Help pls with kickdown set up

[euroZ06]

Hello,

New to this tj kering with the car. No idea about kickdown mechanism. Only thing i know is that the car shifts super early into gears at full throttle (68 charger, 440 from a 73, 727 tranny). Bought the car two weeks ago, came with kickdown cable (lokar kit, no bracket).

So i popped the hood today to see whats going on aaaaand, it doesnt look like my stock kickdown linkage is even connected...







Sooo can anyone help me figure this out? This is the kit i have



Should i order some bracket (instructions are vague, and if bracket is needed, why wasnt it with the kit?!)

Do i need to order anything else? Can i drive the car as is for now? Read somewhere that this is bad for tranny, but im in germany, so ordering and receiving parts takes a while and i need to prep the car for inspection.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

For starters you need the correct Edelbrock carb linkage bracket for Mopar


http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/mc/carburetors/access-throttle.shtml

This will get you in the ballpark for the Lokar kit...

Secondly, strangely, it looks like our intake manifold is on backwards???

Ive never seen (what looks like either a choke well or EGR valve block off plate) on the DRIVERS side of the engine before???!!

What kind of intake is that??

[crj1968]

Seems I had a 383 with a block off plate on that side of the intake once.   

That is some crazy kickdown set-up they have on there. The Lokar should be much better once you get it adjusted....the further the lever on the trans is pushed or pulled back the longer it will hold gears..

[euroZ06]

Seems I had a 383 with a block off plate on that side of the intake once.   

That is some crazy kickdown set-up they have on there. The Lokar should be much better once you get it adjusted....the further the lever on the trans is pushed or pulled back the longer it will hold gears..

i really don't think the one I have set up now is not working, because when I move the throttle lever, nothing on the tranny moves.

I've read somewhere that when setting up the lever on the tranny, you need to set the lever to the point when u feel resistance (i.e around middle) with the throttle at idle.

[euroZ06]

For starters you need the correct Edelbrock carb linkage bracket for Mopar


http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/mc/carburetors/access-throttle.shtml

This will get you in the ballpark for the Lokar kit...

Secondly, strangely, it looks like our intake manifold is on backwards???

Ive never seen (what looks like either a choke well or EGR valve block off plate) on the DRIVERS side of the engine before???!!

What kind of intake is that??

ok, so not the lokar bracket? I'll order today.

I have no idea, I bought the car two weeks ago.

[euroZ06]

For starters you need the correct Edelbrock carb linkage bracket for Mopar


http://www.edelbrock.com/automotive/mc/carburetors/access-throttle.shtml

This will get you in the ballpark for the Lokar kit...

Secondly, strangely, it looks like our intake manifold is on backwards???

Ive never seen (what looks like either a choke well or EGR valve block off plate) on the DRIVERS side of the engine before???!!

What kind of intake is that??

I found this
http://www.jegs.com/i/Edelbrock/350/8021/10002/-1?parentProductId=

http://www.jegs.com/i/Edelbrock/350/1843/12552/-1

http://www.manciniracing.com/lothcabrbl.html

they all seem to be very different!!! The first one seems like what I need, but I have no idea! can someone please confirm what I need?

[b5blue]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY9WTWayCC8

[euroZ06]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY9WTWayCC8

I was trying to go off of this...
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/transmission-drivetrain/1504-the-lowdown-on-stock-torqueflite-kick-down-linkage/

[John_Kunkel]

There is so much misinformation in that article, the author should be shot.

You have two choices, either round up all the correct linkage pieces and throttle cable bracket and use the Edelbrock throttle lever extension or use the Lokar but ignore their instructions. If you decide to use the Lokar here's my standard rant:

The problem with the Lokar is that it's generic even when advertised to fit a Mopar because of the different lengths of the transmission lever.

You need to measure the full travel of the carb lever where the cable attaches and then measure the full travel of the transmission lever where the cable attaches; it usually won't be the same so you need to drill a new hole in the transmission lever so that the full travel of both levers is the same. Also, there should be a spring pulling the transmission lever forward.

It isn't necessary for the trans lever to be full back at WOT but be sure that WOT under the hood is the same as WOT at the pedal...misadjusted throttle linkage will prevent the carb from going wide open when the pedal is matted and that, in turn, will prevent the trans lever from going back enough to provide kickdown.

Remove the cable from the carb and measure how far the hole in the throttle lever moves from idle to WOT. Then measure how far the hole in the trans lever moves from full forward to full back. The movement of the trans lever will likely be more than the carb lever so find the spot on the trans lever that matches the travel of the carb lever and drill there.

It's unlikely that the trans lever will return to the full forward position without a spring assist.

P.S. the intake manifold IS on backwards.

[euroZ06]

There is so much misinformation in that article, the author should be shot.

You have two choices, either round up all the correct linkage pieces and throttle cable bracket and use the Edelbrock throttle lever extension or use the Lokar but ignore their instructions. If you decide to use the Lokar here's my standard rant:

The problem with the Lokar is that it's generic even when advertised to fit a Mopar because of the different lengths of the transmission lever.

You need to measure the full travel of the carb lever where the cable attaches and then measure the full travel of the transmission lever where the cable attaches; it usually won't be the same so you need to drill a new hole in the transmission lever so that the full travel of both levers is the same. Also, there should be a spring pulling the transmission lever forward.

It isn't necessary for the trans lever to be full back at WOT but be sure that WOT under the hood is the same as WOT at the pedal...misadjusted throttle linkage will prevent the carb from going wide open when the pedal is matted and that, in turn, will prevent the trans lever from going back enough to provide kickdown.

Remove the cable from the carb and measure how far the hole in the throttle lever moves from idle to WOT. Then measure how far the hole in the trans lever moves from full forward to full back. The movement of the trans lever will likely be more than the carb lever so find the spot on the trans lever that matches the travel of the carb lever and drill there.

It's unlikely that the trans lever will return to the full forward position without a spring assist.

P.S. the intake manifold IS on backwards.

Thanks! So which bracket in my situation should i order? I just ordered the lokar one, but i can order another one if i need to. The only scary thing with that is the fact that my throttle cable is not lokar, and that bracket is designed to work with lokar throttle cable.

Also, should i redo the intake manifold? The car seems to run well, and i try to leave well enough alone. I have no idea how they built the engine.

[crj1968]

Your intake is not backwards.... otherwise your brake booster line would be routed to the front. Also I dont think they put the Firing order on both ends.   

You just have something like this.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Mopar-440-Intake-Manifold-Thermoquad-3830733-1-/252259573419?hash=item3abbd79eab:g:0rcAAOSwoydWoBCS&vxp=mtr

[euroZ06]

Main uestion remains: i ordered lokar bracket, will i be able to install it with regular throttle cable and lokar kickdown cable?

[71charger_fan]

Here's the Lokar cable setup I put on my 400 after the shop that had my car lost my kickdown linkage.

[Mopar Nut]

Here's a Edelbrock set up, but 71charger_fan looks nicer.

[crj1968]

Main uestion remains: i ordered lokar bracket, will i be able to install it with regular throttle cable and lokar kickdown cable?

Years ago I did a Lokar kickdown with stock throttle cable.  I can't remember exactly but I do know it took a little customizing to make it work

[71charger_fan]

My photo was taken before I sorted out the lever/linkage at the transmission. That's why there's slack showing at the end of the kickdown cable. After this photo was taken, I finally figured out that the linkage between the gear selector lever in the console and the one on the transmission was in upside down and backwards creating interference between the swivel on the linkage and the kickdown lever.

[GreenMachine]

FYI, If you decide to go with a factory set-up, the kickdown rod you have won't work on 2nd generation Chargers, it'll hit the firewall. You'll need the 3 piece set with a 4 barrel throttle bracket. I can't help you with the Lokar issue as I never use them.

Here's a repro stock set

http://www.aandatrans.com/Products/440-4-Barrel-Kickdown-Linkage-Early-Style__44014B3PEWB.aspx

BTW, driving your car hard while not having your kickdown working will cause premature wear.

[b5blue]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FY9WTWayCC8

I was trying to go off of this...
http://www.hotrod.com/how-to/transmission-drivetrain/1504-the-lowdown-on-stock-torqueflite-kick-down-linkage/

My link shows what and why you need to adjust. John is right as we can't know exactly what parts you have on the transmission. There are several levers that are a bit different you could have. You have a mix of parts so it's normal that sorting it out is a pain in the butt. The arc of movement at throttle and at transmission must end up matching ratio of movement. The Lokar should mount that tab to whatever throttle bracket you have but you may need to fabricate something. All of this is part of the fun of fixing old cars. 

[b5blue]

http://www.manciniracing.com/man440en.html   This has a tab to mount Lokar to and uses factory throttle cable. So find one like this for whatever engine you have and it will be close but you still need to consider what John said.

[71charger_fan]

It was frustrating to buy the Lokar transmission cable and then find out I also needed the bracket for the back of the carb (SRK-4000). It was another $30, but, once I was in that deep, I just went ahead and also picked up their accelerator cable just to neaten up the whole thing.

[frank1966]

Hey,

Not sure if you like replies from old threads but I am trying to set up my kickdown - are we suppose to have 2 return springs? I see 2 connected towards the front of the car?

Here's a Edelbrock set up, but 71charger_fan looks nicer.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=124486.0;attach=261034;image

[GreenMachine]

Hey,

Not sure if you like replies from old threads but I am trying to set up my kickdown - are we suppose to have 2 return springs? I see 2 connected towards the front of the car?

Here's a Edelbrock set up, but 71charger_fan looks nicer.

http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=124486.0;attach=261034;image

I think the dual springs started in 1969. Your pic looks like an inner spring was added to a '68 and earlier spring (too stiff).