I'm building an old Desoto hot rod with a Dodge truck frame with a 383 and torqflite transmission. This is a project I bought that that a lot of parts didn't come with it. The trans. kickdown / governor linkage didn't come with it. I bought a nice cable with no instructions how to run or how to adjust. Any ideas?
soo a pick would help - you say cable - is it an early push button trans or a later with the cable shift - maybe out of a motor home.....or a 1965 cable transmission which ran off the column or floor shift cable - the last of the early 727's.....by 1966 most all were linkage - except for motor homes which had a cable but it was still a linkage set up.
And to add to Stillrunners questions: What year Desoto? Did it have a floor shift? 3 on the tree? We're really going to need to know what you're starting with.
Had to read that three times to figure it out. Did a search, take your pick https://www.google.com/search?q=Torqueflite+detent+cable+adustment+&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8
Yeah, no factory cable for the part-throttle-governor, you must have some aftermarket gizmo. The kick-down assembly is absolutely required for the trans to live more than a week or two. Start by buying a service manual for just about any 70's Mopar and it will have detailed photos. .
I'm sorry for not describing my situation better, it was late last night when I posted this. This is '38 Desoto coupe that the lower body and running gear was totally destroyed by rust. It started out to be a stock car by the previous owner and I want to finish it as a street rod, call it what you want. I have started the engine and it starts and sounds great. It needs new brake lines, a gas tank, and hooking up a gas pedal, brake pedal, and shifter, in other words it is getting close. Thank you Mr48chev, your link is what I have spent a couple of hours searching for.
Okay,. I had much the same issue some years back with a 360 Mopar & 727 torqueflite. My main issue was that I had a tunnel ram on my engine and the kickdown set up was mechanical (linkages) and no longer reached the carb and I didnt know if we could just extend the linkage or what we could do. Im a desk jockey so very limited mechanical skills. I sorted my problems by buying as manual valve body for the 727. That eliminated the requirement for the kickdown and it sorted out the pump in the auto. Apparently the kickdown setup also worked a pump in the auto, and removing the kickdown meant that the pump didnt pump, and as 73RR said no pump = a life expectancy for your 727 that can be measured in weeks.
Removing the throttle pressure rod means the pump doesn't make enough pressure when you need it. Burned clutches and scorched band are the results. Get a throttle return spring, hook it from the throttle lever on the trans to the rear trans line. Make it so the lever is about half travel. This has worked for me several times in the past. Just remember this is a for now fix. However, my uncle ran his "work car" like this for over a year with no problem. Gene.
This article might help you visualize it: http://www.hotrod.com/articles/the-lowdown-on-stock-torqueflite-kick-down-linkage/ The cable is pretty easy to figure out, but be aware that they made the kickdown lever on the tranny in several different lengths. The issue is that you need to full travel at the carb lever to = full travel at the tranny kd lever, so the cable has to anchor the same distance from the pivot on both the carb and the tranny. If you need to shorten the tranny lever just measure and drill a new hole for the cable closer to the pivot. Whether your cable is LOKAR brand or not (I've done fine with the knock-offs), the install will go kinda like this: www.lokar.com/downloads/pdf-instructions/INS0046-ChryslerKickdown.pdf
What 4woody and 73 RR stated....I'm just putting a later 727 in my last year internal cable 1965 Dodge wagon....done it before with my 1964.....can't count the times my trannie guy said "kick down"....and "blow trannie" as he handed over the rebuild......just for clarification - you can find the late model motor homes with a later trans - they used the early shifter and ran a simple cable instead of the linkage....
Thanks for the help. I couldn't find any info by doing a search on both the H.A.M.B. and the net. I know the proper setup is critical for proper adjustment and longevity of the tranny.
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