Things we should have.

[TandW]

Ever since I first drove with cruise control I have wondered why there are no engine vacuum sensing or attitude sensing control circuits. I generally use cruise control only when I anticipate no downshifting. Sometimes though, when approaching a rise in the road, I will tap down the speed to avoid a downshift. I Have long believed that this extends the life of the transmission. Is this available or is it too much to ask for. I also would like to have brake lights that come on when the vehicle is slowing down without use of the brake. Does anyone else have a wish for something that may or may not be available, or, may or may not be practical? Can we get a good discussion going without resorting to backbiting. This needs to be an open discussion where what you may think are some of your wildest thoughts, can be considered seriously, without ridicule. There once was or still may be, perhaps, a magazine with a section titled "Things I Would Like To See". Can we do this?

[TandW]

Ever since I first drove with cruise control I have wondered why there are no engine vacuum sensing or attitude sensing control circuits. I generally use cruise control only when I anticipate no downshifting. Sometimes though, when approaching a rise in the road, I will tap down the speed to avoid a downshift. I Have long believed that this extends the life of the transmission. Is this available or is it too much to ask for. I also would like to have brake lights that come on when the vehicle is slowing down without use of the brake. Does anyone else have a wish for something that may or may not be available, or, may or may not be practical? Can we get a good discussion going without resorting to backbiting. This needs to be an open discussion where what you may think are some of your wildest thoughts, can be considered seriously, without ridicule. There once was or still may be, perhaps, a magazine with a section titled "Things I Would Like To See". Can we do this?

[John-D]

I do not know why there are no engine vacuum sensing control circuits save for the fact that they might well cause some strange things to happen. As engine load increases vacuum decreases, the cruise will respond by increasing throttle, which further decreases vacuum, which puts you in a "runaway" situtation.

As for brake lights that respond to a zero-throttle situtation (Lifting foot OFF the pedal) those were on the aftermarket back in the late 1960's. Don't know what happened to them. Do recall not buying them.

[TandW]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">I do not know why there are no engine vacuum sensing control circuits save for the fact that they might well cause some strange things to happen. As engine load increases vacuum decreases, the cruise will respond by increasing throttle, which further decreases vacuum, which puts you in a "runaway" situtation.
John-D; knowing that vacuum falls with increasing load my question is why can't we have a setting on the cruise control that would sense this along with attitude? This would, if viable, back off the throttle just a bit,so that annoying downshifts and transmission wear and tear would be lessened. Tho' I never had or even saw one, years ago the fellows would talk about adjusting the gain control on their add-on cruise controls. Is there access to a gain setting for this on current OEM equipment?
As for brake lights that respond to a zero-throttle situtation (Lifting foot OFF the pedal) those were on the aftermarket back in the late 1960's. Don't know what happened to them. Do recall not buying them.

Nothing adds excitement like something that is none of your business. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[rgrstndgby]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">my question is why can't we have a setting on the cruise control that would sense this along with attitude? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>


Chief, you are talking about a different animal here. Cruise Control, is designed, installed, and marketed to control speed., not load.. I'm sure one with an "on the road" gain control could be designed and installed, but remember, you are dealing with a general population unable to set the time on their VCR.

The brake light thing, there was a guy in my home town that for years tried to get "Detroit" interested in his system that displayed the stop lights, flashing at a frequency parallel to the rate of deceleration. I have seen it demonstrated, and it looks like a winner, but he says "Detroit" shows NO interest.I would expect current fed regs to preclude that sort of thing these days of such intense regulation.BTW, what "attitude" are you refering to, I hope not "pitch and roll"!.....rgr...

[TandW]

rgrstndgby; I don't feel the cruise control needs to maintain such tight control. I am looking for a way to avoid powering through the downshift unnecessarily and avoid preventable wear and tear on the transmission. Yes, I mean attitude. If they make this they might also monitor deceleration rate and vehicle proximity. Proximity alarms are already available. As for the brake lights, they ought to come on during deceleration. This may alleviate a lot of tailgating. Does anyone know if the brake lights come on when the autopark system is activated at speed?

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by T&W: </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I have a question. What is a 2001 GMC Allegro?

I do not believe that the brake light circuit is tied into the autopark. Manual foot brakes and or "Park" on the Allison is not tied into the brake light circuit as well.

[max49]

Are you guys serious? You want your brake lights to comeon when you let off the gas? What about when you really put on the brakes? Shouldnt that be a different color so the person behind you know that you actually are putting the brakes on? You could put the 4 way flashers on when you let off the gas and then turn them off when you decide to go again.
If you have plenty of money and would like the mfgr to do every thing, maybe and 'auto pilot' could be an option or maybe a chauffeur for people who can afford it.
I personaly think that mfgrs already put stuff in vehicle that I wish I could disconnect and make my own decision, like beepers, bells , dingers , limpmode, jacks retracting without warning if the key is turned on. I'm not even going to mention the speed limiter cause I'll get my head bit off.
If someone is following you too close, it might be because he actualy needs to get some where and is not on vacation, you might consider pulling over or otherwise making it easier for him to safely get around you.

[DriVer]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by max49:
I'm not even going to mention the speed limiter cause I'll get my head bit off. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

[TandW]

DriVer; when I look at this Allegro 31A I see GMC parts everywhere. I'm just making the distinction from Ford. Actually, I don't know if Tiffin built these on Ford chassies. I've got an '88 Sierra pick-up, a '95 Yukon, a '99 Suburban and my '01 GMC Allegro. When I was a kid I had a Cushman 2 speed scooter with a jump on it as hard as you can starter. Rode it on 3 learner's permit's until the state police forced it into retirement. No one would inspect it even when I added a battery to the flywheel driven, dim at idle, headlight circuit. So now I bottle my own oxygen in the motorhome. Life's GREAT, huh!!

[dieselclacker]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by max49:
Are you guys serious? You want your brake lights to comeon when you let off the gas? What about when you really put on the brakes? Shouldnt that be a different color so the person behind you know that you actually are putting the brakes on? You could put the 4 way flashers on when you let off the gas and then turn them off when you decide to go again.
If you have plenty of money and would like the mfgr to do every thing, maybe and 'auto pilot' could be an option or maybe a chauffeur for people who can afford it.
I personaly think that mfgrs already put stuff in vehicle that I wish I could disconnect and make my own decision, like beepers, bells , dingers , limpmode, jacks retracting without warning if the key is turned on. I'm not even going to mention the speed limiter cause I'll get my head bit off.
If someone is following you too close, it might be because he actualy needs to get some where and is not on vacation, you might consider pulling over or otherwise making it easier for him to safely get around you. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

All good points Max, the last one in particular.



Dieselclacker

[TandW]

I'M SERIOUS AS A HEART ATTACK. I don't know when the AAPB is going to activate!! I don't kwow when yours will also!!

[rgrstndgby]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">flashing at a frequency parallel to the rate of deceleration. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Max, if you are including my post when you said.. "you guys", I plead a little laziness. I should have included the words "brake activated, . The system was developed by a buddies father about 40 years ago, and it was a good one. The harder the stop, the faster the flash.. He always thought the Manufs. were waiting out the patent date.. Never did show up tho.. On about 10 seconds relection, I wouldn't mind having a "yellow" show up on an unbraked decel tho. especially when Im in the MoHo...rgr...

[alvinc]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by T&W:
I also would like to have brake lights that come on when the vehicle is slowing down without use of the brake. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>I remember this from the 60's or 70's as well.

My memory of it was that there were three states:<UL TYPE=SQUARE><LI>If the vehicle was traveling at a constant speed or was accelerating, there would be no lights (beyond what we have now). <LI>If the vehicle was slowing, due to a hill or engine braking, orange tail lights would come on.<LI>If the vehicle was using its brakes, red tail lights would be on.[/list]I think there was even discussion of having a green tail light for acceleration. Can you imagine the christmas tree effect this would create on a busy freeway? Yeeech.