Honda Car Forum

I have a nice, new Accord EX4 sedan with the automatic, which I am
very happy with, but would like one thing -- some indication of which
gear it is in!

I can look at the tach and guess, do some math in my head from the
mph, but a simple indicator would be much better.

Anyone else have this idea? Is there a product available? Any way to
trick out the engine computer to use the existing display for current
gear instead of shift handle position (which is clear enough without
displaying it on the dash)?

Thanx.

J.

JXStern <JXSternChangeX2R@gte.net> wrote in
news:70u810pll7c6m4qrueuh9dqkp8sgsaqr77@4ax.com:

> I have a nice, new Accord EX4 sedan with the automatic, which I am
> very happy with, but would like one thing -- some indication of which
> gear it is in!
>
> I can look at the tach and guess, do some math in my head from the
> mph, but a simple indicator would be much better.


And this is important to know because????

JXStern wrote:
> I have a nice, new Accord EX4 sedan with the automatic, which I am
> very happy with, but would like one thing -- some indication of which
> gear it is in!
>
> I can look at the tach and guess, do some math in my head from the
> mph, but a simple indicator would be much better.
>
> Anyone else have this idea? Is there a product available? Any way to
> trick out the engine computer to use the existing display for current
> gear instead of shift handle position (which is clear enough without
> displaying it on the dash)?
>
> Thanx.
>
> J.

There is an indicator on the shift lever and one on the dash correct?
Seems to me you have all the info necessary to tell you what gear your in.

On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:36:52 GMT, "Artfulcodger" <mcbat@rogers.com>
wrote:
>There is an indicator on the shift lever and one on the dash correct?
>Seems to me you have all the info necessary to tell you what gear your in.

Is this unclear?

They just tell me I'm in "D", I want to know if the tranny is in 1st
or 2nd or whatever.

Why is it important? Same reason it is for a manual shift, but what
the heck, curiosity isn't a good enough reason? I'm vaguely curious
when the thing has shifted to overdrive-5th, and can't always tell,
have to bang the gas pedal and see if it downshifts again, or how far,
or, again, do the math. Heck, I'd like a little bell to ring on each
transition, when I'm in the mood for it.

J.

You could make a micro controller circuit that compares engine RPM (as
indicated by the tach signal) and vehicle speed (as indicated by the
VSS) to make a good estimate of what gear is engaged. You would have to
do some clever programing to account for the torque converter, though.

JXStern wrote:
>
> I have a nice, new Accord EX4 sedan with the automatic, which I am
> very happy with, but would like one thing -- some indication of which
> gear it is in!
>
> I can look at the tach and guess, do some math in my head from the
> mph, but a simple indicator would be much better.
>
> Anyone else have this idea? Is there a product available? Any way to
> trick out the engine computer to use the existing display for current
> gear instead of shift handle position (which is clear enough without
> displaying it on the dash)?
>
> Thanx.
>
> J.

I would look into some Ritalin or Adderall.

CaptainKrunch


"JXStern" <JXSternChangeX2R@gte.net> wrote in message
news:rn1910po1b3t1tf9tq8e9tknpmo9qm98il@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:36:52 GMT, "Artfulcodger" <mcbat@rogers.com>
> wrote:
> >There is an indicator on the shift lever and one on the dash correct?
> >Seems to me you have all the info necessary to tell you what gear your
in.
>
> Is this unclear?
>
> They just tell me I'm in "D", I want to know if the tranny is in 1st
> or 2nd or whatever.
>
> Why is it important? Same reason it is for a manual shift, but what
> the heck, curiosity isn't a good enough reason? I'm vaguely curious
> when the thing has shifted to overdrive-5th, and can't always tell,
> have to bang the gas pedal and see if it downshifts again, or how far,
> or, again, do the math. Heck, I'd like a little bell to ring on each
> transition, when I'm in the mood for it.
>
> J.
>

More effective would be monitoring the signals to the shift solenoids. I've
never dealt with a five speed auto myself, but on the four speed Honda
transmissions with electronic controlled (or assisted on some) shifting it
should be fairly easy.

"Randolph" <trash@junkmail.com> wrote in message
news:40148AE6.3D6D26E7@junkmail.com...
> You could make a micro controller circuit that compares engine RPM (as
> indicated by the tach signal) and vehicle speed (as indicated by the
> VSS) to make a good estimate of what gear is engaged. You would have to
> do some clever programing to account for the torque converter, though.
>
> JXStern wrote:
> >
> > I have a nice, new Accord EX4 sedan with the automatic, which I am
> > very happy with, but would like one thing -- some indication of which
> > gear it is in!
> >
> > I can look at the tach and guess, do some math in my head from the
> > mph, but a simple indicator would be much better.
> >
> > Anyone else have this idea? Is there a product available? Any way to
> > trick out the engine computer to use the existing display for current
> > gear instead of shift handle position (which is clear enough without
> > displaying it on the dash)?
> >
> > Thanx.
> >
> > J.

JXStern wrote:
> On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:36:52 GMT, "Artfulcodger" <mcbat@rogers.com>
> wrote:
>> There is an indicator on the shift lever and one on the dash correct?
>> Seems to me you have all the info necessary to tell you what gear
>> your in.
>
> Is this unclear?
>
> They just tell me I'm in "D", I want to know if the tranny is in 1st
> or 2nd or whatever.
>
> Why is it important? Same reason it is for a manual shift, but what
> the heck, curiosity isn't a good enough reason? I'm vaguely curious
> when the thing has shifted to overdrive-5th, and can't always tell,
> have to bang the gas pedal and see if it downshifts again, or how far,
> or, again, do the math. Heck, I'd like a little bell to ring on each
> transition, when I'm in the mood for it.
>
> J.

Maybe you need a standard tranny then you know for sure what gear your in.
Or hire someone to go ding a ling a ling every time there is a shift change.

On 1/25/2004 10:35 PM CaptainKrunch spake these words of knowledge:

> I would look into some Ritalin or Adderall.
>
> CaptainKrunch
>
>
> "JXStern" <JXSternChangeX2R@gte.net> wrote in message
> news:rn1910po1b3t1tf9tq8e9tknpmo9qm98il@4ax.com...
>> On Mon, 26 Jan 2004 02:36:52 GMT, "Artfulcodger" <mcbat@rogers.com>
>> wrote:
>> >There is an indicator on the shift lever and one on the dash correct?
>> >Seems to me you have all the info necessary to tell you what gear your
> in.
>>
>> Is this unclear?
>>
>> They just tell me I'm in "D", I want to know if the tranny is in 1st
>> or 2nd or whatever.
>>
>> Why is it important? Same reason it is for a manual shift, but what
>> the heck, curiosity isn't a good enough reason? I'm vaguely curious
>> when the thing has shifted to overdrive-5th, and can't always tell,
>> have to bang the gas pedal and see if it downshifts again, or how far,
>> or, again, do the math. Heck, I'd like a little bell to ring on each
>> transition, when I'm in the mood for it.
>>
>> J.

Oi. As a member of the human race, I'd like to apologize for Krunch.
No excuses, just, well, sorry.

There isn't an indicator per se; I have found that it's fairly easy to
tell after a while whether you're in 4th or 5th. The other gears are as
indicated, D1, D2 and D3. But there really isn't anything to tell you
other than the tachometer.

RFT!!!
Dave Kelsen
--
Age doesn't always bring wisdom. Sometimes age comes alone.

On Sun, 25 Jan 2004 22:35:50 -0600, "Jafir Elkurd"
<jafir@nospam.no.spam.hotpop.com> wrote:
>More effective would be monitoring the signals to the shift solenoids. I've
>never dealt with a five speed auto myself, but on the four speed Honda
>transmissions with electronic controlled (or assisted on some) shifting it
>should be fairly easy.

I'm sure it's doable. I'm just curious it's not already done, by even
Honda itself. After all, they give you a tach -- good ol' American
cars with automatics didn't even give you that. And they supply
sport-shifts in the Acura line, though just who uses them is unclear
to me. Well, maybe I'll get ambitious and find that wiring diagram,
monitor the signals, see if there's an unambiguous algorithm that
counts up and down clearly. I've barely opened the hood of my three
Honda automobiles to date -- never had to, knock on wood!

J.