Idea: Tap into the cruise control system to rev the rpm in neutral or park?

[Jeff Blake]

I have a winch and dual air compressors. They like their juice. I was thinking how cool it would be to tap into the cruise control system, and wire up a simple switch: press the button, and rpms rev to ~2.5k. Press it again, goes back to idle.

Is this feasible? I'm pretty electrically inclined, so I'd be game to try and figure it out, but I'd need direction. I fear that the ECU is pretty safeguarded and to fool it would be very difficult. The only other idea I can think of is a linear actuated motor to tug on the throttle cable. To make that automatic at the touch of a button - at a preset rpm - I think a micro-controller would be necessary. Or, a simple up/down switch.

 

[jymmiejamz]

You'd probably be better off just installing a hand throttle and utilise the cruise control linkage on the throttle housing.

 

[number9]

50%?

You may be able to utilize your foot when using the winch when in the cabin. Bricks or sticks have worked well for me when not behind the wheel.
......

 

[p m]

Jeff - what year is the truck?

 

[mgreenspan]

Isn't this why people do dual battery setups with split charge? That's going to be more efficient and provides other uses. It's also very easy to do.

 

[Jeff Blake]

I have dual Odysseys. But drawing a couple hundred amps on any battery is going to deplete them fast and lower the voltage quite a bit. An alternator at idle might put out 50a, which helps, but if you could give it 100+ amps that would make quite a difference.
Not a big deal when running the compressors, but winching st 250+ amps is another story

It's a 2002. Sure bricks, sticks, and all the tricks work, but like I said, it would be neat to have it automatic. Just that... neat.

If you send the cruise control motor a certain voltage, wouldn't that work? If it accepts a standard 0-5v input or something like that.

 

[p m]

Jeff, I am curious... where around SoCal do you find places where you might need a winch for more than 20 seconds at a time?

That said... I don't know where D2 gets its tachometer signal, but I heard it isn't the alternator. If that's the case, you may look into getting a smaller alternator pulley. I don't think any higher-output alternator is a solution (typically increase in maximum output is achieved at the expense of low-RPM output).

 

[robertf]

I was wondering that too. Maybe more agressive tires is the solution

The d1 cruise control turns on a vacuum pump to increase speed and a vent solenoid to decrease. Youd have to disable the cruise control module to keep it from adjusting to 0 I think the d2 is a servo onstead of vacuum based, but the inputs are the same. Itll be an ugly hack however you do it. Its not a simple tie into the obd2 port and send a command like some new stuff is.

I did a tbi swap on a vehicle with a york air compressor where I set the AC input to max out the idle stepper motor, but thats not an option with rover ecus.

 

[fishEH]

Hand throttle and/or high output alternator.

 

[p m]

Hand throttle and/or high output alternator.

Brett, read above.
There is only so much change in magnetic field at a given RPM in an alternator, given its physical dimensions. One can rewind the rotor and stator to increase maximum current output (and power) - but since there will be fewer turns of thicker wire, this maximum output will happen at higher RPM (and maximum current at idle will be proportionally reduced).

 

[Jimmy]

Another vote for a hand throttle. Too easy to do.

 

[Jeff Blake]

pm, I don't have a practical need for it at the moment - just mulling around ideas. Hand throttle is probably the way to go. I just spent the weekend up in the Corral Canyon OHV trails, it was a good first breakin after building up my rig for the past year. The espinosa trail was good. I did it west-to-east, and there was one difficult spot with a steep uphill, boulders left center and right, complete with a hornets nest in the middle of the line! Had to throw a bunch of rocks in to get over. I'm a noobie, so this my first real offroad trail

I finally got around to installing the 200amp alternator I picked up off eBay. I was concerned because it failed the test @ O'reilly's (only putting out 11.5v) but the machine looked real janky and he had to run the test multiple times to get it to work... so I installed it anyway. I was getting 14v for the first couple of days but now I see 13.3-13.5v. Hm. I turned on my compressors (50 amps) and put a clamp meter over the alternator cable @ idle, and saw ~55 amps, which is pretty good. I suspect the car takes about 10-15 amps to run, so that means the output is only around 50 amps at idle. Next I need to respool the winch under load anyway, so I will try to juggle an amp meter test as well.

 

[p m]

There are two difficult trails in Corral Canyon - Sidewinder and Bronco Peak. The last one had a huge washout so going up this section might require a winch - for about 20 seconds, if that. But even if you run a winch for a full minute, the alternator will top off the battery in the next five or ten minutes. (And that is if you even find the tree to hook up the winch cable to - besides manzanitas).

If I remember correctly, you've asked questions about this 200A alternator a few months ago.

 

[Jeff Blake]

Thanks for the trail tip. I stayed out of the OHV area this time around. Did about 17 miles of loops around the service roads + Espinosa trail. I wish the roads to the west weren't gated off and you could get to Barrett Lake.

Next up: CDL and more skid protection!