Vanagon EuroVan
Previous messageNext messagePrevious in topicNext in topicPrevious by same authorNext by same authorPrevious page (June 1999, week 2)Back to main VANAGON pageJoin or leave VANAGON (or change settings)ReplyPost a new messageSearchProportional fontNon-proportional font
Date:         Mon, 14 Jun 1999 13:38:21 -0700
Reply-To:     "Michael A. Radtke" <m.radtke@ELM.AZ05.BULL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Michael A. Radtke" <m.radtke@ELM.AZ05.BULL.COM>
Subject:      Re: HOWTO: Audiovox cruise control install experience
Comments: cc: Eric Brown <ebrown_subs@HOTMAIL.COM>

Eric,

Thanks for the detailed HOWTO.

I installed a similar unit a while back and it seems to work fine on my '84.

1) Why did you use the magnetic pickup? I thought that was only necessary with an automatic transmission? My installation senses engine speed through the coil wire.

2) A disengage down hill is a safety feature. The idea is that the car shouldn't continue to speed along, or increase speed over some length of time with that the cruise thinks is a closed throttle. I haven't experienced it with my current cruise control, but I did experience it with the previous one on long mountain descents.

3) Just a week ago, I made a wiring change in my installation to reflect behavior that I was used to in all my previous cruise control installations. The AudiVox unit acts like most factory installations in that there is no provision to disengage the cruise without losing its setting except by using the brakes. All of my aftermarket units, until the AudioVox, retained the last setting when switched off and then back on again. Only using the set key, or turning off the ignition unset the unit.

I measured the current draw of the unit and found it to be less than 100 milliamps when disengaged, so I reasoned that I could leave the unit active all the time. So I made the following wiring modifications.

a) I connected the power to the unit from the control, and connected directly to the fused power source. This leaves the unit powered on any time the ignition is on.

b) I disconnected the wire from the unit that senses brake light battery voltage and connected it to the switched power source from the control unit. This is the place the cruise unit power lead was originally connected. This change supplies the cruise with brake light reference voltage only when the cruise switch and the ignition switch is on.

c) I added a diode in the wire from the brake lights to the cruise unit. I don't know whether this was necessary, but with the ignition or cruise switch off, stepping on the brake pedal causes this lead to go to 12 volts. With my other modifications, the brake light reference voltage is zero and bad things could happen to the cruise. The diode blocks reverse current flow.

I determined that the current flow was out of the control unit, so the arrow on the diode should point toward the brake lights and away from the cruise unit.

With the above modification the cruise acts the same as before, but will return to its last speed setting if the unit is on and resume is pressed. It does lose its setting on ignition off.

Thanks again for sharing.

Mike '84 GL '58 Isetta (no cruise)


Back to: Top of message | Previous page | Main VANAGON page

Please note - During the past 17 years of operation, several gigabytes of Vanagon mail messages have been archived. Searching the entire collection will take up to five minutes to complete. Please be patient!


Return to the archives @ gerry.vanagon.com


The vanagon mailing list archives are copyright (c) 1994-2011, and may not be reproduced without the express written permission of the list administrators. Posting messages to this mailing list grants a license to the mailing list administrators to reproduce the message in a compilation, either printed or electronic. All compilations will be not-for-profit, with any excess proceeds going to the Vanagon mailing list.

Any profits from list compilations go exclusively towards the management and operation of the Vanagon mailing list and vanagon mailing list web site.