I am putting an AOD in my 74 maverick to go along with the 5.0 HO engine swap. My question is this, why do you need/desire an automatic kick down if you are using a ratchet shifter and intended to downshift manually? In an earlier thread, someone said if I didn't use a TV cable for the kick-down, it would tear up the tranny. I must admit that I do not know how all that works mechanically in the transmission. (Progress is slow, but my son and I DID get the I6 and C4 out last Saturday!)
the tv cable controles the throttle valve in the trans. that dictates the line pressures in the trans. as you open the throttle the line pressure needs to increase to pride enough pressure against the clutches in the trans to hold the power going through it. if you dont have cable or even if its not properly adjusted you can fry an aod in just a few blocks.
Dont know if there is any issue with your shifter, but, no matter what you do, you have to use a TV cable or you will roast your trans. It is not just a kick down sensor, it controlls pressure in your trans. http://www.mustangmonthly.com/techa...mission_installation/tv_cable_adjustment.html
Will I be able to use the TV cable from the donor vehicle, or will I need the after market one suggested to make it work with the Edelbrock 1406?
If the doner was a carbed or CFI vehicle you may be able to use it, but defiantly not the later SEFI system...
you just need the brackets to locate the cable end correctly. if you have a trans pressure gauge you can set the cable adjustment your self but if you dont, you will want knowledgeable transmission person do the adjustment. see if you find someone who will come do it for you. if not then either have it towed to a trans shop for the adjustment or talk to the trans shop, and they may tell you how to adjust it to get it good enough to be driven to them to be checked and readjusted.
Everyone makes out adjusting AOD TV cables as black magic with smoke and mirrors, but in reality it's simple... As long as it doesn't slip when shifting or is shifting hard/late, the adjustment is in the ball park... I start with the adjustment as tight as possible and if it's hard/late, I lengthen/loosen the adjustment as necessary, in 20+ years of owning vehicles with AOD, am yet to have a issue... I have approx 700 drag strip passes on the one in my T-Bird using above... I know a guy who drives a '63 Galaxie almost every day that has a 302 & AOD swapped into it that has no TV cable, the pressure lever is tied at approx half travel... No he can't force a downshift without manually selecting gears, plus it always shifts at same speed but he gets along with it...
