anyone fitted AP50 cruise control to turbo-diesel?

Submitted: Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 13:20
ThreadID: 14683 Views:5840 Replies:6 FollowUps:4
This Thread has been Archived
I'm being told that it can't be done by auto-electricians - something to do with the vacuum line requirement of the AP50 which can't be run off a turbo vehicle? They reckon that I need the AP500, which of course is more expensive which may be part of their motivation. My vehicle isn't drive-by-wire so I don't need an electrical cruise control (i.e. AP500) for that purpose, but if there really is a problem with vacuum line/turbo, then maybe I do. Having said that, on the archives I have seen people who have fitted the AP50 to TDs so would like to hear your feedback on the vacuum line/turbo issue.

Thanks
Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Dion - Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 15:30

Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 15:30
Pathy,
from memorey these kits should have a restrictor in them which are for use with diesel vehicles. The restrictor goes into the hose after you tee into the vacuum source. Does the alternator on your vehicle have a vacuum pump biult onto the back of it? If the alternator has this integral vacuum pump, that should work fine.

Cheers,

Dion.
AnswerID: 67904

Reply By: Dave from Fraser Coast 4WD Club - Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 15:44

Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 15:44
if the exhaust manifold was your only source of vascuum then you could have problems, my alternator has a vacuum pump, so mine works fine.

Surely you have vacuum somewhere!!
AnswerID: 67905

Follow Up By: Member - Dragan T (VIC) - Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 19:19

Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 19:19
Don't you mean intake manifold???
0
FollowupID: 328606

Follow Up By: Dave from Fraser Coast 4WD Club - Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 19:41

Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 19:41
I thought it was exhaust, could be wrong, either way, my cruise control works just fine
0
FollowupID: 328610

Reply By: Member - Dragan T (VIC) - Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 19:21

Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 19:21
Find where vacuum hose from your brake cylinder goes and there is your source of vacuum!!! Or you can just keep suckin'!! : )
AnswerID: 67929

Reply By: CMB - Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 21:11

Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 21:11
I have a 4.2 turbo diesel Patrol with a cruise fitted.

I don't have ABS but I believe even these systems require a vacc supply for assistance (otherwise the pedal is too hard to push - try it a few times with the engine off).

You should have a vacc accumulator somewhere that is "fed" by your vacc pump. The Partol's is below the fuel pump and the accumulator is on the LHS of the engine.

Your vacc source can come from a T plumbed into these lines (as mine is).

Easy done.

Regs,
Chris.
AnswerID: 67978

Reply By: Utemad - Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 21:55

Thursday, Jul 15, 2004 at 21:55
I thought that (in general) petrol vehicles get their vaccuum from the intake manifold while diesels need to generate it somehow. Usually to do with the alternator. Either way you need vaccuum from somewhere for your vaccuum assisted brakes and occaisionally the clutch. Unless you drive a 120y lol.

Utemad
AnswerID: 67982

Follow Up By: Member - Dragan T (VIC) - Friday, Jul 16, 2004 at 11:31

Friday, Jul 16, 2004 at 11:31
Nah mate, it has got nothing to do with fuel type, "problem" is turbo. With normally aspirated engines engine trys to suck in as much air as it needs, but air is restricted by air filter, size of the manifold etc. etc. so you have vacuum being created, bigger demand for air than avaiable you can describe it that way. For turbo engines, turbo actually pumps air in to inlet manifold and creates positive pressure where normally aspirated cars would need to suck it on their own, since there is positive pressure, there is no vacuum!!! Since most diesels now days are turbo, most of them need separate vacuum pump! I personally don't like vacuum operated system, if the car is a carby one and you get in to problems with vacuum oooooohhhh, I'm just sick of it!!!
0
FollowupID: 328671

Reply By: Member - Pesty (SA) - Friday, Jul 16, 2004 at 19:19

Friday, Jul 16, 2004 at 19:19
OK Pathy I have been doing the same home work on this, chasing Command and Autron units, and finally found a bloke who fits them and seemed as if he knew what he was talking about, and the basic cheaper units were recomended to me, so get an AP50 or 60 and connect it to your vacuum system, not to any manifold and they tell me it will work fine, even better than a petrol as it will have more vacuum to operate the accelerator. You will need to set up the magnets for a speed sensor . I have fitted and used an AP50 on a falcon for 4 years and its still going great.
AnswerID: 68077

Follow Up By: pathfinder - Monday, Jul 19, 2004 at 08:32

Monday, Jul 19, 2004 at 08:32
yep, decided to get an autoelectrician to fit it anyway despite him insisting that it wouldn't work very well. Anyway, he was very surprised with the result - the AP50 works great!
0
FollowupID: 328963

Sponsored Links