[HWYSTR455]

Ok, I get it now, the F-body ones work in opposite direction of A-body, like attached pic.

The at-rest position is in the center of the switch travel slot. As you push the peddle, it moves away from the firewall.

Take a pic of it installed. If you are saying that it doesn't contact the switch until it's almost at WOT, either the bracket is bent, or the switch is installed backwards maybe?

Take a look at the pic. That is at-rest, and the switch actuator post is in the center of the switch.


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[johnta1]

I'd check the switch for continuity when pressed and released, like when throttle at idle and when floored.
The switch is just an on/off setup. 12 volts when pushed to floor which goes to solenoid inside tranny. In combination with the vacuum modulator and governor the tranny shifts.


GM didn't want the switch to work except when at full throttle basically. Relying on the vacuum and governor to handle shifts.

[Kenth]

Originally Posted by steve

Thanks for the help but no amount of pinching will allow the slider to move into the position shown in your pic with the blue arrows, and on this unit there is no triangular mark on the metal housing as in your pic with the red arrows.

You should be able to pinch the slider and pull it for reset.

[HWYSTR455]

I added a pic of the retainer that prevents the switch from resetting on that style circled for clarification.

You have to pinch both sides together enough so it clears the housing to enable the reset.

In some cases with the pedal at rest, the switch post is in the middle of the travel slot, and will not be at the end of the slot.

In these cases, I suspect it would be important to not make the switch post travel into the operating range too much during install, or it may impact the operation/ final setting.

The switch has 2 contacts, so it will close the contact prior to WOT. Otherwise a simple on/off contact switch would be all that's needed.

I'm guessing that range is somewhere between the 1/2-3/4 range of throttle.

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[steve]

Originally Posted by Kenth

You should be able to pinch the slider and pull it for reset.

You do see that in the picture of your switch there is a small raised tab area on the side that looks like it is intended as release when pinched. My brown one does not have that and does it not operate that way.

[steve]

Originally Posted by HWYSTR455

I added a pic of the retainer that prevents the switch from resetting on that style circled for clarification.

You have to pinch both sides together enough so it clears the housing to enable the reset.

In some cases with the pedal at rest, the switch post is in the middle of the travel slot, and will not be at the end of the slot.

In these cases, I suspect it would be important to not make the switch post travel into the operating range too much during install, or it may impact the operation/ final setting.

The switch has 2 contacts, so it will close the contact prior to WOT. Otherwise a simple on/off contact switch would be all that's needed.

I'm guessing that range is somewhere between the 1/2-3/4 range of throttle.

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I’m sorry the brown switch from Amazon does not have the indicated plastic tab on the side and does not function that way. Pinching does not work.

[Kenth]

Originally Posted by steve

I’m sorry the brown switch from Amazon does not have the indicated plastic tab on the side and does not function that way. Pinching does not work.

What does the slider looks like when you pull it to the end position? (both sides).

[steve]

Originally Posted by Kenth

What does the slider looks like when you pull it to the end position? (both sides).

Smooth. But like I said it will not pull all the way to the end on one side. It goes from center to full forward (toward seats) It will not slide past center away from the seats (toward the firewall).

[Kenth]

Originally Posted by steve

Smooth. But like I said it will not pull all the way to the end on one side. It goes from center to full forward (toward seats) It will not slide past center away from the seats (toward the firewall).

You will have to squeeze/pinch the slider as shown on my pic to pull the slider to the end, away from the seat.
The hooks on the slider inside the switch is what prevents the slider to be pulled "away from the seat" to the end of the slot.

I wish i could do this for you!!!!

[steve]

Ok thanks !

[dataway]

I gotta admit I'm totally confused too. I think I have a spare in the shop that I'm going to have to take a look at. I had no idea there was any adjustment, I thought it was an on-off switch ... and I always wondered why it was so complicate for an on-off switch

Recently while still doing final shakedown of the car after being off the road for 40 years I did notice the kick-down required the pedal to the floor, which it never did before .. but of course I pulled the current switch off a 2bbl lemans and never "adjusted" anything, and probably worked it back and forth numerous times before installing it in the GTO.

[Formulajones]

Don't worry Ive seen people do that quite a bit, grabbing the switch and moving it back and forth not realizing they just moved the adjustment.

Just a fyi I have several nos gm switches still in the box and they come from gm with the switch in the full back position so that when it's installed it's ready for the pedal to be pushed to set the switch adjustment. You can tell if someone has opened the box and played with the switch because I have one that someone has pulled the adjustment out of it. I had to reset it and put it back in the box

[MYGOAT]

Here's a YouTube video showing how to reset kick-down switch. may not be the right way but seems to work for him.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/373NC2MCd1M

[dataway]

MYGOAT, excellent, thank you very much. That explains it perfect.

And exactly what I did before I installed mine, I put the VOM on it, worked it all the way up and got continuity and figured all was good, and installed it. Now I can see why mine is not kicking down when it should.

After all this time, still learning stuff about this car. Wonder how many people realize these switches are adjustable.