Tranny kickdown lever adjustment

[Mark1972]

There are a lot of really good descriptions of how to set up the linkage up top, but my question is down below, on the lever itself. With the lever all the way forward, there seems to be a certain amount of "take up" in the lever when moving the lever back(toward the back of the car) before you start to feel it engage, or feel some amount of pressure. Is this normal? I'd say at the end of the lever it's about 3/4" of backward movement before you feel some pressure. I just want to make sure I'm setting things up properly.

 

[Nate S]

That’s normal. There are two valves in the tranny with a spring in between. You don’t feel anything until the linkage-valve-spring-valve-bottomout all touches. When driving, hydraulic pressure pushes the last valve out a little bit From bottomed out position so if you had a way of doing this while going down the road that 3/4” of slop would be more like 3/8”.

 

[turbine68rt]

Here's a good one to check out

 

[Mark1972]

Much appreciated. The car will be going back to the driveline shop for the posi install, so I'll have them recheck my set up. They rebuilt the tranny, and the owner is a Mopar guy. The reason I simply didn't wait to get it to the tranny shop for initial set up is that I was told you want to have a little lever pressure at curb idle, so that the pump can get oil to the clutches. Not too much pressure of course, but enough to keep oil flowing at all times. I think I've got it set up pretty well. Still open headers so I'll wait another hour or two before I wake up the neighbors with a short test drive, lol.

 

[Wietse]

Basicly:
-Set carb at WOT and secure it so it stays there. (Could confirm throttle plates are WOT)
-Push the kick down linkage all the way back till it bottoms out.
- Adjust the slotted bracket in such a way the carb linkage pin sits at the back of the slot with a little bit clearance left. (1/32" or so)

Now, when carb is at WOT you have maximum pressure on the transmission throttle/kickdown linkage, with a little room spare to avoid the linkage bottoming out before your carb hits WOT position.
Before test driving make sure all springs are installed and strong enough to return the throttle back to idle, you don't want to end up with a carb stuck open.

 

[Mark1972]

I followed a description very similar to this for set up. I just wasn't clear on the take up on the lever. I think it's good now. So I finally get my linkage all fitted up, and my throttle cable is too short, lol. About 3/4". Since it was a 318 car originally, I imagine I should just order a throttle cable for a 1970 Plymouth GTX or Road Runner. I'm not sure how to describe it, but the fixed metal sleeve at the end of the sheath on the cable on the carb end has a flare on it, and that would have to site right at the center of the clamp. So I'll get one ordered tomorrow and hope it comes quick. In the meantime I'll make a short extension out of a small piece of 1/2" x 1/16" flat bar.

 

[turbine68rt]

Much appreciated. The car will be going back to the driveline shop for the posi install, so I'll have them recheck my set up. They rebuilt the tranny, and the owner is a Mopar guy. The reason I simply didn't wait to get it to the tranny shop for initial set up is that I was told you want to have a little lever pressure at curb idle, so that the pump can get oil to the clutches. Not too much pressure of course, but enough to keep oil flowing at all times. I think I've got it set up pretty well. Still open headers so I'll wait another hour or two before I wake up the neighbors with a short test drive, lol.

Mark, not exactly. In fact, the proper setup of the throttle pressure arm should have a distance of .625" between the valve stem and the cam end with the valve fully bottomed out. This needed to be checked when the valve body was out for servicing. Once this is achieved there will be a small amount of movement before the cam starts pushing the valve in. On a multi-piece kickdown, the bellcrank needs to be locked in position with a pin through the factory holes after disconnecting the rod at the firewall, throttle arm held all the way forward, then adjusting it so it lines up with the bellcrank ball before making full throttle adjustments. Different style linkages require different setup procedures. As mentioned, the carb and throttle pressure should reach maximum travel simultaneously without binding.

 

[Dipstick]

Ignore all the advice here and do it like the FSM for your car says.

 

[turbine68rt]

Ignore all the advice here and do it like the FSM for your car says.

Post 7 is a factory procedure.

 

[Mark1972]

So when I went yesterday to a Mopar restoration guy an hour from my house, he helped me get my linkage set up, and sold me the throttle cable bracket. He showed me the 3/16" drill bit trick. He also gave me a copy of the FSM. As I mentioned earlier, the driveline shop that rebuilt the tranny is owned by a Mopar guy, and he set up my old 904 to work much better than I had it. So I'll lean on him for helping with the final set up of the new 727.

 

[Wietse]

Yes, there is a proper procedure according the book, and i am sure they did think about it to get it right.
An improper setup will cause damage on the trans.
Although, many of use drive with other than stock manifolds and carbs, worn/sloppy/modified linkages and not to mention the adjustment inside the tranny could be anywhere other than stock.
The final result of the service manual is that the throttle linkage to the trans is at full stroke when the carb is at WOT.
So maximum throttle pressure occurs at full carb throttle.

Not sure what year your car is, but if it is a later 1970 model the trans should also be equipped with a part throttle kick down.
And for a longer than stock cable, check Mancini racing, they have different lengths cable and higher cable brackets in case you are using a higher intake manifold.
My throttle cable did not line up well, i installed a longer cable and higher bracket as i am using an Performer RPM manifold and that bracket and cable really worked out well.

 

[Mark1972]

Thanks Wietse. It's a 1970 Plymouth Satellite which was an original 318/904 car, but is now a 440/727 car. I marked the throttle pressure lever on the trans at fully open, and then had the wife full throttle the carb, and adjusted the linkage so that both were at fully open at the same time, with neither binding on each other, if that makes sense.

 

[Wietse]

Nice ride!
Yeah, it depends from what year that 727 is.
If it is a late '70 or after it will have a part throttle kick down function, which allows a gear change from 3rd to 2nd under the correct circumstances while only giving part throttle.

 

[Dipstick]

had the wife full throttle the carb, and adjusted the linkage so that both were at fully open at the same time, with neither binding on each other, if that makes sense.

Hope that works for you, most times I have tried that the trans shifts way late. Some like it that way.

 

[Wietse]

Hope that works for you, most times I have tried that the trans shifts way late. Some like it that way.

Also the governor pressure has an effect on that.
Mine shifts a little early, but my car was equipped with a 3.23 rear axle and now has a 4.10 rear ratio.
So i am getting governor pressure to early in road speed, drive shaft rpm is high already so governor pressure is high.