Thread: kickdown cable

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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

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