Looking For Kick Down Linkage Experience

I am familiar and have used most service manuals descriptions of how to set kick down on a Torqueflite. Using the proper linkage you put the pin in the lever hole bracket and adjust /hook up the transmission side. Then you hold the link rod forward and adjust the slotted link on the carb pin to just touch. If anyone has heard of Pat Blais (Torqueflite Patty) he has been building torqueflites for 50 years. He sent me an instruction sheet that says the above procedure is wrong and will burn up transmissions. He says the linkage needs to be pushed back until you feel resistance on the lever and then set the link on the carb pin. The rod should be 1/4 to 1/3 of the way back from the full back position when at an idle. Is anyone familiar with this or tried it?

Pat built my 727 in my first Cuda. When you are into Mopars in the Seattle area you can't help but know who Pat is. He knows what he's doing.

The description you have above is a lot of "pre-load" but more is better than too little for torqueflites. At least in terms of ensuring no damage is being done with inadequate linkage adj.
The Minimum adjustment is that the tranny lever begins to move with the FIRST movement of the carb linkage---that was the first adjustment made. After that, if shift occured at too low an RPM, you could advance the throttle pressure adj further.

This was just basic adjustment without valve body pressure adjustment. (Dropping the pan)

Don't sweat which procedure to use. It's only a starting point. Pick one and drive the car. Short, low throttle test drives won't hurt anything. See how it shifts and whether it will kick down and adjust from there.

If it won't shift, there is too much pressure. If additional throttle doesn't delay the shift, there is not enough. There is enough acceptable range of adjustment, that the shift points and kick down can usually be set to personal taste.

This method seems to be in vogue nowadays based on the belief that the first part of the lever's travel does nothing because there is no resistance felt in the first part of the travel. Of course you feel no resistance on the bench because there is no pressure in the trans.

If you take a hard look at the TP linkage operation, you'll notice, first off, how little throttle movement is required to get the car moving during normal driving and how little TP linkage movement accompanies the throttle movement. So, by setting the linkage as recommended you're telling the trans that you are applying 1/4 to 1/3 throttle and it will shift late.

Anybody who has played with linkage adjustments, when adjusted by the factory procedure, will tell you that one or two turns (.040"-.080") of the linkage rod will make a noticeable difference in the upshift speed at light throttle so this proves that the linkage is controlling the trans even in the first part of the lever's travel.

My advice is to ignored all TP linkage adjustment methods other than the factory recommended procedure (lever full forward at idle) and then make minor adjustments to suit yourself after the initial adjustment.

Of course, when carb/manifold configurations prevent the use of stock linkage, you have to get creative but the operation of the lever needs to stay the same.

All those procedure and advice assumes you have the factory original kickdown set up, original transmission and stock engine. Once you have changed the powerband, torque convertor or anything in the engine. Upshift and downshift points will not be the same.

If any lever has been changed to another ratio. Most set procedures will not be 100% correct.

At a minimum Full throttle when the transmission lever is almost bottomed out. If it shifts too late loosen it off.

Shift points -

It’s all about throttle pressure versus governor pressure.

Governor pressure is a function of output shaft speed.
Throttle pressure is based off of the initial valve body TP set point and the external linkage ratios and adjustments.

That’s it.

Yes, whether you have a blown nitro Hemi or a stock /6.

Previous owner removed line up hole on bracket. linkage on carb is all the way out maybe two threads left and transmission is still shifting way to soon.

Ct440rod - you are sneaking in on the conversation which is ok but you don’t provide any of the needed info..

Like has been mentioned before - using the correct bellcrank at the engine, at the trans and the TP lever on the trans ( in the case of the one piece TP rod, the correct lever, and pivot and bracket at the engine -

1) the TP lever on the trans should be all the way forward at closed throttle
2) the carb should be off the choke
3) the bell crank should be at the design location ( understood that yours has been goobered up ) on the engine and trans
4) TP pressure lever cam/valve assembly should be at the qualified position on the valve body using the tool or measurement


If all these things are correct - in your situation - it sounds like you have a numerically high gear ratio, 3.55, 3.91, etc. That will make it shift early.

Is the carb stock or aftermarket? An aftermarket carb without the correct Mopar throttle lever extension will cause upshifts to be off spec because of incorrect linkage ratio. 2-barrel linkage parts on a 4-barrel will cause insufficient threads to make proper adjustments.

I shouldn’t have assumed you had the correct carb lever ratio.

So if I have 3:91 gears there is nothing I can do so it will not shift so soon?? After market carb Holley 850.

More throttle pressure = higher shift point.

With a higher numerical gear you don’t need to hold it in 1st or 2nd as long as a “regular” auto.
If it bothers you you can develop a work around using a different governor weight and spring combination.


What would you shift your engine at if racing?

Once again, does the Holley have the correct 20-7 throttle lever adapter? If not, start there.