Tranmission Shifting too fast. HELP!!!(Problem Solved Thanks)

[ChargerRob]

I had my trans worked on by a transmission guy I befriended. My trans was leaking real bad and I was kind of short on cash and he offered to rebuild it for $400.00. Well my trans doesn't leak anymore, but it shifts really fast. By fast I mean before I'm at 10 mph it's already in third gear. If I shift it manually the car pick up decently. But in Auto mode the car labors a little because it goes in to high gear really fast. Any ideas on how to fix this. Thanks, Robert

BTW: It's a 69 Charger R/T with a 440 Auto.

[General_01]

I think you need to adjust your kickdown properly.

[BigBlockSam]

I think you need to adjust your kickdown properly 

[y3chargerrt]

Adjust it or worse hook it up all together!

[ChargerRob]

Ok guys I'm really lost. I followed steps 1 thru 3 with no problem, but on step 4 it calls for me to adjust the length of rod number 10. I screwed the threaded adjustment all the way down and it is too long to line up the ball socket with the ball end. Are these rods different lengths? Your help is really appreciated. Robert

[General_01]

Wish I could help you. I have never had a "stock" kickdown lever. On the Bee, I have a solid rod that I bent to work. It is threaded on the carb end for minor adjustment. The General has a Lokar kickdown cable.

[MOPARHOUND!]

Ok guys I'm really lost. I followed steps 1 thru 3 with no problem, but on step 4 it calls for me to adjust the length of rod number 10. I screwed the threaded adjustment all the way down and it is too long to line up the ball socket with the ball end. Are these rods different lengths? Your help is really appreciated. Robert

From my limited knowledge, I have always tinkered with parts #1 and #12 to get mine where I needed it.

When I first drove the 496, it was shifting quickly through all 3 gears.  (Sounds crazy, but with the torque of the 496 the car never hesitated, just kept on going  ).  I knew it wasn't right, so tinkered with the kickdown, and coincidentally arrived at the adjustment the page from the service manual shows & describes in step 6, with the slotted kickdown piece barely touching the throttle lever.  Trans is working great, over 10,000+ miles behind the 496 now.

Is your kickdown linkage original to your car?  I have heard C-body kickdown stuff can vary somewhat from B-body.

Board member John Kunkel would be the guru on this question.  Might PM him if he doesn't come upon this thread.

[Plumcrazy]

You need to lengthen the rod #12 by unscrewing #1 from it.

[crzyc68]

General 01, on your Lokar kickdown setup, does it downshift when you punch the gas to pass people?  Mine shifts fine when I am driving normal, but getting on the freeway it won't kick down.

[ChargerRob]

I just found out that the kick-down linkage for my charger is the wrong one, it's too short possibly for a small block? I have no clue why someone would change it for something else. Oh well, just another thing to look for at the Spring Fling 2006. Thanks, for all your help guys.     

Robert

[General_01]

General 01, on your Lokar kickdown setup, does it downshift when you punch the gas to pass people?  Mine shifts fine when I am driving normal, but getting on the freeway it won't kick down.

Mine kicks down just fine. It only kicks down below about 65-70 mph and then upshifts at around 70-75. I have to mat it ALL the way to the floor when I am above 60 to get the kick down.

[John_Kunkel]

With cars approaching a median age of 40 years it's not unusual to find mismatched pieces in the throttle pressure linkage, with all of the variations it's really hard to know if each individual piece is correct.

New linkage is available from several sources including John Cope  http://www.coperacingtrans.com/kickdown.htm

The cable setups from Lokar and Bouchillion are OK if the installer understands the underlying principle of operation (most don't) and the variety of trans levers and carb levers often leave the cable setups lacking.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Crikies!!!   $175 beans for linkage???

I'll keep my manual valvebody 

[RECHRGD]

You said that this problem started AFTER the re-build.  Did it not shift properly with the same linkage BEFORE the rebuild?  I thought it just had a "bad leak".   Bob

[ChargerRob]

Before the rebuild, the tranny shifted like it does now only it felt like it was weak and slipping, plus it leaked alot.
Now with the rebuild you can really feel the shifts which is great but they come too fast.

Does anyone know the length of the Carburetor Rod (12 in the picture above) for a BB 440.

If anybody has a spare Carburetor rod (12 in the picture above) I could really use one.

Thanks, Robert

[ChargerRob]

You need to lengthen the rod #12 by unscrewing #1 from it.

I did that Plumcrazy, that's how I found out the rod was too short.

Robert

[ChargerRob]

Problem solved. Thanks for all the help guys.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Problem solved. Thanks for all the help guys.

What did you do to solve it?    Stop teasing!

[ChargerRob]

Believe it or not I just lengthened rod #10 until the lever on the transmission was all the way back when the throttle was wide open. Problem solved.