No avoiding it; I MUST get NEW Linkage Hardware Now Right? Kickdown Not Kicking.

Gerald Morris

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Despite the 1968 vintage of the body, I'm running a 1966 engine and transmission in Gertrude. After upgrading to the Edelbrock 1405, I haven't had a kickdown, despite my attempts at adjusting it as per the 1966 FSM. I now suspect nothing I do with the 2 barrel bellcrank and linkage will work. Despite Edelbrock's instructions as given here,
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which sufficed for the THROTTLE, I now expect to kick down more cash to get a working kickdown. As usual, good Moparian references from the vendor can't be had beyond a few small adapters, which can be seen in use below.
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The throttle adapter, stud and a nut from their kickdown rod extender are all I have installed on my linkage. That extender extended the length of my kickdown rod beyond useful length. The fine thread nut helps a little bit...

Do any of you Wise Elders know of an optimal hardware solution here? I've seen a number of after market options for 4 barrel carburetor kickdown and throttle adapters meant for the 727 and B/RB engines, and have seen some OEM Mopar hardware too. Any helpful advice, and/or hardware for the right price will be MUCH appreciated! While I have got the shifting how I like it, with a little SNAP, but not too much, I don't want to ruin this transmission, and prefer a working kickdown to having to drop it into the lower gear from the column shifter.
 
You need the Edelbrock kickdown linkage extension, as I had to use when I put the 9801 TQ on my '67 Newport 383, ages ago. From what I can tell, the bellcrank assy is a bit common to all B/RB engines, but the throttle cable and kickdown linkage items can be too. Just needing the referenced extension in cases of going from 2bbl to 4bbl or from AFB to TQ, due to the farther toward the core support of the throttle shaft in those situations.

Edelbrock #8003 for 1/4" rods. Currently in stock at Edelbrock for about $14.95 or so. It goes between the belcrank-attached rod and the threaded slotted rod where the kd linkage is adjusted.
 
Despite the 1968 vintage of the body, I'm running a 1966 engine and transmission in Gertrude. After upgrading to the Edelbrock 1405, I haven't had a kickdown, despite my attempts at adjusting it as per the 1966 FSM. I now suspect nothing I do with the 2 barrel bellcrank and linkage will work. Despite Edelbrock's instructions as given here,
View attachment 564267 View attachment 564268

which sufficed for the THROTTLE, I now expect to kick down more cash to get a working kickdown. As usual, good Moparian references from the vendor can't be had beyond a few small adapters, which can be seen in use below.
View attachment 564269

The throttle adapter, stud and a nut from their kickdown rod extender are all I have installed on my linkage. That extender extended the length of my kickdown rod beyond useful length. The fine thread nut helps a little bit...

Do any of you Wise Elders know of an optimal hardware solution here? I've seen a number of after market options for 4 barrel carburetor kickdown and throttle adapters meant for the 727 and B/RB engines, and have seen some OEM Mopar hardware too. Any helpful advice, and/or hardware for the right price will be MUCH appreciated! While I have got the shifting how I like it, with a little SNAP, but not too much, I don't want to ruin this transmission, and prefer a working kickdown to having to drop it into the lower gear from the column shifter.
Try flipping the whole thing over. Detach kickdown from the part that attaches to the manifold, flip it upside down and mount it on the other side using the same hardware.
 
FSM is down in the shop and my car's still in pieces but i dont recall a second return spring going to the front of the kickdown ....just looked at a stock 2bbl and my holley and the place that the throttle cable slides onto and the place, the kickdown slides onto are on the same piece....it bolts through the arm on the carb with cable on inside and kickdown on outside...maybe since you have both of these attached to 2 separate parts that aren't on the same plane the kickdown isn't moving the correct distance as the carb opens....the second spring goes onto a hole on the end of the kickdown stud and goes back to the bellcrank on the kickdown...this way it holds the kickdown rod against the carb stud without doubling the effort to open the carb
 
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Something looks flakey in that picture, as the springs were not that way, OEM. There should be a wire-wound spring on the carb's throttle shaft. The throttle cable looks to be in the correct location, BUT on the outside of that location should be the stud where the same stud also supports the threaded end of the KD lever. As mentioned, the KD rod is at the same level as the throttle cable end. "Same plane", same stud mounting location. Ref picture of the throttle cable and KD rods in the FSM.

I understand the carb is aftermarket vs. OEM, but isn't the adapter plate supposed to put things in the correct OEM location?
 
Here's a pic of how mine is. Don't know if it's 'correct' per the FSM, but it works.

Be aware, there are several different setups for mid-late 60s bigblock KD linkage, and a mix-match set can cause a bunch of grief.

On my avatar car I could never really hear my secondaries opening.
Never could get a good adjustment of full throttle + proper shifting. I pushed the KD linkage to full-throttle and adjusted teh slider at the carb to hit FT there, but it never drove like it was correct even with repeated fiddling. But I had a 318 throttle cable and a modified bracket on my intake manifold to align the cable to teh carb shaft (due to an aluminum intake) so I figured it was a problem I created for myself during the engine swap years before. I hate 1-2 shifts at 10mph so I adjusted for 'proper' shifting and drove around as a 440 2-barrel.

A couple years ago, as I was going thru my box of loose KD pieces to mock up a 3-piece setup on a loose 383/AT, I made a discovery.

For the vertical rod at the rear of the engine, I had rods of 2 different lengths, and 1 rod clearly did not allow proper adjustment (and this was with a stock intake and no throttle cable) but the other did. To quote Gru - 'light bulb'.

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So I visited teh car, removed its rod, compared (the car had a short rod), and swapped the other length in. Did an adjustment with the longer rod, and I got proper shifting AND the last 10% of my throttle travel. I say 10% because the car felt like it gained ~30hp or so. Very noticeable. It was satisfying to reflect upon how well it had run as a 440-2, but the 440-4 was eye-opening.
:steering:

Someone mentioned that a spring to the KD slider is not correct, but I have found that mine would sometimes not return to full-forward, which affected the next set of shifts, so I use a spring - problem solved.

My KD bracketry is welded/extended due to the Eddy Performer intake.

@Gerald Morris
In the 2nd pic, your bracketry looks bent. Is it? Or is it the picture?


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#kickdown linkage
 
Hmm, that may BE bent, by that Chebbie Chop FOOL I hired for the job! As per the Edelbrock instructions, HE BENT THE KD LINKAGE to get the damned cable aligned!

Well, I reckon we're not done spending $ on hardware. I'll look at Lokar and some other offerings here..... I'll let this little job remain as an object Lesson for the Babushka, that hiring outside help causes more trouble than it's worth. He seems to have sealed the heads down alright, which was what she wanted, but that's the only thing he did right, if he did. Time will tell.....
 
On my '67 Newport 383, that piece of the KD rod that attaches to the bellcrank DOES have a bend in it toward the rear. As did the one I got from a salvage yard car and the one on our '66 Newport 383 2bbl. Everything should be parallel to the valve cover, too.
 
Yes, the rod does have a bend toward the ground.

I'm referring to what looks like a bend toward the fender, in the pivoting bracket.
The more I look at the picture, it really looks bent with relationship to the pin (lt green circle).

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Yes, I see what you're referring to. I'll look at it tomorrow. I don't think it's changed much since I got it. I should have another such around also. I see a throttle cable bracket at Mancini, but need to do something about the KD.
 
.... Everything should be parallel to the valve cover, too.
YES! That makes a good criterion. If not planar parallel to the valve cover (head too) then you know things have been diddle up. I KNOW the rod is alright, and has served me thus these 6.5+ yrs. I reckon Edelbrock made the extension for a 4 barrel stock rod. I'm more inclined now to get a cable kit to solve this problem. I hate getting further from the Old Mopar stuff, but this car 1st and last is a family body hauler so.... I want it to WORK.
 
I noticed in your first picture your missing the mopar specific pin all your linkage hooks up too . It should be in the top hole of your adapter. The throttle cable hooks up to it , your return springs , the kick down and kick down spring . Your kick down is in the wrong pin , that hole is for the cruise control lost motion linkage. Your kick down will not work with your current linkage geometry. I have posted a few pictures of what it should look like. Start at the Carb and work your way back. I hope this helps.
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THANKS for correcting me on the hookup. So much for trusting a "Pro" for such a job! I ordered the Lokar cable and a 4 barrel bracket from Mancini just now, but will happily correct the throttle cable hookup on the carb now too. ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,so, that stud Eddy Brock sold me is for CRUISE CONTROL?! So, their instruction manual leaves plenty to be desired too. No surprise here either. I can use my Carter spring return bracket then also. When I saw what was done with the setup at first, I told the mechanic to use the Stromberg bracket, but now things clarify. Thx!
 
The stud they sold you has nothing to do with mopar linkage, it’s Chevy stuff. (Bad)That stud is mounted in the cruise control linkage hole (Bad). How the pro hooked things up for you reminds me of a old saying: A Little bit of knowledge is a dangerous thing.
 
I probably have an extra mopar stud if you can’t find one . They were used for many years on many mopar models in the 70’s probably till they went to fuel injection.
 
Another thing I just noticed , You’re kick down spring is wrong . It should not be hooked up to the Throttle return bracket . one end of the kick down spring should be hooked on to the missing pin and the other end should go back along the kick down rod and hook up some place by the throttle cable bracket or on to the kick down rod itself.
 
Here’s a picture of mine , my Kickdown linkage is a bit different but the spring hook up is similar.
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Good tip on the KD spring. I see that my KD rod has that tab, but Gerald's does not.
I can correct mine, but he'll need to do what I did in my picture.
 
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