Adjusting Three Peice Kickdown Linkage

Hey all,

Having some real issues with my transmission and I have to make sure I'm adjusting this kickdown right. I have the factory three peice kickdown shown below.



(return spring was removed, I have it installed).

72 Dart. 360 mild, fresh rebuild. LD340 intake, Edelbrock 1406 carb. Stock 3 peice kickdown and brackets, aftermarket throttle cable (Mr. Gasket). Stock 904 trans. Yada Yada. Engine is very healthy and happy.

Problem : it goes into park, reverse, neutral, drive just fine. Drives good in reverse . In drive, I get up to 15 mph and it just revs at 2 grand or more, begging to be upshifted. I tried to go from D to 2, and no change whatsoever. I try to shift into 1 (column shift), and it feels like it shifts (kind of), but just revs even higher. I barely drove it down a block before turning around and babying it at 10 mph back to my driveway. Trans fluid is good. This is a second hand trans that I pulled the pan and show no gunk or excessive clutch material in the pan, with bright red fluid still. I've only driven it at this very short time, I do not want to damage it any further.

So I tried the recommended check .... Push throttle all the way back, and push the kickdown linkage all the way back . I did those independent of each other , and it looks like the kickdown lever goes maybe 1/16th back further than WOT. It leaves the smallest gap in the slot adjustment. It's very close I would think. But I cannot say how to adjust the lower rod that goes down to the transmission lever.

Main question : How do I check that? I had the upper slotted peice butted up against the carb stud already. It moves the second the carb is off idle. I just want to make sure I'm adjusting the kickdown (specifically my three peice) properly so I can eliminate that as an issue. Pic of the slot adjustment at idle :



I have noticed it's near the end of its threaded adjustment, this is may be unusual. I do have the factory 4 barrel linkage down below:


May be a clue that my kickdown is out of whack. Maybe.

I have the FSM so I will check that for band adjustment: regrettably I should have check that when the trans was out of the car but did not. Is there anything else I should check? If it was just early up shifts, yeah then kickdown linkage. But this trans just DOES NOT want to shift. It either slips into second unbelievably soft or it's almost starting in drive in second, then won't shift into third. Seems to manually shift down into 1st..? Super unhappy. Any help is very appreciative, and let me know if I need to take pics of anything else.

Here is your base line for the kickdown adjustment. Get it so that when the gas pedal is on the floor, the lever at the transmission is all the way back. That's your starting point. If it holds the shift out too long, then you shorten it up some.

That said, the kickdown is not going to make the transmission act like it's in neutral. You have other transmission issues, I suspect.

See the holes in transfer crank assembly. Install an appropriate drill bit through them. Adjust the carb linkage rod to just touch the throttle shaft at idle position. Adjust the lower linkage to The neutral Area first and add length as needed Through the adjustment To obtain full throttle Application at the trans for full application of the kick lever. The manual describes it to the point!

Seems the carb linkage is upside down to me. Not as familiar with SB setups but the manual is pretty specific. Generally the throttle rod to the transfer crank is from the top not from below as shown. In other word flip the rod over and pin from the opposite side toward the fender.

That’s the wrong top rod, but u already know that as u say u have the 4bbl linkage. For gods sake put it on b4 u ruin ur tranny. The governor is sticking. Kim

Or at least wind that carb kick down link in an 1" and you should see a big see a difference.

I agree. Carb. rod looks odd. Here's a good video on YouTube that explains the adjustment quite well. Good luck.

It’s a big block top rod. He says he has the factory 4 bbl stuff. Then use it. What’s so hard about that? Kim

oldkimmer said:

That’s the wrong top rod, but u already know that as u say u have the 4bbl linkage. For gods sake put it on b4 u ruin ur tranny. The governor is sticking. Kim

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See? There is a reason why I post here. I THOUGHT this was the complete 4 barrel linkage on my car. That's what I was sold anyways. I didn't know the top rod was big block. I think you misunderstood my post : the 4 barrel linkage I thought was on my car as I have no reason to keep it off. Looking at the video, it looks like the top rod is too short to be the proper 4 barrel small block rod? I'm not trying to ruin my trans, it's sitting parked until I can make some form of adjustment.

CFD244 said:

I agree. Carb. rod looks odd. Here's a good video on YouTube that explains the adjustment quite well. Good luck.

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I've watched this video a lot. When they say they "push the trans lever forward", is "forward" towards the bellhousing or towards the tailshaft?

Forward should mean to front of car.

So scrounging around, I found the kickdown linkage that we pulled with the motor and trans from a 78 LeBaron 318. This 318 had a 4 barrel setu , and this is the upper kickdown rod:



Looks like somebody probably made a small modification so they had more adjustment for a 4 barrel.



This is the rod in comparison to what I have now. It doesn't have a bend in it, it's straight across. From trying to find appropriate pictures, it looks like a small block, 4 barrel rod should have some sort of bend to it? I'm sure there's more than a few small blocks running modified 2 barrel linkage.



They're super close in length, I can't imagine this would cause all this trouble. I'm gonna recheck band adjustment tomorrow for my own sake, and I'll dig deeper if need be. Sunday I'll have another person to help me out,hopefully to find one or more issues.

You need a rod that looks like this:


This is what it should look like installed:

When it is right it should resemble this. I know, I show a BB but the holes through the linkage should be nearly aligned as to slip the appropriate drill Bit tough them. If they do not then your linkages are not correct for the application. Not having It correct will send your tranny to a short life unless A FMR valve body is used.

Some have a return spring hole on the slotted kd rod. I always put a return spring in the front of the slot.

CFD244 said:

I agree. Carb. rod looks odd. Here's a good video on YouTube that explains the adjustment quite well. Good luck.

Click to expand...

Very helpful video. Thanks!

This rod will work on most as u can adjust the intermediate rod. Or u can cut the end off and thread the rod and use the threaded end like in the last pic. Kim