[DeTomaso] Cruise Control Again

[Christopher Kimball]

I was about to write an email to the forum updating my cruise control adventures, so this is apropos.  

I had an audiovox unit working on my car, but I used an additional vacuum assist unit (which reall is just a plastic canister with an input and output for the vacuum hose), and I only had one throttle spring at the time.  It worked great until I added LED tail lights.  I didn't realize that would adversely affect the cruise control unless I added a relay to the circuit.

I found out about the relay after I had already bought and installed an electronic cruise control from SUMMIT which instructed me how to install the necessary relay.  So, for all I know, the audiovox unit might have kept working if I had simply installed the relay.

Anyway, the next thing I had to do to get the new unit working was add a speed sensor, which SOBill kindly let me borrow (he had one to be used in one of his future projects).  After I installed SOBill's speed sensor, I had problems with the cruise control surging, even after making all kinds of adjustments and adding a pull-down resistor, etc.

 After all the work I had in the thing, I figured I'd just use it anyway and live with the surges, so I ordered my own sensor unit from the same place SOBill got his.

Interestingly, once I got the new sensor and installed it, my cruise control now works perfectly!  The only thing I can think is that SOBill's unit must have been calibrated differently than the one I ordered, or maybe there is a problem with it.  (SOBill, I promise I didn't abuse it!!!)

If you have more questions, please contact me.

By the way, since I didn't want to run new wires all the way from the engine bay to the console, I used the cruise control on/off/accel/coast button module that was already installed from my audiovox unit.  It looked almost identical to the same part on the new, electronic cruise control, so I thought I'd roll the dice and see what would happen.  It worked perfectly;  the wire colors were the same and everything.

Sincerely,

Chris





> From: charlesmccall at gmail.com
> To: detomaso at realbig.com
> Date: Tue, 13 Oct 2009 18:43:16 +0200
> Subject: [DeTomaso] Cruise Control Again
> 
> Does anyone have any firsthand experience with this device:
> 
>  
> 
> http://www.summitracing.com/parts/RPC-250-1223/
> 
>  
> 
> These Rostra Global cruise controls kits are designed to work on engines
> that have a high-duration camshaft. They do not require vacuum to operate,
> making them great additions to street rods or musclecars. The kits include a
> fully programmable electronic cruise control module and detailed
> installation guides. The cruise controls feature set speed, tap up/tap down
> (1 mph per tap), coast/reduce speed, resume/accelerate, and controlled
> resume rate.
> 
>  
> 
> I'm wondering if the problem with my Audiovox unit, which I could never get
> to work, was due to insufficient vaccuum (I have a healthy cam) and double
> throttle return springs. 
> 
>  
> 
> Anyone have one installed?
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> Charles McCall
> 
> 1985 DeTomaso Pantera GT5-S #9375
> 
> "Raising Pantera Awareness Across Europe"
> 
>  <http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323>
> http://www.poca.com/index.php/gallery/?g2_itemId=2323
> 
>  
> 
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