A904 not downshifting, dark film in bottom of pan
I know I should have replaced the converter but I'm only planning to drive around this summer while I build another engine/trans combo.
Not sure if the kickdown ever worked before. This thing sat for 20 years with a burned up trans from a kickdown lever breakage. Rebuilt the clutch packs and valve body and put it back together.
I really don't want to sound like a dick here, because I don't know how else to say this but now you are paying the price.
That said, I can't really say that I wouldn't have done the same thing actually. (and I could have paid the price.) :D
But lets concentrate on where to go from here.
What I would do, and of course this is just another A hole's opinion is to start with some TP adjustments and see if I could get in range to kickdown.
What could be happening in your case is that the contaminants from the converter could have gotten into your valve body and governor and is sticking things up causing the governor valve not to be able to move freely enough to let it kickdown.
It also possible your internal pressures are off enough to cause it, in which case you may want to put a gauge on it and test them.
Then there's the part where your trans may not have the part throttle kickdown assembly on it. (those work great for kickdown mid throttle under high load conditions, which works about perfect for a street car.)
If the pressures are in the range they should be you might just slap a new filter on it and drive it.
Or you could just put it all back together right now, fill it up with fluid see what happens.
See, it ain't all bad.
You at least have choices.:D
