TrailBeast
AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
UPDATE
Ok, done deal on the part throttle kickdown but I obviously have some more to do.
I have a small spring holding the TP rod back about 1/4 inch until it gets to about 3/4 of wide open then the spring lets the throttle open the rest of the way after the TP rod is already all the way back.
This was to move the low and mid throttle shift points up about 10mph for around town driving. (which is 90% of my driving)
I also raised the line pressure about 10 pounds from 90 at WOT to about 100.
Doing this caused my kickdown shifts to go away completely, but I just dealt with it by shifting down manually and then back up when needed. (kind of a PIA when you drive a lot) but I always knew it wouldn't get left like that.
The trans has always shifted too early on WOT conditions 1-2 at about 30 with 2,500 rpm's
and 2-3 at about 50 and 2,000 or so rpms even with the spring making the KD travel all the way back to the stop at about 3/4 throttle.
Before the PTKD went in normal driving around town conditions it made the 1-2 shift at about 25 mph and the 2-3 at about 35 mph and the downshift into low again when coming to a stop at about 5-10 mph. (barely feel or hear it)
When I put the PTKD in I dropped the pressure back to the factory 90lbs max, but left the spring on the throttle pressure just as a test to see what happened, but was fully expecting to take it off when I modded the governor.
Now that the PTKD is in there everything seems about the same except for it now it has kickdown below 60 with less than full throttle ( what I wanted) but after it kicks down it almost immediately shifts back up again even if I hold the throttle wide open, and slowing to a stop it drops down into low at about 15 mph. (that went up 5-10mph)
It also kicks down into second when slowing coming into a corner at 20-25 (perfect for what I wanted) and you don't feel that happen. (that's fine)
So this is what I am thinking now.
If I remove the spring from the TP now and lighten the governor's weighted valves it should not only give the later shifts I wanted, but move the early WOT shifts higher, as well as keep it from shifting right back into third after the kickdown.
The PTKD does it's job though, for the people waiting to hear but I really want to get this thing dialed in and I am somewhat of a perfectionist about things like this.
(Which I'm sure some of you know can be a curse sometimes.) but it is why I got the reusable steel/rubber pan gasket which is really nice by the way.
I'm about tempted to order the stage 2 kit from Transgo now that everything but the PTKD is back to stock except for the separator plate being drilled already.
The reasoning is because you get new springs as well as the redesigned manual valve, and I think old springs is part of the problem I have with the shift points being off at WOT.
The kit instructs to do what I have done to the valve body separator plate as well as the governor mods anyway.
Sound reasonable?
It'll be an all in the same day deal, and there shouldn't be any issue's. (shouldn't)
I'll be adjusting the mainline pressure, visually checking both bands and adjusting and a bit of governor modding. (lightening the valve to delay the shifts a bit more.)
While it's apart I'll add the part throttle kickdown kit from Pat Blaise (who is retiring sometime soon by the way) as well as the linkage seals and tailshaft housing bushing and seal. (The ext housing, rear band pin, and rear bearing snap ring cover always get RTV)
The part throttle kickdown keeps you from having to stick your foot to the floor to get the trans to kick down, as I want it to kick down with less throttle than that. (about 2/3 to 3/4)
I have the speedo seal and O ring already out in the shop in a big drawer of trans rings and seals from when I did this crap for a living.
Just been collecting parts slowly to get around to it.
Ok, done deal on the part throttle kickdown but I obviously have some more to do.
I have a small spring holding the TP rod back about 1/4 inch until it gets to about 3/4 of wide open then the spring lets the throttle open the rest of the way after the TP rod is already all the way back.
This was to move the low and mid throttle shift points up about 10mph for around town driving. (which is 90% of my driving)
I also raised the line pressure about 10 pounds from 90 at WOT to about 100.
Doing this caused my kickdown shifts to go away completely, but I just dealt with it by shifting down manually and then back up when needed. (kind of a PIA when you drive a lot) but I always knew it wouldn't get left like that.
The trans has always shifted too early on WOT conditions 1-2 at about 30 with 2,500 rpm's
and 2-3 at about 50 and 2,000 or so rpms even with the spring making the KD travel all the way back to the stop at about 3/4 throttle.
Before the PTKD went in normal driving around town conditions it made the 1-2 shift at about 25 mph and the 2-3 at about 35 mph and the downshift into low again when coming to a stop at about 5-10 mph. (barely feel or hear it)
When I put the PTKD in I dropped the pressure back to the factory 90lbs max, but left the spring on the throttle pressure just as a test to see what happened, but was fully expecting to take it off when I modded the governor.
Now that the PTKD is in there everything seems about the same except for it now it has kickdown below 60 with less than full throttle ( what I wanted) but after it kicks down it almost immediately shifts back up again even if I hold the throttle wide open, and slowing to a stop it drops down into low at about 15 mph. (that went up 5-10mph)
It also kicks down into second when slowing coming into a corner at 20-25 (perfect for what I wanted) and you don't feel that happen. (that's fine)
So this is what I am thinking now.
If I remove the spring from the TP now and lighten the governor's weighted valves it should not only give the later shifts I wanted, but move the early WOT shifts higher, as well as keep it from shifting right back into third after the kickdown.
The PTKD does it's job though, for the people waiting to hear but I really want to get this thing dialed in and I am somewhat of a perfectionist about things like this.
(Which I'm sure some of you know can be a curse sometimes.) but it is why I got the reusable steel/rubber pan gasket which is really nice by the way.
I'm about tempted to order the stage 2 kit from Transgo now that everything but the PTKD is back to stock except for the separator plate being drilled already.
The reasoning is because you get new springs as well as the redesigned manual valve, and I think old springs is part of the problem I have with the shift points being off at WOT.
The kit instructs to do what I have done to the valve body separator plate as well as the governor mods anyway.
Sound reasonable?
It'll be an all in the same day deal, and there shouldn't be any issue's. (shouldn't
)I'll be adjusting the mainline pressure, visually checking both bands and adjusting and a bit of governor modding. (lightening the valve to delay the shifts a bit more.)
While it's apart I'll add the part throttle kickdown kit from Pat Blaise (who is retiring sometime soon by the way) as well as the linkage seals and tailshaft housing bushing and seal. (The ext housing, rear band pin, and rear bearing snap ring cover always get RTV)
The part throttle kickdown keeps you from having to stick your foot to the floor to get the trans to kick down, as I want it to kick down with less throttle than that. (about 2/3 to 3/4)
I have the speedo seal and O ring already out in the shop in a big drawer of trans rings and seals from when I did this crap for a living.
Just been collecting parts slowly to get around to it.
