a904 and carb help!

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69cooduh

69cooduh

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Hello! I am looking for some advice on my 340ci Barracuda. A little backstory, this was my first car back in 2003, I drove it for several years and then parked it for 7 years without running it or anything. Just recently a buddy and attempted to revive it, draining the gas, pulling the plugs and dropping some oil in and hand cranking a few times. New oil and coolant etc. and she eventually fired up. It was working fine until the trans (a904) decided it did not want to come out of 1st gear. I have a column shifter and it would manually shift from park to reverse to neutral but any of the actual forward gears would not work. The car would drive but would never come out of first. Also the carb was not touched so that is going to need a rebuild or be replaced.
Is it worth taking it in somewhere to rebuild the trans? We purchased it from a junk yard years ago for $100. Or do I try to find a used one somewhere and just bolt that up.
Also, as for fuel delivery, I am thinking of just purchasing a new carb, any recommendations? The kickdown I have on there currently was fabbed up by my dad using household items so a carb/kickdown set up recommendation would be great! Or, going EFI? Any recommendations?

20201026_203830.jpg
 
What is your mechanical ability? Carb and tranny are fixable. Why do you think you need a carb? Kickdown linkage should be fixable with original parts from folks here.
 
Murray said:
What is your mechanical ability? Carb and tranny are fixable. Why do you think you need a carb? Kickdown linkage should be fixable with original parts from folks here.
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I would take the trans to a shop to get rebuilt but the other stuff I can do myself. As far as the carb, I just figured it might be easier to just buy a new one with the proper kickdown as opposed to trying to rebuild my current one. I purchased a rebuild kit a little while back but I am not sure it will work for the carb I have on there currently. I purchased the carb from Summit probably 10 years ago and they do not make it anymore. Carter AVS 4bbl 670cfm.

Or, do I go EFI?
 
Did you check the ATF level with engine idling in neutral? It could be several quarts low. Was the trans working when it was last driven?

If a torqueflight is driven a few hundred miles with not enough kickdown it can and will burn up the clutches.

If it needs rebuilt get a shop that does many old car trans jobs. So get with some drag racers or a car club to see who is good in your area.

EFI? We got this far without it. Do what you want.

I like carburetors.
 
413 said:
Did you check the ATF level with engine idling in neutral? It could be several quarts low. Was the trans working when it was last driven?

If a torqueflight is driven a few hundred miles with not enough kickdown it can and will burn up the clutches.

If it needs rebuilt get a shop that does many old car trans jobs. So get with some drag racers or a car club to see who is good in your area.

EFI? We got this far without it. Do what you want.

I like carburetors.
Click to expand...

We did check the ATF but the readings were off, maybe something I can revisit once the carb is fixed before pulling the tranny. Not enough kickdown may very well be the problem as well.

I like carbs as well, do you have any recommendations for ones in today's market for a 340 with preferably a kickdown set up as well?
 
I like to get the stock original carb for the engine, then the choke and kickdown works correctly. But for the choke you need the stock intake.

What intake manifold do you have? Is the engine stock or built up stronger. A stock carb won’t work to well for a built engine.
 
413 said:
I like to get the stock original carb for the engine, then the choke and kickdown works correctly. But for the choke you need the stock intake.

What intake manifold do you have? Is the engine stock or built up stronger. A stock carb won’t work to well for a built engine.
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The intake is stock from a '71 340 and the motor is basically stock. There is a mild cam but nothing crazy.

Do you know of anyone that makes a carb and kickdown setup specifically for the 340 and a904?
 
Easiest thing you can do is go stock.

Someone on here can get you all the correct parts, and it will all bolt on.

As for the trans, you may save some money if you pull it yourself and drop it off. But a trans shop should be able to diagnose it before any work is done

Also you can pull the pan and do a filter / fluid change. With the pan off you can look for spare parts in the pan that should be in the trans:rolleyes:
 
69cooduh said:
The intake is stock from a '71 340 and the motor is basically stock. There is a mild cam but nothing crazy.

Do you know of anyone that makes a carb and kickdown setup specifically for the 340 and a904?
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I’d say get a st ok thermoquad from a big block and it should work good. They were on the lean sode anyway.

No car ever came with a 340 and a 904. Should be able to get another small block 4 bbl set up to work without much problem.
 
Dana67Dart said:
Easiest thing you can do is go stock.

Someone on here can get you all the correct parts, and it will all bolt on.

As for the trans, you may save some money if you pull it yourself and drop it off. But a trans shop should be able to diagnose it before any work is done

Also you can pull the pan and do a filter / fluid change. With the pan off you can look for spare parts in the pan that should be in the trans:rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Yeah I am going to pull the trans myself and take it in. I pulled the pan and there were some small metal shavings at the bottom but nothing huge but we did replace the filter.
 
Don't rush to pull that trans yet it may not need it. Try the above suggestions first.
If it is really hashed and you're able to pull it, then I guarantee you can rebuild it too. Its super easy with these.
 
Let's see some pictures of your throttle bracket, kickdown linkage from the side and from the front. Then we'll tell you how bad it's messed up. Put a Thermoquad on that manifold and make it work. Better than any damn Edelbrock!
 
Yes, pictures. You say the linkage is home fabbed so we don't know what it looks like.
You keep saying you want a carb with the kickdown linkage like it is supposed to be sold that way. The linkage is a factory part setup from The car manufacturer.
This has nothing to do with the carb manufacturer.
There are many, many different factory stock linkage parts out there. There are none for a 340 with a 904 trans. The 340 always came with a 727 trans.
The easiest way at this point is to go with an aftermarket, adjustable setup. LOKAR is one of the most well known.
Lokar : Throttle Cables & Kickdowns
727-904kd.png

Here is how to correctly check the fluid level 904 and 727 follow the same procedure:
727 Fluid Level.
 
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Too easy !
it could simply be that the KD band needs adjustment.
If reverse works then the L/R band is fine, and the Hi-drum is fine.
If the car moves forward, then the Forward clutch is working.
So the only thing Not working is the KD band.
In all likelyhood, the band just needs adjusting, but if not, then perhaps, the band broke or the strut fell out, or I suppose the servo exploded lol, or the 1-2 valve is stuck.
Easy fix for all except the band replacement, but if a band adjustment doesn't do it, then, the pan/ VB have got to come down for a visual.
 
oh wait
If the governor flyweight has separated, it will never command a shift.
Additionally,
If the KD lever at the trans is fixed in the rearmost position, then the trans will want to stay in low gear to a really high rpm. Depending on the governor, it could be 5000rpm or more.
This is often done if the KD mech cannot be made to work. The usual obvious symptom of this is that the trans shifts very harshly from N/P into First.
In a Mopar trans, the Primary function of that KD mechanism is to control the Throttle-Pressure, and the KD feature is actually a secondary function. Therefore, if the lever is Not working by the throttle linkage, then it must be tied back to some degree, so that the trans will not fail if the engine is given too much throttle. But you can drive it "normally" for thousands of miles, by just staying on the bottom 50/60 percent of the primaries, with the secondaries defeated.
 
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Do some diagnostics on the transmission first. I’m guessing it “worked when parked” so let’s start with a fluid and filter change. Some material in the pan is normal over the life of the transmission.

Get a service manual and a pressure gauge kit, you can do everything you need just like a shop can and you learn while you go.

So, fluid and filter change, adjust the bands, filled and checked warm in neutral and make sure the throttle linkage is adjusted correctly and then see what get.

Cliff Ramsdell
 
69, to answer one of your questions, A and A (Rick Allison) sells the complete throttle pressure linkage for a 340 four barrel (and 727) but it is not cheap. I need to look but I think he has the one for the Thermoquad that your manifold would be for.
 
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