adding cruise control

[ping]

I'm thinking aftermarket unit but maybe with OE actuator under the hood and (if at all possible) the steering-wheel mounted controls off a P5. We'll see when I have more time (or when I get back from this weekend's 5 hour trip w/o cruise to Summit Point to watch the Jefferson 500...)

Most cruise actuators are vacuum operated... with a turbo (positive manifold pressure sometimes), can we still use vacuum operated units if we have a "vacuum reservior", or are we looking at getting an electrical actuator (spendier)... ?

 

[MSP Pro]

Rostra makes an electrical unit that would work, their Global Cruise. They also make a vacuum unit, but you need to find a vacuum accumulator to tap into and the control box is then inside the car. Their electrical unit is complete in the one box under the hood. You can download their installation manuals from their web site. I haven't figured out how I'd attach the cruise cable to the present throttle cable bracket underhood. It's tight there. Maybe take the cruise cable inside and rig something up on the upper portion of the accelerator??? Anyone have any other ideas?

 

[TheMAN]

to use the OEM actuator, you might as well go with the full OEM setup, because it hooks onto the OEM gas pedal

 

[ping]

I've seen other CC installs where the actuator hooks SEPARATELY directly to the throttle body - opening the throttle with the actuator simply opens the throttle with a pull-rod, "taking over" for the gas-pedal cable, so to speak. Mashing the gas pedal then opens the throttle and "pushes" on the pull-rod, which is no problem as the TB linkage rod simply slides up the rod.

Simpler to see than to describe, I'd show a pic but but I sold the Nissan that had this setup (yes it was a Quest minivan, it ran 168kmiles under my care, and hey, no crude comments, respect your elders I'm older than you!)

I'll have to take a look at the stocker and the MSP and see what I can do. Just got back from a weekend with 9 hours of highway driving - the driving was GREAT but would've been SO much better with cruise...

 

[02.5 P5]

anyone ever come to any conclusions on this, i would love to have cruise on the MSP i just bought........

 

[jrodhotrod]

yeah, wondering the same thing myself driving in caravans to LA is a prime candidate for cruise control.

 

[MSP Pro]

I looked into adding steering wheel mounted cruise controls by using the stock "clock spring" wiring from the LX model. After chasing around all day in junkyards, I realized it wouldn't work.

Which takes us back to the P5 stalk. Is this the replacement for our wiper control stalk on the right side? Anyone have a pic of it?

I've looked into the Rostra Global Cruise control, which prices out at about $250 without the control stalk. It looks like it has an appropriate adapter to work with the throttle plate. I'm still trying to get my wiring manuals for the car before buying one and installing it, however.

I will post a how-to when I get this all together, but it's going to be at least a month for me.

 

[QwikSRT4]

But hey least it has power rear windows right...

You didn't think you could hide from me, did ya?? (upyours)

J/K bro.

 

[02.5 P5]

i am going by mazda on monday to see if they can tell me anything (probably not, i know, but just for posterity sake).
will let you know what i find out.

 

[MikeyG_U2]

I'm interested in what you find out 02.5 P5, keep me posted!

 

[Imissmy3rdgen7]

Anyone w/ CC ever maxed it out.....I know my friend's altima won't set higher that 95 mph. i set my old 7 w/ CC at about 120

 

[Imissmy3rdgen7]

Anyone w/ CC ever maxed it out.....I know my friend's altima won't set higher that 95 mph. i set my old 7 w/ CC at about 120 pretty damn scary too


repost sry...I pushed stop

 

[02.5 P5]

went by the dealership today, here is what the service manager told me,
no there is not a kit or a way that they can install a CC unit from mazda.
and, even if you can find an aftermarket kit, which he did not suggest, he said it would probably mess up the computer because that is how the unit would have to be wired in so that it will work.

the question:
does anyone think he know what he is talking about, or is he just not wanting to mess with it?

 

[girth]

Sounds to me like yet another dealer doesn't know WTF he's talking about. I haven't installed cruise yet on mine, but I plan to eventually.

 

[02.5 P5]

whoever decides to do this first, please let me know. i would love to have cruise control, but don't want mess anything up.

 

[02.5 P5]

would having a supercharger on a car provide the same problem as the turbo concerning the cruise control?

 

[alexlitov]

being turbo or supercharged doesn't have to do anything with CC. Mazda tried to go more sportier by saving weight and money

 

[OrngSpd03]

Cruse control does not add a noticable amount of weight to your car. I dont think Weight was the issue when mazda decided not to put cruse on the msp. I think they werer right about the strut bar being in the way of the system.

I did just talk to a friend that put a Electronic kit on his nissan se-r. he got it from jcw.com he said it worked fine. Stil don't know if it will work on the msp. I'll have to take a look at it next time he is in town.

 

[alexlitov]

I said weight and money. To make the car more profitable they had to cut down on things. That's why neon has manual windows in the back, but has CC.

 

[ping]

Cruise will have the same issues with supercharged and turbocharged cars - the actuator has to be an electronic one, not a vacuum-operated one, because our cars run at positive manifold pressure sometimes (even during "normal" highway driving, say, when climbing a hill) and so a vacuum-operated servo would probably not work.

Dealer was not telling the complete truth - a cruise control can be added without tapping into the car's electrical system at all except for getting 12V to operate the unit itself - you can use a magnetic pickup on one of the driveshafts to get the speed signal, run separate "off switches" to cancel CC when thye clutch or brake is depressed, and have a standalone system. JC Whitney sells such a system for about $240, you put it in - don't knnow if that one takes the speed signal from the car or by itself, but I'm sure it'd be a pretty straightforward mod to get a standalone. I'm going to try it next summer (have other priorities right now).

I'm sure some of the shops that do car stereo installs would be able to offer something, check around!

-L