Date: Fri, 12 Jul 2002 15:05:52 +0100 From: "Lineone" <lineonenopsamone.org> Subject: Re: Sensonic gearbox
On the same topic, I posted this back in May 2002. ********************************************** Hi guys, In the 1995 Saab 900 glossy brochure, Tommy Lindholm (responsible for the transmission) is quoted as saying: "Sensonic signifies a fairly natural progression for Saab. Sensonic is a whole new approach to driving: a manual gearbox but no clutch pedal. The clutch is operated automatically by an electro-mechanical actuator governed by an ingenious system of sensors and electronics. The system monitors engine speed, road speed and a whole range of other factors to ensure that everything is perfect. And if you think the process sounds complicated, just forget the technology - because it looks after itself. Leaving you to concentrate on the road." The brochure then shows a cut-away diagram of the actuator with the caption: "The electro-mechanical actuator governs clutch operation quickly, distinctly and with minimum slip. There is less clutch wear and progress is much smoother" The diagram is neat but anonymous - you can't see how it works, or even tell where in the car it lives. So, there you are. So much information, you could virtually go away and make one yourself !!! NOT. Adrian Hampshire, England ********************************************** "Phil Born" <anonnopsamty.com> wrote in message news:xEmX8.16924$VP6.1139899nopsames... > Speaking as someone who actually owns one, I can tell you it's not vacuum > operated. It has what appears to be an electrically driven hydraulic pump > to actuate the clutch. > > My '97 900 Talledega has just shy of 50k on it and it works fine. It can be > a bit 'grabby' in low-speed parking manoeuvers, but that's mostly down to my > 'heavy foot'. My only gripe is that, as it has automatic-sized and -spaced > pedals, I can't heel-and toe properly on down-changes. So, not a really big > draw-back. > > It's also a bit tricky making a really fast start. Even mashing the > throttle to the floor results in a bit of a Granny start until the clutch is > fully engaged. No smoking away from the lights for me! Not that I'd ever > do something so childish, you understand... > > > > <davehinznopsamcop.net> wrote in message > news:agk1n4$m8pqa$3nopsam34476.news.dfncis.de... > > Someone who looks an awful lot like Simon Putz <simon.putznopsamline.de> > wrote: > > > > > > > <davehinznopsamcop.net> schrieb im Newsbeitrag > > > news:agiqhd$m8ndj$1nopsam34476.news.dfncis.de... > > >> > > >> Yes, the sensonic is exactly *not* what you describe. > > (I was in a hurry and didn't have time to elaborate when I wrote that) > > > > > if i understood correctly, sensonic has kind of contact or something in > the > > > gearstick, so if it senses movement, it uses a vacuum mechanism to > engage > > > the clutch and it will disengage it for you when you are in gear. > > > > You've just described the Sax-O-Mat clutch that Saab fitted on some of > > the 2-stroke 95's and 96's in the 1960's, not Sensonic. > > > > > to me it > > > sounds pretty failure-prone. > > > > Based on what specific knowledge of how Sensonic works, exactly? > > The operation of the Sensonic is similar to how the Sax-O-Mat works, > > in that the gearshift for a manual transmission is moved by the > > driver, but that the clutch is engaged and disengaged automatically. > > However, Saab built intelligence into it, so where the Sax-O-Mat used > > a vacuum booster (similar to a power-brakes booster) to activate the > > clutch, the Sensonic looks at a number of factors, such as if you're > > speeding up or slowing down, if you're at wide-open-throttle, and > > how quickly you're moving the gearshift lever, in order to determine > > how abruptly to disengage and engage the clutch. Gives you the benefits > > of not having to use a clutch pedal, while also giving you the benefit of > > being able to choose your own shift points, and the fuel savings of a > > manual gearbox. I don't know how it behaves in traffic, stop-n-go > > situations, though. Can anyone comment on that? > > > > > i like to have control over stick AND pedals. > > > > OK. I'd buy a Sensonic in a second if I could, I guess it comes down > > to a matter of taste. Apples are *way* better than oranges, by the > > way. > > > > Dave Hinz > > > >
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