5sp Auto - tip conversion

[altreed]

Has anyone converted a std 5spd auto {circa 1997} to a tip control?

I fancy a tip gearbox and understand that it is more or less the same as a 5spd box.

Cheers
Dave

 

[Shude]

Birds do an upgrade for the 1997+ electronic autos, it's about £1500 I think, basically they modify the tranny computer and add some buttons to the steering wheel. They even offer a test drive of your own car with it installed (sounds pretty simple to install then!).

EDIT: this system is called "switchlogic" and AFAIK is engaged when you switch to W on the console.

 

[guydewdney]

a non tip box is pretty much identical to a non tip box - the lever module sends a signal that its in 4,3,2, or 1 - not a mechanical thing..

so the process would be to disconnect the wire to 4321 and set in a set of relays or whatever, connected to a pair of buttons...

cant see the point - i use the 4321 as a tip system - its just fwd backward instead of l/r...

ok - the only thing it cant do is force an up change.... well woop-de-bloomin-doo - like i care...

 

[mark.t]

a non tip box is pretty much identical to a non tip box - the lever module sends a signal that its in 4,3,2, or 1 - not a mechanical thing..

put that way, it sound the same

 

[garystu1965]

On a similar subject I don't think the Tipfunction box is suitable to diesels. With petrols you can keep 'em in gear and it changes the way the car drives. With diesels the acceleration is all torque so using the Tipfuntion doesn't make that much difference. Does anyone else ever use Tipfuntion on their diesel ?

 

[SilverSaloon]

a non tip box is pretty much identical to a non tip box - the lever module sends a signal that its in 4,3,2, or 1 - not a mechanical thing..

so the process would be to disconnect the wire to 4321 and set in a set of relays or whatever, connected to a pair of buttons...

cant see the point - i use the 4321 as a tip system - its just fwd backward instead of l/r...

ok - the only thing it cant do is force an up change.... well woop-de-bloomin-doo - like i care...

you would still have to move the lever from D to 4 for this to work, but sounds like a possible mod

 

[SilverSaloon]

ok - the only thing it cant do is force an up change.... well woop-de-bloomin-doo - like i care...

real merc non-tip boxes cant do this either do they? work the same way a 4321, well the 04 C class does anyway

 

[guydewdney]

http://www.autolib.diakom.ru:8001/CAR/Mercedes-Benz/1997/S420/SYSTEM WIRING DIAGRAMS/6403.pdf

theres a wiring diagram of the a/t circuit for a 97 S class - interestingly there are 4 'data' lines from the gear shift mechanism to the pooter - i wonder if its
nothing = all 5
#4 hi= 4 gears
#3 hi = 3 gears

etc etc...

<ponders driving along with passenger poking multimeter in gear shift box...>

 

[GordonTarling]

Does anyone else ever use Tipfuntion on their diesel ?

I used to own a Volvo V70 T5 (petrol) that had a similar tip function and used it all the time. Now I have my E320CDI, I find I hardly ever use the tip function, there just seems to be no need.

 

[guydewdney]

real merc non-tip boxes cant do this either do they? work the same way a 4321, well the 04 C class does anyway

my old c class 202 had tip - if you pushed and held 'up' it would force an up change - non tip wont do this - nor will the bodge-mod discussed above..

 

[altreed]

Thanks for the input, I'd be a bit anxious to start shorting out wires to find out what did what, and £1500 at Birds is a bit steep for my beer money allowance

Has anyone actually had a go on the Birds conversion, out of interest?

 

[Shude]

Has anyone actually had a go on the Birds conversion, out of interest?

I had a look on the web and it's quite popular with the BMW crowd (similar unit). Try having a search. Birds also did it half price a couple of years ago and I was seriously tempted, didn't get it in the end though.