72 passing gear
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2019
Posts: 1,334
Likes: 225
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 11,183
Likes: 3,335
From: North of Toronto - Ontario
Depending on your gearing that might be working fine. Based on a lot of stuff (governor being the main, vacuum, line pressure, and a bunch of other stuff I don't know about) the kick-down won't operate at higher engine rpm, basically not wanting to shoot the RPM up to 4000 when it's already at 2800-3000 by dropping the car into second (let the secondaries on the carb do the work
There is a chance there's a weak solenoid or ??? but start with the upshift point
Stick your head under the car with it not running (key in run position) and have someone press the gas to the floor and you should be able to faintly hear the click of the solenoid on the trans. If you don't hear it, manually press the switch at the gas pedal
From a stop if you give it full throttle (kick down is engaged) the RPM that the engine upshifts from 2-3 would be pretty much the highest that it would allow the transmission to downshift at.
M
There is a chance there's a weak solenoid or ??? but start with the upshift point
Stick your head under the car with it not running (key in run position) and have someone press the gas to the floor and you should be able to faintly hear the click of the solenoid on the trans. If you don't hear it, manually press the switch at the gas pedal
From a stop if you give it full throttle (kick down is engaged) the RPM that the engine upshifts from 2-3 would be pretty much the highest that it would allow the transmission to downshift at.
M
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 11,930
Likes: 4,497
From: Virginia
The kickdown pedal to the left of my brake pedal works every time, though I have to also select the gear manually with my right hand.
Would a B&M shifter let you manually downshift with an auto?
Would a B&M shifter let you manually downshift with an auto?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 801
Likes: 17
From: Middletown Delaware
ok update I replaced the kick down solenoid and it works all the time now. I believe the old solenoid was weak and would quit working when trans fluid warmed up. Had the old solenoid on the bench and it would work for about 4 cycles before it quit.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2015
Posts: 13,082
Likes: 3,399
From: SW Florida.
i had a pontiac catalina convert i got for 300 cuz it had a bad trans. it was the other way around. the ball the kickdown solenoid was hung up and didn't close the hole to allow the upshift to 3rd. sold it for 700 and thought i made a killing... that kickdown is the first place to look with shift issues. it is also the cheapest and easiest fix.
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