Hycomat

Trabant 601 S Universal ( Universal = Kombi)

The Hycomat is a version of the Trabant P 601 also for people with reduced mobility and is called the Trabant P 601 H , respectively. This vehicle model was produced within the GDR and had an automatic electro-hydraulic clutch actuation, which replaced the clutch pedal in the left footwell on the driver's side.

Trabant 601 S Universal (December 1989): The Hycomat sticker on the rear window indicates the automatic clutch control.

history

The Trabant 601 H was built from 1965 to 1990 as a sedan or station wagon and was a further development of the model within the 35-year production of the Trabant 601. This car is said to have been the only one in the GDR that had an automatic clutch and was developed in 1964 so that it completed in 1965 and then in series could be produced.

One of the last Hycomats is said to have been produced in the Zwickauer Sachsenring Automobilwerke plant in 1990 .

Until the appearance of the Hycomate, only the duo was available as a disabled vehicle in the GDR .

construction

The Hycomat differs from the other versions of the P 601 in its automatic hydraulic clutch. This difference is generally made up of the following components:

Hydraulic pump ( gear pump )
Control valve with solenoid
Clutch cylinder
Shift lever with touch contact on the shift linkage
Parking brake or emergency pedal

How the clutch works

Hycomat mechanism in coupling state (model)

A hydraulic pump generates a certain pressure corresponding to the engine speed ; this pressure is sent to the clutch cylinder via a controlled valve . The clutch cylinder exerts an effect on the clutch lever from which with increasing pressure then the force of the return spring overcomes and at that moment is then engages. The force of the return spring ensures that the clutch is automatically disengaged if the pressure is too low.

In order to enable quick coupling, an electrical contact is built into the shift linkage which, by actuating the shift lever, ensures that the control valve releases the clutch cylinder from pressure. The loss of pressure leads to an immediate disengagement. As soon as the gearshift lever is released again after the gearshift, pressure is applied to the clutch cylinder again and the gear engaged is automatically engaged.

A built-in spring between the clutch Bowden cable and the clutch lever ensures that the Hycomat remains disengaged as standard if it is at rest.

functionality

The functionality of the Hycomate differs through the use of an automatic clutch compared to a manual clutch of the standard Trabant P 601. This can be seen when starting off and during normal driving.

A hydraulic system engages the gears of the engine and a pressure spring connected to the crutch shift lever is used to disengage them. The control for these processes is carried out by operating a shift lever on the right side under the steering wheel. Two electrical contacts are either closed or opened. This electrical contact can be used to disengage and re-engage.

The clutch is operated hydraulically depending on the engine speed.

Neutral

Hycomat mechanics in idle mode (model)

The idle is ensured by touching the shift lever with the engine running, by hydraulic coupling or by engaging the parking brake, by mechanical coupling.

Start up

As soon as the engine has been started, the accelerator pedal must be released so that the engine can continue to run at idle speed. Then 1st gear or reverse gear can be engaged by operating the shift lever. Then the engine speed is increased by pressing the accelerator pedal and the hydraulic clutch engages automatically so that the vehicle starts moving.

On the mountain, the handbrake should only be released when the vehicle wants to pull on.

Switching

Hycomat mechanism in the switching process (model)

By lifting your foot off the accelerator pedal, another gear can be engaged as the speed load is reduced. When the switch lever is touched, the internal contact switches, whereupon the relay interrupts the current to the electromagnet. The control slide moves to the zero position by means of a compression spring. The hydraulic oil is then suddenly drained from the clutch cylinder to the hydraulic tank and the release lever is withdrawn. At the same time the slide blocks the pressure line of the pump and excess pressure is diverted via the pressure relief valve. The clutch is open and it can be switched. After releasing the shift lever, the start-up process is only repeated at higher speeds.

In the next higher gear, shifting the vehicle is automatically coupled more slowly when the accelerator pedal is pressed less, whereas the automatic clutch can be engaged more quickly when the accelerator pedal is pressed more strongly.

Braking and stopping

The Hycomat has a brake circuit, which means that the vehicle can be braked by the engine after shifting down to a lower gear. This is achieved by not fully resetting the accelerator pedal so that the engine cannot drop to idle speed and engage the automatic clutch.

The vehicle can be brought to a standstill by pressing the brake on the brake pedal or by coasting. The driving speed drops to the idling speed and at this moment the automatic clutch disengages automatically. The engine can no longer stall.

Park

In addition, a parking lock is used in the Hycomat when parking. This is located near the left footwell on the driver's side and is activated by stepping through and engaging in the locking bracket. A parking effect can also be achieved by engaging 1st gear when the parking brake is released, because the parking brake actuates the clutch mechanically and puts the vehicle in neutral.

Winter operation

The engine only runs normally when idling above a certain temperature. This operating temperature can be reached more easily by accelerating the engine in the disengaged state, i.e. by touching the gearshift lever and pressing the accelerator pedal.

Emergency actuation and safety

Hycomat mechanics in emergency operation and labeling of the model parts

In the event that the engine does not start, the Hycomat has a mechanical clutch with the help of the parking brake. This is activated by engaging 1st gear and slowly releasing the parking brake while the vehicle is being pushed or pulled. The parking brake must then be fully depressed again to ensure idling operation. The linkage operates the clutch via the tension spring on the parking brake, so that the clutch is disengaged.

Under the bonnet there are two safety switches for one hydraulic and one mechanical clutch. When activated, these counteract the unwanted automatic engagement of the transmission, so that the electrical control or the unwanted release of the parking brake does not engage. The vehicle cannot start moving or block, e.g. B. a malfunction during repair , maintenance or failure.

Web links

Commons : Trabant 601 Hycomat - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

^ Sebastian Mai: Kaufberatung Trabant 601. In: http://www.trabant-original.de . March 10, 2013, p. 1 , accessed April 1, 2020 .
↑ ... and runs and runs and runs ... In: https://www.autobild.de/ . AUTO BILD, March 15, 2002, accessed April 1, 2020 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c Short history of the Trabant. In: https://trabitechnik.com/ . Lars Steiner, October 6, 2003, accessed April 1, 2020 .
↑ Hycomat automatic coupling. In: http://www.trabant-original.de/ . VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau - GDR, accessed on April 1, 2020 .
↑ Heinzpeter Kemnitz: My story . Ed .: BoD - Books on Demand. 1st edition. Norderstedt 2017, ISBN 978-3-7448-7155-6 ( google.de ).
↑ Board of DAVC (ed.): German automotive Veteran Club eV CM 2-2014 edition. Masuhr Druck- und Verlags GmbH, Reinfeld (Holstein) February 2014, p. 15 ( davc.de [PDF]).
^ Werner Oswald: Cars in Germany 1945-1966: A history of types . 3. Edition. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1968, p. 254; 261 ( google.de ).
↑ Type overview for the Trabant vehicle brand. In: https://www.trabantteam-freital.de/ . Retrieved April 1, 2020 .
↑ Karla Brinkmann & Uwe Neumann: Historic Rallye Erzgebirge. In: https://www.historic-rallye-erzgebirge.com/ . Historic Rallye Erzgebirge GbR, September 8, 2018, p. 4 , accessed on April 1, 2020 .
↑ ^a ^b ^c VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau (ed.): TRABANT 601 repair manual . VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig, Naumburg (Saale) November 15, 1974, p. 83; 85 - 88 ( trabant-pausa.de [PDF]).
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau (ed.): Operating Instructions TRABANT 601, 601S, 601S de luxe . 4th edition. VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig, Leipzig June 30, 1987, p. 53 - 54 ( trabantclub.ch [PDF]).
↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Supplement to the Trabant 601 Hycomat operating instructions - GDR (Ed.): Supplement to the Trabant 601 Hycomat operating instructions . 4th edition. VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig, Leipzig January 15, 1973, p. 4 - 6 ( trabiteamkievit.nl ).
↑ Hiller and H. Körner: 1965 - Trabant 601 Hycomat sedan. In: https://www.trabantteam-freital.de/ . VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau, accessed on April 1, 2020 .

[1] Sebastian Mai: Kaufberatung Trabant 601. In: http://www.trabant-original.de . March 10, 2013, p. 1 , accessed April 1, 2020 .

[2] ... and runs and runs and runs ... In: https://www.autobild.de/ . AUTO BILD, March 15, 2002, accessed April 1, 2020 .

[:0-3] Short history of the Trabant. In: https://trabitechnik.com/ . Lars Steiner, October 6, 2003, accessed April 1, 2020 .

[4] Hycomat automatic coupling. In: http://www.trabant-original.de/ . VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau - GDR, accessed on April 1, 2020 .

[5] Heinzpeter Kemnitz: My story . Ed .: BoD - Books on Demand. 1st edition. Norderstedt 2017, ISBN 978-3-7448-7155-6 ( google.de ).

[6] Board of DAVC (ed.): German automotive Veteran Club eV CM 2-2014 edition. Masuhr Druck- und Verlags GmbH, Reinfeld (Holstein) February 2014, p. 15 ( davc.de [PDF]).

[7] Werner Oswald: Cars in Germany 1945-1966: A history of types . 3. Edition. Motorbuch-Verlag, Stuttgart 1968, p. 254; 261 ( google.de ).

[8] Type overview for the Trabant vehicle brand. In: https://www.trabantteam-freital.de/ . Retrieved April 1, 2020 .

[9] Karla Brinkmann & Uwe Neumann: Historic Rallye Erzgebirge. In: https://www.historic-rallye-erzgebirge.com/ . Historic Rallye Erzgebirge GbR, September 8, 2018, p. 4 , accessed on April 1, 2020 .

[:1-10] VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau (ed.): TRABANT 601 repair manual . VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig, Naumburg (Saale) November 15, 1974, p. 83; 85 - 88 ( trabant-pausa.de [PDF]).

[:2-11] ↑ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau (ed.): Operating Instructions TRABANT 601, 601S, 601S de luxe . 4th edition. VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig, Leipzig June 30, 1987, p. 53 - 54 ( trabantclub.ch [PDF]).

[:3-12] Supplement to the Trabant 601 Hycomat operating instructions - GDR (Ed.): Supplement to the Trabant 601 Hycomat operating instructions . 4th edition. VEB Fachbuchverlag Leipzig, Leipzig January 15, 1973, p. 4 - 6 ( trabiteamkievit.nl ).

[13] Hiller and H. Körner: 1965 - Trabant 601 Hycomat sedan. In: https://www.trabantteam-freital.de/ . VEB Sachsenring Automobilwerke Zwickau, accessed on April 1, 2020 .