Blog
Redshiftt Control Box
Time for a Redshiftt update. The 6-relay/receiver control box design is nearly final, so here's a rendering from Solidworks: Overall size is about 9 x 5 x 1 5/8". The base is stainless steel, while the cover is transparent red vacuum-formed polycarbonate for radio...
The fire ring cure
Over my ten years building wbx’s commercially, it took to my 45th engine before I had one develop a fire ring leak* . Fire rings, or combustion seals, are multi-layer steel (MLS) rings that seal the cylinder sleeves to the head. These normally install dry and depend...
Syncro pneumatics
Since I drive a VW Vanagon Syncro, one of the first applications for Redshiftt I focused on is adapting positive air pressure servos to replace the feeble and expensive vacuum-powered servos the factory used to operate the diff-locks and driveshaft decoupler. This is...
Engine swaps, mileage, emissions and power
I've always chuckled quietly to myself when Vanagon people justify their plan to convert their van's engine by stating, confidently and a priori, that their fuel efficiency will naturally improve by swapping the engine to something "modern". All that tells me is the...
Testing coolant pressure caps
In online discussions about replacement coolant pressure caps for Vanagons, people often talk about blowing, quacking, making kazoo sounds, etc. as confirmation that their new cap is OK. Some of these folks are undoubtedly referring to a short, funny little video...
Officially an Inventor!
My US patent for the Redshiftt gearshift knob controller and system has been issued and published! My first patent, I'm pretty pleased about that, and hopefully there will be more to come. . United States Patent Application 20180274664 SHIFT KNOB WITH SELECTABLE...