1954 powerflite no passing gear kickdown

[dodge59]

1954 dodge royal with a powerflite trans.  241 hemi.

 

I do not have a passing gear  when gas pedal is snapped to the floor.

 

anyone know what the proper procedure is to set the kickdown linkage rod  from carb to trans?

is there an adjustment on that kick down linkage rod down by the trans ?

should this rod be pulled forward or pushed  rearward all the way to make that adjustment ?

 

and ... There is a separate rod for the gas pedal and  a separate one for the linkage to trans

Thanks !

[dodge59]

yep.

Got under the dodge the other day  for a quick look at that trans linkage and there is a adjustment rod of the trans. next project in store.

[Dodgeb4ya]

A factory shop manual is the answer.

[Plymouthy Adams]

As Bob states, a manual is going to be required as the procedure is a combination of multi steps that involves adjusting the linage in static position at X listed angles and then the actual rod adjustments are made engine running at a precise RPM and setting the linkage to achieve X pounds of pressure with a gauge connected to the correct port..anything outside of following this procedure is guessing and errors will cause very poor performance of the transmission..

[dodge59]

As Bob states, a manual is going to be required as the procedure is a combination of multi steps that involves adjusting the linage in static position at X listed angles and then the actual rod adjustments are made engine running at a precise RPM and setting the linkage to achieve X pounds of pressure with a gauge connected to the correct port..anything outside of following this procedure is guessing and errors will cause very poor performance of the transmission..

Yup  .. have that shop manual and read it all..  bit confused  to say the least about checking the pressures in the trans. But I can and will adjust the linkage rod from carb to trans. hope that does the trick.

[Plymouthy Adams]

I guess I am very confused here..you have the manual and have read the procedure but yet you ask here...were you looking for a short cut? 

[dodge59]

I guess I am very confused here..you have the manual and have read the procedure but yet you ask here...were you looking for a short cut? 

 

Yup.......... asking you all if adjusting the kick down linkage to the trans may solve the problem  and yes this would be a shortcut   .

 

worth the try ... if it doesn't change anything ,  I can always set it back and start digging into the trans pressures. I'd like to try the simplest thing first .

 

[Plymouthy Adams]

adjusting the linkage could well do the very trick...bad part is without following the procedure you will be adjusting to an unknown and that puts you right there in "guessy land"  is the failure to follow a procedure worth risking some internal damage by trying a hit or miss approach...not only does this provide the kickdown action but it also controls the shift points at various degrees of acceleration due to throttle position...have you considered the torque on the kick down band itself...this is a very simple procedure that you can do that does not require any engine running, temperature or reading of any fluid pressure...

[dodge59]

here is what I'm going to do first I do have another 54 dodge royal hemi  that the kick down works fine . I'll compare  the length of the linkage position when the pedal is to the floor .  if  the position of the rod moves  longer forward,   than the other  54 car ,  then I need to lengthen that rod with the adjustment. sounds simple enough. good thing about  having 2 cars that have the same drive train.

Edited August 20, 2015 by dodge59

[Plymouthy Adams]

good luck...I checked my glove box in the 54 I have with the Powerflite...and no magic wand was found....I firmly believe the factory went to great lengths to outline a process/procedure for a reason....what are the odds that the pump pressure...and bands are at the exact level and torque range both trannies after all these years..

Edited August 20, 2015 by Plymouthy Adams

[Dodgeb4ya]

here is what I'm going to do first I do have another 54 dodge royal hemi  that the kick down works fine . I'll compare  the length of the linkage position when the pedal is to the floor .  if  the position of the rod moves  longer forward,   than the other  54 car ,  then I need to lengthen that rod with the adjustment. sounds simple enough. good thing about  having 2 cars that have the same drive train.

That is not the correct way to adjust the linkage. Engine positions in both cars could be slightly shifted, linkage rods posibly bent slightly different ect.

You can damage the transmission by incorrect linkage adjustments.

Your pretty car won't look so pretty in a tranny shop.

I see a lot of pretty cars in my work that have been haberdashed together and run and drive like crap. But they sure are pretty...so say all the people who ooh and aw them.

Adjust the tyransmission the factory way as Tim says. if you can't get a qualifed shop that assures you they can.

Bob

[dodge59]

 agree with all of you guys ! for sure !

I can live with the way is shifts  and it is not hurting anything . I don't want to mess it up and really open a can of worms up. I'll just leave it be then.... I'd have to search for a qualified trans shop around here  to have them take a look at it then.

Thanks for all your inputs  guys !

[dodge59]

finally got under the 54 dodge to adjust that kick down linkage rod. 

I slid it forward and rear ward  and no changes  to passing gear. thinking it must be a pressure issue . but  by adjusting that rod I  now have wide open  full throttle movement . so that is a plus .

[dodge59]

It was NOT the linkage after all ...................it is because the  main line pressure was  not adjusted correctly from someone else being in there previously.  It had an updated valve body installed way back when  and when they installed the new updated  valve body they did not set it up properly. We adjusted it correctly  and it has passing gear now.  trans has  14#'s in gear at idle  and 90#'s wide open throttle .