1st to 2nd @ 20mph, 2nd to 3rd @ 54mph Lokar help needed!

[DartGTDan]

My mechanic/buddy swapped the LD4B intake, 1406 carburetor, and Lokar throttle and "kickdown" cables onto the 318 in my Dart GT.

On the ride home I noticed it shifts rather late (at the speeds stated above). I think I need to get the shift points down to ~15mph and ~30mph. Most of the roads I drive are 35-50mph speed limits, so the 2nd to 3rd shift point really needs some attention.

I believe I need to "lengthen" (have a little slack in) the cable to lower the upshift points. Am I correct in my thinking?

Anyone else have this experience?

 

[MopaR&D]

Yes you are right, loosen the cable a bit at a time until you get the shifts where you want them

 

[500 DUSTER]

Yep you need to put a little more slack in the cable.

 

[DartGTDan]

Thanks guys. I'll play after work tomorrow. Got to get it dialed in for the Woodward Dream Cruise on the 20th.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Putting slack in the cable will reduce your throttle pressure under full throttle.It may be that you have enough to not let the bands and clutches slip. But it may be that you don't. If things slip too much or too long then you get to buy a new tranny. So the point is take it easy til you figure out if you have enough pressure.
A better solution is to adjust the governor pressure, which is really in charge when the tranny is in Drive.
But I can also tell you that something is wrong in that tranny. The shift disparity is too large.
With 3.23s, 20mph is a tic under 2000rpm, and 54mph is a tic under 3150.
With the same throttle opening,the rpms should be close to the same. So either the 1-2 is early, or the 2-3 is late. That is not normal.

 

[H22A4]

How is the upgrade now that you're running that intake and carb in the 318? Is it noticeably different (sound and/or butt dyno) compared to the 2 barrel setup?

 

[downsr]

Have someone hold the gas pedal to the floor and verify the carb is all the way open.Pull lokar cable till it bottoms lever out at trans.Should be correct tighten it down.I f you put slack in the cable it might not pull trans lever all the way back which will reduce pressure and burn your bands up.It does not take much to ruin your trans

 

[TrailBeast]

With the same throttle opening,the rpms should be close to the same. So either the 1-2 is early, or the 2-3 is late. That is not normal.

No, but all to common.
Personally, I would just back it off 1/8 inch at a time till it got tolerable.
Fine tuning trans shift points is a time consuming pain in the butt. LOL

 

[AJ/FormS]

No, but all to common.
Personally, I would just back it off 1/8 inch at a time till it got tolerable.
Fine tuning trans shift points is a time consuming pain in the butt. LOL

Are you kidding?! you just put a different spring in there and see what happens. If it ain't right, you do it again, and again and agaaain.........................................and agggggaaaain.lol

 

[TrailBeast]

Are you kidding?! you just put a different spring in there and see what happens. If it ain't right, you do it again, and again and agaaain.........................................and agggggaaaain.lol

Now who would go through all that to get it just so?
Oh yea, me. LOL

 

[AJ/FormS]

And me. Third time was a charm

 

[Trevor B]

I just went through this very same problem with the same equipment, although my rebuilt transmission had a shift kit put in. I found that when I got the shift points down to what I would consider normal, especially 2-3 (which was happening at around 40 before and then down to 32-35 after adjustment), I couldn't get it to kickdown 3-2 when I punched it. Little tiny adjustments, back and forth, very time-consuming. Preferring having the kickdown function to having low shift points, I left it tight.

Will be watching this thread to see what your results are!

 

[AJ/FormS]

Trevor
Yours needs a governor adjustment. It is commanding too late,for your driving style. Did you swap gears? A gear change usually needs a governor swap. A&A transmissions has parts.

 

[bobscuda67]

Mine shifts at 17 mph on the 1-2, and 27 on the 2-3 shift. It has a Trans go TF 2 kit in it with a 5400 rpm governor.

 

[DartGTDan]

As stated above, I made tiny adjustments until I got to my happy point. 1st to 2nd @ ~16-17mph, and 2nd to 3rd @ ~33-34 mph. 2- days of "tinkering" but I think it's good now.

The "seat of the pants" dyno tells me with the upgrades (LD4B, 1406, timing chain/gears, water pump, fuel filter, etc...) it's got more get up and go then it used to.