Okay I really need help with this Lokar kickdown...

Topic: Okay I really need help with this Lokar kickdown... (Read 1048 times) previous topic - next topic

Okay I really need help with this Lokar kickdown...

September 29, 2006, 11:05:21 PM

Today was the first time I drove the car any distance since the new kickdown cable was installed and after a while of driving the car suddenly starts shaking itself apart :( Shift out of gear and it stops. When it was doing this I had the cable set so it was snug against the kickdown lever without actually moving it. Just now in the garage I tried tightening it with the kickdown lever engaged just a little and most or all of the abnormal shaking stopped. That would seem to be the right path but I'm scared to death at this point of pooching the transmission so what do the rest of you have to say about it? Advice? Tech know-how on how the kickdown actually operates?

Okay I really need help with this Lokar kickdown...

Reply #1 – September 30, 2006, 09:00:29 AM

Okay, first let's use the proper terminology.

The AOD does not have a kickdown lever, cable or linkage.
(I don't care what Lokar calls theirs)
It does have a TV (Throttle Valve) lever, cable or linkage.

A "kickdown" works by doing nothing until the throttle is at a certain point, then basically triggering a valve that forces the trans to downshift. The speed range where the downshift is permitted is usually controlled by a vacuum modulator.

The TV system works by continuously varying the internal oil pressure in the trans based on where the throttle happens to be, along with the governor in the tail of the trans.

If your TV cable doesn't even start moving until you're part-way (1/4 to 1/2) into the gas, then it's the same as running with the cable disconnected, as talked about in many other threads that included warnings of transmissions destroyed in less than 10 miles.

That shuddering was likely the clutches slipping and sliding as they tried to self-destruct.

Quote

I tried tightening it with the kickdown lever engaged just a little

The fine people at Lokar say:
[COLOR="Red"]- What do I use to adjust my AOD Kickdown kit?
Always adjust AOD Kickdown with a factory style tool and pressure gauge.[/COLOR]

Okay I really need help with this Lokar kickdown...

Reply #2 – September 30, 2006, 02:54:42 PM

On my '83 the rod pushes the lever on the trans down to effect throttle pressure changes. The Lokar (and later factory cable linkage) pulls on the lever, if I am correct. Did you change the lever on the trans with the one supplied by Lokar? When I checked into using the cable versus my rod linkage, the lever on the trans had to be changed, for it to operate with a cable linkage. Maybe someone who has cable linkage can confirm this, and help you. Fred

Okay I really need help with this Lokar kickdown...

Reply #3 – September 30, 2006, 09:59:57 PM

The pressure thing explains alot about the car's behaviour. The way I had it set the tv lever was only engaging when I gave it gas. So that's why it only shudders at idle. Fortunately when it does that I tend to give it gas til it stabilizes and I wasn't at idle long anyway. I may have taken a few years off the transmission life possibly but I really only need it to get through the winter. Thanks for the info, it really helps.

Okay I really need help with this Lokar kickdown...

Reply #4 – October 01, 2006, 10:34:07 AM

When you say it's shaking when at idle is it in gear or in park? I've seen my vable get stuck and have had no line pressure on more than one occasion and never had anything but a smooth idle.
Can you snap off any photos to give a reference for us?

As far as taking years off your tranny that remains to be seen. Install a good tranny cooler and you extend tranny life, especially with a higher than stock speed stall convertor.

Okay I really need help with this Lokar kickdown...

Reply #5 – October 01, 2006, 11:41:56 AM

It tends to do it in gear rather than park. In fact when I stop at a light I tend to shift to park and the shaking stops. I'm not sure pictures would show enough detail to be helpful. But here's a description: I have the Lokar kit installed as dictated in the instructions, it's bracket is bolted to a pan bolt with a spring between it and the Lokar lever. I wasn't interested in getting the Lokar throttle cable bracket because it seemed like an unnecessary cost and there was no provision for my cruise control so I drilled a hole in the stock bracket and ran the Lokar through it. The hole is a little higher than the carb mount, I'm not sure right now if that makes a difference or not. When I disconnected the original tv rod I took note of the fact that at rest it was holding the tranny lever a little engaged. But that thought fell by the wayside since the car seemed to go SO much smoother with zero tension on the cable at idle. Set like that I could feel the car shifting but just barely, as in it was like the ticking of a clock rather than the efforted *grunt* I used to get. And besides when I had tension on the cable at idle, I really felt it in the gas pedal, it was like trying to push a rock while driving.
As for the cooler there is one installed, in fact I'm thinking of deleting the thermostat control module from its lines since I got rid of the clutch fan, I think I'll rely on the fan controller instead.

Okay I really need help with this Lokar kickdown...

Reply #6 – October 01, 2006, 12:02:29 PM

You know I've read some accounts of people having to add an extra return spring to the tranny arm for it to completely return at idle.