Actually wiki has tons of useful information. Yes anyone may be able to go on there and post something BUT if you kknow what you are looking for and know a few facts its a great tool. I have that excact wiki quote in one of my automotive books but its not on my pc so i cant copy and paste it.

 

CVT = Continuously Variable Transmission. Which means it has no gears. Instead, it has two pulleys that continuously change size with a belt in between to give you the "optimal" ratio for power and economy. The amount of power you can apply to this transmission is highly dependent on the amount of friction you have between the pulleys and belt.

SST = I can't remember what the letters stand for, but this transmission can be thought of as a 6-speed twin clutch manual transmission and as been converted to handle auto-clutching and auto-shifting. This transmission can handle MUCH more power than the CVT because the power is being applied to gears. Also, unlike most other gear type automatic transmissions, the SST uses twin clutches, NOT a torque converter. So, the SST has less loss at the engine-transmission connection.

My explanation of the two transmissions may be a little over simplified, but the basics are there.

 

^There ya go, a CVT is basically a belt-driven, infinitely variable automatic transmission while an SST is sort of like a manual transmission that's shifted by the computer. There are actual physical gears in an SST and it has clutches (two, one for each bank of gears).

 

From my reading of various publications (magazines), the clutches aren't set up like that. Instead they're in series, if you will. They're set up to create a "smoother" shift transition, engaging one at a time as the transmission switches gears. If you set the transmission to its "highest performance" setting, then they both engage almost simultaneously for extremely aggressive shifts. In the slowest setting, they engage one at a time allowing the first to slip a little before engaging the second clutch resulting in a "smoother" shift.

 

What are the two clutches engaging with and what are they attached to? They can't engage with each other since that would effectively make the transmission a closed circuit, they must engage with the engine through something like a flywheel. What you're talking about is a twin or triple plate clutch which is different (and is basically one clutch divided into segments). From my understanding, each clutch in an SST transmission is responsible for a different bank of gears (1,3,5 and 2,4,6). Just before you upshift or downshift, the clutch that is not engaged is being spun up to speed so that when the car switches, it has a perfect shift.

 

Yeah, It has some, but its hardly a reliable source. Its more like a quick ref. But as always, Trust but Verify! I know a guy who did a report in HS using it and failed because he did not verify the information. Did you know that Bob Dole started Dole fruit company?

Well I know what the CVT is! Is the SST more like the sport auto that was put into the Lamborghini Murciélago?

Back on topic. What would cause the CVT to crap the bed? Its a great trans, but it seems a little fluffy for a major sport application. Seems like there are a lot of things that could and "might" come from together!

Sometimes I think technology makes things unreliable. CVT is awsome, but time has proven that the less moving parts you have, the better the out come tends to be. Thats not always true. But seems like a good foot to stand on.

 

yes, it's similar in concept to the tranny in the Murielago.

The application of too much power (specifically torque) would cause a CVT to "crap the bed". "It seems a little fluffy" because it is. The current state of CVT technology is not up to par for high performance use. There is not a single high performance car that comes with one stock. Instead, you get one of the gear type auto's or you get a manual.

I assumed the clutches were engaging the friction plate on the fly wheel just like in any other clutch application, and I assumed that the set up was similar in nature to the twin clutch setups you can get for manual transmissions, with the exception that a computer was manipulating the engaging and disengaging and not your left foot/leg. I hadn't read any thing that eluded to one clutch operating odd gears and the other operating even gears. Though that sounds vaguely similar to something that Audi/VW has available for their cars.

I'm going to see if I can find the article that lead me to believe that the clutches operate the way I described earlier. Hopefully, I didn't misunderstand what I read, though that's entirely possible.

 

Good news bad news. The car was running like a scalded ape for about 50 miles!! REALLY , REALLY fun. Funner than the manual turbo. But it went into all kinds of limp modes now. We are working on it but have to wait till Monday to get some outside help on this thing. Maybe we will get around it, maybe we need to lower the boost for CVT. Hard to tell right now.

ROAD/RACE

 

Limp modes, huh? Guess they need some kind of Viagra for the CVT engines now.

But it's good to know you're making progress.

 

Hope this get worked out! What where some of the symptoms?

 

Not sure if this would be a possible solution. I am sure you guys are able to read the ECU by now but the issue is that you dont know what parts controll what yet. If you can somehow get a readout of all the control codes in 100% working order then do something to the tranny to cause a CEL or after it has been sent into limp mode get another readout and see what values were changed. Then it may be possible for you to know what sort of commands to send to the ECU to trick the tranny into not going into limp mode, or a way to send new settings to it.

I used to use a similar trick when looking for data values and pointers in a certain online game.

Its almost as if you have to find out what command is sent that causes limp mode to engage and intercept the signal so that the ecu doesnt change the setting. Im just talking out my a$$ here but its an idea.

I know Mitsu isn't big on giving people internal secrets but if you guys have any tech friends there see if you can get any "pointers".

 

I'm SOOO excited for this kit. Rock's description just made me jump out my seat and run around like a little school girl. What made the CVT more fun than the Manual? Did you guys push it hard at all? any guesses on 0-60 time, 1/4 mile time? Was it amazing to not have to let off the throttle and get continuous boost? Do you think the CVT was faster than the manual?

 

well sovling problems is always a good thing, im glad ur not giving up on the CVT

 

We are not giving up. We have a saying around here........ If it was easy, everyone would be doing it!

ROAD/RACE

 

wow thats cool to hear that cvt turbo was more fun than the manual... interesting lol