Transmission downshift switch

MMNineInchNails · #1 (**permalink**) 12-06-03, 09:55 PM

Ok I'm trying to figure out what some crap is under the hood. First the transmission downshift switch where there are two wires that plug into it and it's on the drivers side right next to the carb and throttle linkage. How is that supposed to work? Is it supposed to be attached to the carburetor or something. I'd take a picture, but I don't have a camera. It seems to not be touching anything and just dangling there. Looks broken. How should I fix it and where should it hook up to?

DaveSmed · #2 (**permalink**) 12-06-03, 11:41 PM

Well.... I'd get a pic, but the covers on the car with snow on top of that. It should be on the same bracket as the dashpot, and held on with two screws.

MMNineInchNails · #3 (**permalink**) 12-06-03, 11:46 PM

yes, it was on with two screws, but I'm wondering if it was just chilling there for the wires to connect in or if it links to the carb somehow?

MMNineInchNails · #4 (**permalink**) 12-08-03, 02:08 AM

German_472 · #5 (**permalink**) 12-30-03, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMNineInchNails

Bump

I removed the downshift switch a while ago, as it was not working. It did connect to the throttle linkage at the driver side of the Q-Jet. One of the cables goes down to the transmission and connects via a single wire to a connector on the driver side of the transmission. I dont know what the other wire is, I believe its a +12V cable.
Lokar makes a kit that you can use instead of the switch and it is adjustable, so you can select the point at which it downshifts the transmission: http://www.lokar.com/products.html

Greetings,
Andreas

MMNineInchNails · #6 (**permalink**) 12-30-03, 06:30 PM

Thanks a lot for the help. I'll look into it most likely. Does the product have a special name or number?

German_472 · #7 (**permalink**) 12-31-03, 05:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMNineInchNails

Thanks a lot for the help. I'll look into it most likely. Does the product have a special name or number?

I believe it is the KD-2400HT (TH-400 Electric Kickdown Kit) and to mount it to the carb, I tried using this: SRK-4000, but the problem is that it does not attach to a Q-Jet to well ( I had to grind of some of it to make it fit, but that might be because of the 2" spacer I use ).

Summitracing Part Numbers are: LOK-KD2400HT and LOK-SRK-4000. Problem is that they are a bit pricey, but work as intended. I did try to find a new switch, just as the one that was on the Q-Jet, but was not able to find one (Must be because we neither have Autozone, nor Parts America, nor any other decent car parts store over here....)

Happy new Year!
Andreas

MMNineInchNails · #8 (**permalink**) 12-31-03, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by German_472

I believe it is the KD-2400HT (TH-400 Electric Kickdown Kit) and to mount it to the carb, I tried using this: SRK-4000, but the problem is that it does not attach to a Q-Jet to well ( I had to grind of some of it to make it fit, but that might be because of the 2" spacer I use ).

Summitracing Part Numbers are: LOK-KD2400HT and LOK-SRK-4000. Problem is that they are a bit pricey, but work as intended. I did try to find a new switch, just as the one that was on the Q-Jet, but was not able to find one (Must be because we neither have Autozone, nor Parts America, nor any other decent car parts store over here....)

Happy new Year!
Andreas

I don't have the original Q-Jet anymore, I put on an Edelbrock 750. Will this still be able to fit or should i try something else?

German_472 · #9 (**permalink**) 01-01-04, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMNineInchNails

I don't have the original Q-Jet anymore, I put on an Edelbrock 750. Will this still be able to fit or should i try something else?

The kickdown switch, I believe, is universal. It connect via a throttle cable to the carb and the further you press on the throttle, the further it pulls out the cable from the kickdown switch (which you can put on the transmission pan or anywhere else you want) and finally activates the kickdown.

If you want to wait until tomorrow, I will go out to the garage and make a few pictures so you can see how it connects. I drove the car today and the kickdown works very well - the good thing is, I can adjust it very easily to either shiftdown very early or very late - or not at all.

Greetings,
Andreas

Angela Desmond · #10 (**permalink**) 01-01-04, 03:57 PM

Any sort of encased "micro-switch" will work on the tranny kickdown. We've used one that operates elevator doors on a 350 chevy swapped into an '85 Jaguar with the TH 400 dropped in.It worked perfectly...The only question that arises is where to mount it so the linkage trips the switch at how much throttle you want it to.

German_472 · #11 (**permalink**) 01-03-04, 01:33 PM

Alright, here we go. I got three pictures, hope they are clear enough:

This is a sideview of the carb and the attached linkage. This is not very clear, but you can see where the old switch was attached, is now the little linkage I fabricated for the Lokar.

Alright, on to the next one, this one is a little better: Using the Throttle Linkage (which is only that little piece of shiny metal holding the original throttle line and the kickdown line) I connected the carb to the kit and the wire goes down to the transmission.

This is where the little box housing the switch is located: As I mentioned, you can attach the box anywhere you want, just wire the cable to the transmissions downshift connector.

Final word, I am not really sure, why I have not found a replacement for the stock shiftdown switch (although Angela has found a way, I guess), since the lokar kit is much bulkier than the little original switch. Hope this helps.

Greetings,
Andreas

MMNineInchNails · #12 (**permalink**) 01-03-04, 04:15 PM

Thanks for the help. Damn those are the cleanest valve covers I've ever seen on an old engine like that.

MMNineInchNails · #13 (**permalink**) 01-24-04, 01:02 AM

Ok, so I just got the electric kickdown today. Where do you get the switch or whatever that goes inside and you connect those wires the the power source and transmission? It didn't include a switch.

German_472 · #14 (**permalink**) 01-24-04, 05:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMNineInchNails

Ok, so I just got the electric kickdown today. Where do you get the switch or whatever that goes inside and you connect those wires the the power source and transmission? It didn't include a switch.

I am not sure what you are talking about

What goes inside what? There should be now that cable and the little alu-box in your hands

and if you open that box, there is a switch inside, with two (I think) connectors. One cable goes to the, hmm, thingy on the transmission (On the drivers side, there is the transmission downshift "switch"). And the power source, there should be a cable that used to go to the original switch on the carb.

If you can make some pictures, it might be easier to explain...

Andreas

MMNineInchNails · #15 (**permalink**) 01-24-04, 12:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by German_472

I am not sure what you are talking about

What goes inside what? There should be now that cable and the little alu-box in your hands

and if you open that box, there is a switch inside, with two (I think) connectors. One cable goes to the, hmm, thingy on the transmission (On the drivers side, there is the transmission downshift "switch"). And the power source, there should be a cable that used to go to the original switch on the carb.

If you can make some pictures, it might be easier to explain...

Andreas

So yours came with a switch inside the aluminum box? hmmm. mine was empty so i'm confused. I emailed lokar so i'm waiting for an email back.