nickc377

I have a '73 auto and I am having trouble when flooring it. It doesn't run the best and won't hit pasing gear. The rest of the rang is running pretty smoothly, has a little trouble idling sometimes. The timing is right on, new plugs and wires. Any suggestions?
Thanks
Nick

big_G

TH400 transmissions have an electric passing gear kick-down. The switch is activated by the gas pedal. The wiring goes to a connector on the drivers side of the transmission. Make sure it is plugged in. Make sure the fuse is good. Sometimes the gas pedal lever bends, and it won't activate the switch. G/L

Fevre

BTW That switch also opens the cowl induction

71stockray

I sometimes have this same problem on my 71 and I do not have a electric kickdown switch. What is causing my TH 400 to do this?

desi

I had to put electric tape on the switch to make sure it was depressed completely....a common problem if you ask me.

Here's how to check:
Disconnet the cowl switch (under the hood). With key in ignition, car not running, press the gas pedel all the way down. You should hear a very low click in the tranny (hard to hear if area is noisy). If the click is not there, the kick-down is not working. Either bend the pedal till it does, or compansate by putting tape on the switch....

Good Luck

71stockray

It has become clear that at some time my TH 400 kickdown assy has been removed from my 71. Any suggestions on a replacement system? I belive it was removed with the idle control soilnoid system years ago.

Chuck Gongloff

If you have a THM 400, you should have the electric kick down switch. That's the only way you can engage "passing gear" when you floor it. Chuck

71stockray

What I am sayin is that there is a connection on the TH, but there is no switch on, or connected to the gas pedal or the accel cable linkage. Upon flooring the car it will ramp up in RPM and wind out unless I wait a second or let off the pedal than it will upshift.

Calm Screamer2

I have the exact problem with the '82...I just assumed it was because I was too lazy to adjust the TV cable after the rebuild...I very rarely "punch it" at high speed, so I don't see any adverse effects.

Fevre

Believe member Matt Gruber hooked a switch to his carb somehow, think the switch he used was off a VCR

Here is his homepage, look under th400, no pics so you might have to e-mail him.

http://community-2.webtv.net/MATTGRU/

Ron71

I agree with the post above. If you do not hear a click by pressing on the gas pedal with the key on but engine not running, then you might want to reach up to the switch and pull the lever of the switch back towards the rear of the car manually. If you hear a click, then you should be in good shape and at least you know things are working, and that the trouble lie in the engagement of the switch. By the way when you do this the cowl vent in the hood should also open. I had success in bending the pedal slightly and removing the switch and placing a piece of rubber hose over the rod piece of the switch.

Good luck.

Silver00V6Camaro

i am having the same problem the guys that built my motor put in a 3000 stall tc and said that i did not need a kick down switch. this thing does nothing when i punch it but just high rev.