Just bought a 1972 Demon 340, now has a 400, 40 over, etc. anyway the trans has a shift kit (?) hits second hard but it will not shift into third. I think it went in one time when I hit it on a rolling start, it shifted into all 3 gears. I have tried puting it in drive and manually shifting it with same results, could they have it set up for drags ? I have had it up to 60 in second and no shift Thanks

How is your kickdown(throttle pressure )linkage adjusted?

At the engine or at the trans, ?

What is the quality of the engagment of the trans into reverse?

No prob. into reverse. When in drive it shows to the left of D.

What did you do to set the kickdown linkage. How did you adjust it? How far does it move at full throttle?

I would double check to see where the shift lever is on the trans .... when the column shifter is in that position.

It's possible that converting from the SB to the BB they got the TP linkage wrong. Just to be sure, temporarily disconnect the TP linkage at the transmission lever and see if it will shift to 3rd.

If it goes into third with the linkage disconnected the linkage is the problem. SB linkage won't work on a BB.

Mine didn't want to go into 3rd at WOT because of an improperly adjusted kickdown.

definately sounds like a linkage problem. kickdown or column. i know if the kickdown is just a little off sometimes it will do just what you are saying. but they do have a shift kit and if adjustments dont work i would check the valve body to see if its together right. something not tellin the trans to go in third. if the band or clutches were burnt reverse would be sluggish or not work at all. shouldnt be nothin major.

Think all of you have hit the nail on the head, switching to a big block they never tried to run a kickdown leverThe one on the car goes no where, will have to fabricate some kind of kickdown, any ideas the old one is hitting the firewall.

Bouchillon and lokar make a cable set ups for that. If you don't fix it real quick you will burn up the trans. The throttle pressure(kickdownn) linkage controls the pressure in the trans. Without it you will have low pressure and burn up the bands and clutchs. Just like slipping or riding a manual clutch. Bouchillon is more expensive but is easier to install Lokar takes some playing and repositioning of the cable attaching point on the trans lever.About 3/4" in from the original hole on my A518 with an edelbrock carb using the mopar carb adapter.

Going to start looking tomorrow at the mess they have now and try to figure it out.

Besides the Lokar kit, what else will I need to mount it to the intake ?

Thanks

It depends what carb you have. The kit comes with the brackets you will need to mount to the existing intaske bracket but if you are running an Edelbrock or Holley carb you will need an adapter. You should be able to get it at most large parts stores.

Thanks, running a Holley.

What I have looked at today, only under the hood as it has rained all day, is there is the kickdown TP, lever attached to the manifold, no return spring to anywhere and when you manually pull it toward the firewall it hits the lower wall. Can't tell if it is hooked to the trans or not, so I guess where ever the trans lever wants to be it has full range if hooked tothe old TP

Even if the linkage was hooked up and correct the absence of a spring to pull the linkage forward will cause late or no upshifts. The weight of the linkage makes it want to push the transmission lever to the rear so it needs the spring to pull it forward.

Check the archives for some examples of linkage setups:

http://www.moparts.org/Tech/Archive/auto/35.html