Ok I know I should wait to get the car back on the road until I have everything setup. But there is a huge car show this weekend and I dont have the time or cash to buy a kickdown kit from Edelbrock and get it here by then...... Is it ok if I just shift it manualy while I'm hard on the gas? just until I get the kit in a week or so. Or will I end up fudging the trans due to the wrong valve pressure at WOT. I just got the c4 rebuilt today so its going back in tommorow. I should prolly wait to get this kickdown setup.....but cmon you guys know how it is when theres a car show Could I maybe "rig" up some kind of homebrew kickdown cable using a choke cable kit? Those are cheap I've been the only Mav at this show for the last three years, what would happen if I didnt show up. The Chebby guys would have a ball
Haven't had a kickdown rod on mine since I put headers in over 10 years ago. It just means you will have to manually downshift if required to do so. This will not affect your tranny at all. BTW kick some Chevy butt at the show and good luck.
Well I had someone tell me that running without a kickdown will screw up my trans. something to do with the pressure not being right when your at WOT. He said the kickdown does more than just kickdown, it adjusts valve pressure too. Any thoughts?
Never heard of it. Like I said, 10 years of manual downshifting and the tranny is still as strong as it ever was (gets nice healthy second gear bark out of the rear tires) .
I would like to see some more input on this, as I will remove my kickdown since it does not work with my 2" carb spacer, unless I do some bending and adjusting. I want to keep the kickdown in original configuration, so figured I would put it in the attic and just downshift manually. Is there any truth to the "adjusting valve pressure"? I don't see where it interacts with vacuum pressure anywhere, just physically downshifting when activated.
I have heard this pressure related thing for no kickdown rod my whole freakin life. I have had c4's and c6's with no kickdown and never lost a trans. I wish someone would tell me just what the deal is. I am not saying right or wrong on this. I just want to know. Dan
i can see how not hooking up the vacuum modulator or having the shifter "between gears" could mess a tranny. but the kickdown?????? seems to me that the tranny'd be just fine. a mill makes SUBSTANTIAL power long before the kickdown is active. i have mine hooked up "just because". but almost never use it. vac downshifts LONG befor rod "kicks". have even double-down-shifted, due to "tall" gears in rear, and vac/rod kickdown, HIGHperf 302. it was a "BANG!/BANG!" thought a broke something til' i reallized want had happened. i say try without. but would like an answer from "ford" if this is needed or not. i'm tryin like hell to get my baby ready, but the body shop is dragging it's @$$ on my fenders and hood, so i'm stuck. i don't know if they'll let me race with no fenders. don't know if I can get the sunday of the carshow off from work. i feel yer pain.
I have HEARD for the longest time that the kickdown rod provides some type of tension on the trans to keep it in check. I have also speculated all this time at the validity of this. Still wondering. Dan
Mine comes off tonight before I head to the track. I just see no logical reason for why it NEEDS to be there. Especially when it is nonfuntional on my car at this time.
kickdown I always heard it operated passing gear another myth opened up Course while putting my new gear shift in it says to take it off and DISCARD IT...Jim
Not being a professional tranny guy, will give my 2 cents on the subject. We always called it "passing gear" in my day, it was a convenient way to kick the trans into a lower gear by pushing the footfeed clear to the floor, for passing another vehicle or getting out of a sticky situation which required faster accelleration. This saved time and was kind of a safety deal instead of taking one hand off the wheel and manually shifting into second with the gear shift lever. As far as damage to the internals by not having it hooked up, never heard of it. In the valve body, there is a valve and accuating rod that the kickdown lever pushes on when the pedal is pushed to the floor. Otherwise the lever just sits behind the rod doing nothing, so I surmise taking the rod off the carb and trans does not effect anything else. Seems that the kickdown does nothing but overide the automatic shifting and keeps the trans in second for a longer time(same as manually holding it in second gear). Have removed the lever that goes into the valve body completely, for shift kits and manual valve bodies, and so far have not had any related problems. Very similiar results were obtained on three and four speed stick shift cars, by shifting up to second or third on a four speed, to pass or climb a hill etc. Kickdowns were a very nice way of doing the same thing in auto's, with out the physical use of the arm and hands, sure helps us old guys in that department. he he he.
I have heard that 'myth' for years as well. My tranny guy told me to leave mine off but I wanted it on. He said it had no ill effects when leaving it off. Seth
