unless the factory AT ecu detects a change in driving style and alters its programming accordingly?)

Auto-mate, the next product, will also change gears to keep the engine revs within a range that allows the torque converter to remain locked under conditions that would see lock-up mate unlock the converter. It will do this by "simulating" Sport mode i.e. fooling the transmission into thinking that you're changing gears manually - except another computer will be commanding the factory computer. At all times, the factory ECU decides whether or not to respond to the command, and change gears - that "last line of defence" for protecting the transmission remains in place.

[m_and_m]

Well said NJ.

In summary,
lockup-mate: automatic lock/unlock kit for the torque converter clutch
lockup-mate lite: automatic lock/unlock for your existing manual kit e.g. wholesale automatic kit
auto-mate: automatic lock/unlock plus changes gears for optimum laziness

So, auto-mate will be similar to a new DRIVE mode that is more optimised for towing/touring to reduce the transmission temperatures and save fuel.
lockup-mate acheives the same thing, but driver needs to do change gears in SPORT mode. Having said that, lockup-mate also works when the transmission is in DRIVE, but your at the mercy of the factory ECU choosing when to change gears. In the Pajero, it works well when when cruising, but not so well in windy hill. Here you’re better off using SPORT mode.

[coughy]

ok cool so im in need of a cross between

lockup-mate lite: automatic lock/unlock for your existing manual kit e.g. wholesale automatic kit
auto-mate: automatic lock/unlock plus changes gears for optimum laziness

as i wont the auto mode as well as the fix for lazy gears
hhmmm can that be done have the best of all 3 lol

a whole sale kit that auto locks and unlocks and has optimised gear changes in drive??? for the wife
and i will drive in sports mode!!!

as the wife dont and wont drive auto as a manual as oj stated ages ago didnt by a auto to change gears

[m_and_m]

ok cool so im in need of a cross between

lockup-mate lite: automatic lock/unlock for your existing manual kit e.g. wholesale automatic kit
auto-mate: automatic lock/unlock plus changes gears for optimum laziness

as i wont the auto mode as well as the fix for lazy gears
hhmmm can that be done have the best of all 3 lol

a whole sale kit that auto locks and unlocks and has optimised gear changes in drive??? for the wife
and i will drive in sports mode!!!

as the wife dont and wont drive auto as a manual as oj stated ages ago didnt by a auto to change gears

Yeah, you’d want something like auto-mate lite.
I’ve been toying with the idea of this product - depends on the demand though.

[coughy]

if you wont m8 i can be test bunny
i think there will be a few asking for it as the lock up kits have been around for a while now

so if you dont make the auto mate lite kit i will have to remove the whole sale kit and buy a new complete kit from you ?? auto mate??
so it locks and unlocks and has the optimised gear changes??

[PeterC51]

Yes please.
Ready to order.

X 2. Can't wait

[m_and_m]

if you wont m8 i can be test bunny
i think there will be a few asking for it as the lock up kits have been around for a while now

so if you dont make the auto mate lite kit i will have to remove the whole sale kit and buy a new complete kit from you ?? auto mate??
so it locks and unlocks and has the optimised gear changes??

Let's see how it goes. I'd like to be able to provide something that let's you retain your investment.

[coughy]

how is the ongoing testing OJ and M&M is it going well
anything to report pls

[old Jack]

how is the ongoing testing OJ and M&M is it going well
anything to report pls

My Challenger goes back to MM4x4 tomorrow evening for the next round of software updates and testing. I should have it back by the weekend so I can continue my testing.

Lockup Mate works, it just needs a little fine tuning and this is what the next software upgrade will do.

Hopefully as a part of this software upgrade I can start testing parameters for Auto-Mate as I believe this is what is really needed, it should give you the manual over ride control of the Lockup Mate and a fully automatic mode that has changed the gear up and down shift points as well as the TC lockup control in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th rather than just 4th and 5th that the factory program allows.

Good things come to those that wait, I want to test Auto Mate in city, suburbs, country, hills/mountains, highway, towing and off road driving conditions before I give it the OJ endorsement. I have another Simpson crossing planned for late May so hopefully this will be the final test.

OJ.

[Gusontheroad]

Yes please. Can't wait for this essential upgrade,