kickdown cable

I hooked-up a kick-down cable, but it will not work. I don't know if the carb linkage is just not pulling it out far enough or not to engage. Before I try to rig it, any ideas why it's not working? I unhooked it temporarily to see it affected the problem listed below.

Also, my engine bogs down from standstill and when I step on it at pretty much any speed. I can gradually press the gas and it will pick up pretty good. Just can't step on it at all! I noticed if I dropped it manually into 2nd when it started bogging down around 40 or so, it pushed through it ok. I'm still suspecting carb problems, but I previously switched it with another rebuilt one and it does the same thing.

Another thing I might add is that I replaced one of the heads due to valves sucking through. I looked at the other head with the cover off to see if the stems on it were any lower than the others. I didn't see any sucked in like the other head. This was a rebuilt Autozone engine. It still only has less than 10,000 miles on it!!! The warranty ran out due to time, not miles. I've had nothing but trouble since I got it!

I've tried all timing settings, put in HEI distributor, had the carb adjusted by mechanic, all with same results. I even gapped the plugs more (I didn't know they had to be gapped different when going to HEI from points).

How can I tell if valves on the other head are ok without taking head off?

Thanks,

Losing my mind:CRY:

This is interesting to me since I have yet to adjust the kickdown on my sbc 350 with Edelbrock 600 cfm carb and Performer manifold. Other folks will have better answers but you can help by telling the size of the engine, the intake manifold, the cfm of the carb, the degrees advance on your HEI and the plug gap you are using. I am amazed at the expertise of folks here on the Forum, but they need some specs to work with. To diagnose a problem from across the country without looking at the setup requires more information.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Need to know what kind of transmission also!!

Randywrench, I like your motto! Yes, it helps to know what trans; especially if it is a 4-speed instead of a 3-speed (are there many powerglide 2-speeds out there anymore?) Let me say I would also like to know more about the plug gap for the HEI.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

When I have converted points to HEI I open the sparkplug gap to .045 "

Sorry about the lack of details...

I have a 350 "Autozone" rebuilt engine (1973 model).

I have a 350 transmission.

I changed out rearends to a 3:73.

I have a Quadrajet four barrel carburetor. Intake is Edelbrock.

Everything on the engine is new, except the HEI which I got used. It runs the same as the points distributor I took out.

I am trying to get y'all a couple of pictures here soon to look at.

Thanks again. I appreciate your time and help.

OK, I got you started but I am more in the learning camp than solving remote problems on the 350 which I am learning myself. As I recall the quadrajet was rated at 750 cfm (?) but you have one on there. Folks on this Forum have not been favorable regarding the Autozone engines, although I must confess I almost bought one myself, but the engine apparently runs OK up to a certain rpm AND the 3.73 rear gear ought to be able to permit rapid acceleration. Maybe the HEI is reaching it's rpm limit at about 5000 and then starting to fail, but you say you can shift into 2nd and manually down shift OK, so that leads me to the T350 trans and it's shift points. How old is the HEI? There are inexpensive kits to improve the HEI for about $20 and that might be worth trying, but here is my own limited suggestion: have a trans shop check out the shift points on the T350 and let them set the down shift where they think it needs to be. That's passing the buck until someone else here has a better suggestion. And to think I will have to sort this out soon myself!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

I think you can copy this address and paste it into your address window to see my pictures. I tried it and it worked for me??

Maybe you can see something I am missing!

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/soldou...i.1KEBPKIj48ML

O-kay, you can just click on the address now and it will work.

first off . check the modulator valve vacuume hose. make sure the detent cable is attached to the trans internally and free of binding. next spray a can of carb cleaner around the intake, base of carb and around the entire carb to see if there are any vac leeks.

and the used HEI is it vac advance type?
if so make sure that you disconect and plug off the vac source before adjusting the timeing.

how is the fuel pump? and fuel hoses?
once you have crossed out any problems with the engine, and still have the problem you may need to have the trans checked.

I have had a bad torque converter that had same problems that you have but I new there was nothing wrong with the engine because everything was new and had been tested and broke in at a friends Dyno. the only thing that I didnt replace was the trans and torque converter.


look over everthing again even if you had just replaced a part or adjusted something. check and varify everthing is where it should be and in working order. dot the I's and cross every T. you will find the problem. good luck I hope you get it going .

I just looked at the picture of the carb . and if im not mistaken you have the distributor vacuume hooked up a full vacuume port on the carb, I believe the timed vacuume port is just above the fuel inlet on the carb. that could be some of you'r problem.

I have heard about spraying carb cleaner before. My friend said he caught his engine on fire.....do you spray it when the engine is cold or when it warms up. Will the engine idle up or something to tell me there is a leak? Can you look at my pictures and see if something may be hooked up wrong? My transmission was rebuilt about 6 years ago. I don't know about the torque converter...whether it was replaced or not.


Thanks again.

How did you attach that image? I have tried and it said the image was too large....

fordfairlane, you really have a sharp eye and I have a lot to learn on the sbc350. I will book mark this thread so I can avoid that problem. No wonder they send mechanics to school on just carbs and ignition. Thanks, that helps me too! Still what about the fact that he can shift down to 2nd manually OK, that sounds like another vacuum problem to the trans? No wonder the shops just keep changing parts until it works. I have messed with British Solex side draft carbs and cut my teeth on the old flathead but man the number of fittings on these newer carbs is bewildering. Don't mention TPI to me!

soldout, my camera does the same thing with too many pixels so I store the camera picture in the PC and use the PAINT program to compress it by 50% in both length and width and then it is acceptable for this Forum and loads in about 15 seconds.

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

soldout162000
if you dont have your kickdown linkage hooded up you need to fix that first. with the cable hooked up, with the accl. at WOT, then you shouldn't be able to pull the cable out any more with your hand. it should be bottoned out. the only pic. i have is showing a 700r4 adj. but the 350 is about the same. see if you can make any sense out of this.

http://purplesagetradingpost.com/sum...o/700R4p1.html

spray the carb cleaner when the engine is cold . "the first start up of the day". this is when you most likely will find any vacuume leeks, and less risk of fire. you can use just about any type of spray. even a watter bottle.

by spraying a liquid around the carb and intake if there is a vacuume leek . the liquid will be sucked into the leek and temporary blocking the leek. you will notice a slite to moderate rise in engine rpm and the engine may run smooth for a sec. do this several times and wait between attemps to really make sure you have located the leek.

I used my standard paint program to draw on the pic and uploaded it in a jpeg format. no problem

lt1s10, thanks for the 700R4 page, I really needed that!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

Quote:

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Originally posted by Don Shillady
lt1s10, thanks for the 700R4 page, I really needed that!

Don Shillady
Retired Scientist/teen rodder

---

hang on to that one, you may need it. :LOL:

OK...I sprayed some carb cleaner around the intake and carb (only a minor fire....just kidd'n).

I didn't notice any changes.

I switched the advance hose to where you suggested, but noticed no difference when I road tested. I also checked the timing with the advance hose plugged and put it at about 10. I road tested again while changing the timing to nearly every conceivable degrees with no change to the bogging down of the engine on flooring the gas pedal at low and high speeds.

Again, at about 40 mph, I floored it and it bogged down severely, but when I downshifted, it took off like a rocket. It just will not pick up speed without downshifting, unless I gradually press the pedal.

Also, from a standstill, I can't even take off when flooring it (no tire spin whatsoever). If I hold the brake and try to spin tires, the engine just bogs down and won't even try to spin them.

How can I test to see if valves are sticking or working properly?

Thanks again.

sound like the trans. is not shifting down when you stop. start off in drive, 5-6 mph then pull it down into low gear, you shouldn't feel a down shift, because it should already be in low gear.

Shifting good.

I know when I'm building up speed, when it reaches third gear it seems like the power drops off, like it doesn't really want to go any faster.

When I am under the hood and revving the engine at the carb, it just seems like everything's perfect and sounds really smooth.

When I'm driving, though, it seems like a totally different engine.

The thing that stumps me is that I've changed out points distributors twice with new ones, then put the HEI in, replaced the carb twice with rebuilt ones from O'reilly's and nothing has changed!

That's why I'm wondering if there may be something internally wrong??

See pictures above.

after you recent post's and knowing you dont have any vac leeks and the dtent cable is hooked up and adjusted . than there is one more thing.

are you running a fan clutch?

if so a bad or wrong fan clutch can cause the very same problems you have stated.

if not then the trans will need some attention by a good repar shop.

for you'r sake I hope you have a bad fan clutch, much cheeper to fix.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by soldout162000
[B]Shifting good.

I know when I'm building up speed, when it reaches third gear it seems like the power drops off, like it doesn't really want to go any faster.

When I am under the hood and revving the engine at the carb, it just seems like everything's perfect and sounds really smooth.

When I'm driving, though, it seems like a totally different engine.

The thing that stumps me is that I've changed out points distributors twice with new ones, then put the HEI in, replaced the carb twice with rebuilt ones from O'reilly's and nothing has changed!

That's why I'm wondering if there may be something internally wrong??

I dont think it's internal engine problems. if it were you would see excess smoke in the exhaust, or a rattle from lifters or valves and possibly have a mis.

if none of these are going on then it must be externally.

Quote:

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Originally posted by fordsfairlane
after you recent post's and knowing you dont have any vac leeks and the dtent cable is hooked up and adjusted . than there is one more thing.

are you running a fan clutch?

if so a bad or wrong fan clutch can cause the very same problems you have stated.

if not then the trans will need some attention by a good repar shop.

for you'r sake I hope you have a bad fan clutch, much cheeper to fix.

---

he said..." my engine bogs down from standstill and when I step on it at pretty much any speed. I can gradually press the gas and it will pick up pretty good."

fordsfairlane, whats the fan clutch got to do with it?

Your engine bogs when the secondaries come in under load, the secondaries are too lean. On a Q-jet, the secondary air valve is adjustable. There's a coiled spring on the end of the air valve shaft with a locking screw setup. Tighten the spring in stages, your problem will probably go away.

Quote:

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Originally posted by R Pope
Your engine bogs when the secondaries come in under load, the secondaries are too lean. On a Q-jet, the secondary air valve is adjustable. There's a coiled spring on the end of the air valve shaft with a locking screw setup. Tighten the spring in stages,
your problem will probably go away.

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Pope is right, I thought I read it was a Elderbrock. if it is a Q-JET then you need to be sure the secondarys are adj. properly. check this thread out.

http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/sho...784#post112784

Quote:

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Originally posted by lt1s10
he said..." my engine bogs down from standstill and when I step on it at pretty much any speed. I can gradually press the gas and it will pick up pretty good."

fordsfairlane, whats the fan clutch got to do with it?

---

Im sorry, I thought I was posting to anouther thread.

I didnt pay any attention to where I was posting .

from the looks of that carb in the pictures . it could use a good rebuilding. that could make all the difference in the world .

I run a 4 barrel quadrajet, and I like the carburetor. I have ran them on 4 previous rods. If the engine builds power alright under gradual acceleration, but bogs when you put your foot in it, there is possibly a gasoline starvation problem. Hold the chokeplate open, with the engine off, and open the throttle wide open, quickly---you should see a spray of gasoline into the carburetor. If you don't, chances are good that the accelerator pump is not functioning properly, and should be rebuilt.
Another cause of "leaning out" with a quadrajet, is the float set at the incorrect height, and if you are running dual exhaust, you should really go 1 or 2 sizes larger on the main jets. (this is best done by a carb shop, if you are a novice.)
If you are running a turbo 350 transmission then the kickdown operation is totally different than a 700R.---all the kickdown does on a turbo 350 is to drop the tranny back into second gear when the accelerator pedal is pushed all the way to the floor.
It only takes about 2 minutes to adjust this kickdown cable, but it is damn near impossible for me to describe the technique over the internet. Go to a tranny shop, get an older guy that knows the difference between a turbo 350 and a 700R, and he will probably adjust it free. I danced this dance last summer with the kickdown on my roadster pickup with a turbo 350 in it---I had 3 kids at a transmission shop all screw around with it, trying to adjust it like you would a 700R, and none of them were successfull. Then an older guy come into the shop, told the kids they were all nuts, and adjusted it in about a minute.--no charge.

http://www.clubhotrod.com/forums/sho...5&goto=newpost

I was looking for that denny, but missed it. soldout162000, Open the above thread and go down to the 11th post and adj. your sec. air valve the way it says and it will fix you problem. with the Sec Air Valve hanging open all the time then you are running on the 4 br. all the time.

Guys, I really appreciate all of you spending a lot of time trying to help me with this. I will probably take the truck to a shop and see if they can get the carb adjusted correctly. I have a bad habit of messing things up worse than they were before I touched them.

The only other thing I wanted to mention was that I am hearing a "fluttering" sound out of the tail pipes when I get on it and try to push it.

I would also like to read-up on what valves do and what the symptoms are of them not being adjusted properly. I really want to make sure I don't have problems there also.

Thanks again,

Soldout

get the carb. fixed first. **)

In the last picture I don't see any choke control. Needs to be tied open or hook up a manual cable or put the choke spring on.

theres sure a problem, that is why it is so important to take many pictures, I never looked at them all. but you sure have an eye for it.DennyW