[kyle_blake]

Hi

My switch was making a clicking noise when i came off the pedal. I removed it and did a video of testing it. It wouldn't retract fully SMOOTHLY and was held up at last 10% of retraction, then click into resting place. I bent a bit of the metal and applied some small grease, sanded the plastic. It moves fairly smooth now. Hope that was the right thing to do.

Have a look. If you can, let me know if the switch is working right, it is "open" circuit until around 90%-100% of switch throw then it circuit "completes". Essentially telling transmission driver is flooring it. Downshift if you can it type thing.

https://youtu.be/I_vSe-ZwtZ0

[steve25]

Like any plastic of that era it shrinks and degrades/ dry rots and changes shape .

This is the likley cause of the hanging up issue, plus you don't even know what crap it might be containing on the inside!

You might want to look around for a new replacement, or a younger used one.

[455rebel]

I could not find a replacement .
I used a wot ,NOS, switch, work s great!

[kyle_blake]

Thanks guys for your help. I did some research and basically the circuit to solenoid on transmission is "completed" when the switch is closed. This tells the solenoid to increase line pressure to max. Then based on govenor (wot or 3/4 pedal[i believe]) the trans will downshift and away we go. I heard that you can put the key to ignition, then manually activate the switch as if you were flooring your car and you can "hear" the solenoid click down below. Essentially verifying it works. Of course a multimeter can be used for voltage check. Or one can use probe light at solenoid with ground strap to transmission and then probe on the solenoid terminal, activate switch and see if voltage goes to solenoid. I think I have it covered? Perhaps I'll order new. Would be nice to actually go out and test car, I just never actually thought much of this feature as I have 390 gears. Who knows if transmission shop even checked this when they rebuilt it 7000 km ago.

I got the right idea though?

[kyle_blake]

just to double back on this, i disconnected the throttle cable. i put volt meter on the solenoid on tranmission and grounded the negative lead. I floored the car and could hear the click of the solenoid night and day. each time i pressed gas pedal. it activates around the 90%-100% of pedal travel and the volt meter reads 10.6 voltages. Assume the slight loss of voltage is because the switch is corroded inside causing resistance however, OK because it is clearly clicking.

I'd like to have the solenoid activate at 60-75 % but would that hurt anything? running around with more line pressure even if the car doesn't "kickdown"?

[dataway]

I could have been imagining things when I was a kid, but I took it off the pedal and wired a toggle switch to the dash, I'd flip it on at a red light ... and I'd swear it would up the stall rpm a few hundred .... but that was 40 years ago ... so who knows.

[Schurkey]

Take it apart, clean out the forty-year-old hardened grease. Replace with fresh grease.


The switches are self-adjusting...but only AFTER you re-set the initial position. You don't get to choose where it engages. At least, not without modifying the switch internally. It's going to adjust itself so that it works at somewhat less than WFO.



Once the initial position is set, and the switch installed, it adjusts the first time you nail the gas to WFO. You'll hear the ratcheting of the copper contact feet sliding over the washboard "shoe". It's been my experience that a fair amount of the time, you'll need to bend the upper part of the arm of the gas pedal back towards the driver, because years of stress, and friction within a never-lubricated throttle cable will cause the gas pedal arm to distort. IF (big IF) you get WFO at the carb when you have the pedal fully pushed, you should be OK. Check this BEFORE you adjust the kickdown switch.

The internal pieces responsible for the adjustment.


Don't forget to polish the corrosion from the copper contacts of the switch.

Originally Posted by dataway

I took it off the pedal and wired a toggle switch to the dash, I'd flip it on at a red light ... and I'd swear it would up the stall rpm a few hundred .... but that was 40 years ago ... so who knows.

Sure...on a "switch-pitch" torque converter that's wired to the kickdown switch.

[kyle_blake]

That is really good info, thank you for posting that . Very detailed. Mine for sure activates at the 90%-100% range which your write up says, that is normal and by design. The only weird kinda thing is that the when you floor the pedal it's like that whole assembly that holds the switch moves. It's like it's pushing the switch and bracket back farther than I'd hazard the engineer's designed it. I'll try and get a video and upload. But yah that is such great info! Thanks!

[Cliff R]

The switch is there for heavy/full throttle forced downshifts and really has nothing to do with "normal" driving upshifts. So no worries if it isn't hooked up or working correctly as far an normal transmission function in concerned.

I don't use them on my own vehicle and prefer to move the shifter if/when I feel the need to do a full throttle pass or blast up thru the gears. I do recommend modifying the 1-2 shift valve and blocking the exhaust hole in the VB for full manual control as part of that deal.

If you have a stout 455 engine you may want to have full control of downshifts. My engine will break street tires loose on a 3-2 full throttle downshift over 50 MPH! A 2-1 full throttle downshift is completely IMPOSSIBLE without the car getting all out of shape. NOT a good scenario when you are making a high speed pass and in the passing lane!.......Cliff

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Cliff R

If you have a stout 455 engine you may want to have full control of downshifts. My engine will break street tires loose on a 3-2 full throttle downshift over 50 MPH! A 2-1 full throttle downshift is completely IMPOSSIBLE without the car getting all out of shape. NOT a good scenario when you are making a high speed pass and in the passing lane!.......Cliff

That's exactly why I run drag radials full time on cars that are capable of hazing street tires at 50+ mph. While fun, I'm sure you know it can get you in trouble if you aren't up on the wheel and pointed straight, and sometimes when you least expect it. I was caught by surprise a couple times many years back and just decided the drag radials needed to stay on the car. lol

[Cliff R]

Yep, I quit running street radials on the back of the Ventura about 15 years ago. Have burned thru 5 sets of DOT's, the last 3 were MT ET Street radials and the current 255/60-15's have a cord showing on the right rear.......it's only another $500 or so......small price to pay to keep the car between the ditches!.......

[ta man]

X3..I've ran good drag radials for years now and no kickdown on my transmission...much much safer.

[Formulajones]

Originally Posted by Cliff R

it's only another $500 or so......small price to pay to keep the car between the ditches!.......

Exactly!!

[Rocky Rotella]

If you want the kickdown switch to energize the circuit a bit quicker, you can also slip a piece of vacuum hose over the sliding lever.

[kyle_blake]

Well I'm hoping turning the adjustable vac modulator slot CW 20 degrees, then do 30 mph, punch it and see if 3-1 shift occurs. If it does not, jump out, do another 20 degrees CW adjustment , repeat. If it never does once max CW achieved then I guess go back to original position and try 20 degrees CCW, repeat. Hope for the best. Aside of vacuum hose over sliding lever. That's all I'm really trying to gain from this procedure at the end of the day.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Rocky Rotella

If you want the kickdown switch to energize the circuit a bit quicker, you can also slip a piece of vacuum hose over the sliding lever.

That works REALLY GOOD. Once.

Then the self-adjusting switch ratchets down a few more notches, and you're right back where you started.

[Formulajones]

It should go from 3 to 1 at 30-35 mph if working properly.

That is also depending on what rpm the governor is set at and whether it allows shifts at a high enough rpm.


The 400's I've had that had low 4,000 rpm WOT shift points would not do a 3 to 1 down shift.

Others, like my 70 Formula that upshifts at WOT around 5200 will in fact down shift to 1st if I'm doing ~30-35 mph.

[kyle_blake]

Thanks I'll report back when the rain goes away, if memory serves correct this stock tranny orig to car shifts at 5000 rpm !