I've never really brushed up on auto tranny theory. My question is what exactly does the kick down cable do on the 350 TH. I know it's basic function, but I would like to know more detail on it. How is kick down effected by RPM? How is it effected by vacume or for my english friends vacuum. What are the specific conditions in which it will "kick down"? Thanks in advance folks!
Well, all I really know is that the kickdown cable itself is not necessary on the TH350. I apparently drove my old car for about 5 years without it ever being hooked up, according to its current owner, OldCarPilot. All I had was the vacuum signal hooked up and it always seemed fine to me. The only reason he noticed anything was wrong is because he tossed a 4bbl manifold on it. Signal must not have been as strong.
Well Meester Deyo, were in the same boat. Mine aint hooked up neither. Im just wondering what kinda fun Im missing out on. Would it hold second longer in the 1/4? Would it help me pick up chicks?
If that little coupe can't get you chicks, then you've got bigger problems than the tranny! That's all I know about it. I know on the 700R4s the kickdown controls the oil pump in the tranny somehow. I'd be interested to find out too.
[ QUOTE ] Well Meester Deyo, were in the same boat. Mine aint hooked up neither. Im just wondering what kinda fun Im missing out on. Would it hold second longer in the 1/4? Would it help me pick up chicks? [/ QUOTE ] Chicks dig a guy with a functional kickdown. lol Trust me. Actually on the 350 (to my knowledge and I certainly bow to Dave and some of the other gurus on this) the kickdown is just that. It actuates the valve that drops you down a 'gear' for acceleration. Not having it hooked up just means that you don't get the function. Having it hooked up but misadjusted can really jack with your drivability. At this point, I'll let the experts take over.
I'll keep it simple; the cable on the t-350 will raise the internal main line pressure. The cable changes the pressures that works against the shift valves and causes later shifts or down shifts when hooked up correctly. This cable usually has some small amount of slack at the carb lever. The cable on a t-350 can be UNHOOKED because there is a vacuum modulator on the tranny. The modulator will raise and lower internal main line pressures with the rise and fall of vacuum in the engine's intake mannyfold. The cable on a 700 tranny is NOT a kick down cable. It is a Throttle valve cable and can NOT have any slack at the carb when adjusted correctly. The TV cable must move the instant the carb throttle lever moves. It also seems most folks never notice there is NO vacuum modulator on the 700 / 4L60 trannys. The TV cable of the 700 controls internal main line pressures that the vacuum modulator does on the t-350 & 400 trannys. Just a week ago we had a dolt complain to the tranny dept manager about "the piece of crap , soft shifting 700 tranny he bought from us"... He had used silicone to seal up a cut off end of the cable to the 700 tranny so " it dont leek a drop oil". The manager explained to him he had burned the tranny up and the warranty was now void since he had not hooked up the TV cable.
And if you connect the cable and get it adjusted right, you may discover the fun of having the tranny downshift when you punch the throttle! It's a splendid feeling for those of us who are into going fast.
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