Change a 904 to manual valve body

[33IMP]

Sorry everyone, I didn't think my statement would piss so many people off. It's just my opinion.

.... and you're welcome to it.
It just seems like the ones that have manual bodies seem to like them, not too lazy to hookup a kickdown.
And I'm not pissed, just giving my point of view from experience.

 

[Bewy]

I don't know how the conclusion is reached that someone is 'lazy' because they have a MVB. Just the opposite in fact. With fully auto, put in Drive & forget about it. With a MVB, there will be times where it needs to be shifted.
I have had MVBs in all my street cars & there are many good reasons for doing so:
[1] petrol is very expensive here, so keeping rpms low saves money. I can drive nearly everywhere in D, & take off in D from a stop. The tq c'ter does the work. If I am on an incline, I might use 2nd.
[2] because trans is not shifting gears all the time, trans lasts longer. Saves money in a country where parts are expensive.
[3] In auto form, the trans will shift early or late at times. It is never going to get it 'right' every time. With MVB, you the driver get it right every time.

 

[Brooks James]

People put manual valve bodies in their transmissions because they are either to lazy to source the parts, or are inept in being able to fabricate what they need. I hate manual valve bodies and I have never used a cable setup. I have helped probably 20-25 people to get their kickdown in working order. Sorry to piss the few off.

I don't think a manual valve body that allows you have 100 percent control 100 percent of the time is lazy. The entire kickdown apparatus is Rube Goldberg at best, and looks like hell

 

[lemondana]

I kind of wonder why Chrysler didn't install manual valve bodies in every automatic car they ever built then?

I don't think a manual valve body that allows you have 100 percent control 100 percent of the time is lazy. The entire kickdown apparatus is Rube Goldberg at best, and looks like hell

 

[Rat Bastid]

I kind of wonder why Chrysler didn't install manual valve bodies in every automatic car they ever built then?

Simple. The automatic transmission was developed and marketed for women. And women just want to pull the lever once and drive until it runs out of fuel or breaks.

The OEM’s knew by the early 1960’s that women were making car buying decisions in spite of what the husband said. Another direct correlation to the downfall of the country.

Neither my mom or my wife gets to buy a car. My dad or my brother and I pick the car for my mom and I buy a car for the wife and bring it home and and her the keys.

 

[j par]

Transgo 3 shift kit has served me well for an inexpensive shift kit and shifting option. And I say inexpensive relative to a whole new reverse valve body. If you put the trans go three shift kit in you can just tie back your pressure valve regulator all the way open. I like a quicksilver shifter for my automatic that way I can just ratchet shift. Personally I'm not a big fan of the reverse pattern but that's just a personal preference....

 

[j par]

Transgo 3 shift kit has served me well for an inexpensive shift kit and shifting option. And I say inexpensive relative to a whole new reverse valve body. If you put the trans go three shift kit in you can just tie back your pressure valve regulator all the way open. I like a quicksilver shifter for my automatic that way I can just ratchet shift. Personally I'm not a big fan of the reverse pattern but that's just a personal preference....

Of course I did that on my duster when I put a 318 and then automatic in it for my wife to race but she never did. It was fun shifting the automatic and you had to shift and start in first and shift all the way up and all the way down.

 

[RogerRamRod]

I kind of wonder why Chrysler didn't install manual valve bodies in every automatic car they ever built then?

For the same reason dumbed down, watery 3% beers made with rice and very little hops became known as “the champagne of beers”, the king of beers” and “Everything you always wanted in a beer. And less.

 

[360notch]

Do yourself a favor and **** can the lokar setup. They do not work correctly. This is the single biggest complaint I get with automatic shift 904s and they all had lokar kickdown on them. I will no longer sell an automatic shift transmission if the car has a lokar kickdown on it.

Either install the factory kickdown setup or get the Bouchillon setup.

I agree 100% with Duster 346. Stay away from the Lokar KD linkage. Haven't tried to hook up a Lokar KD setup lately, but I have in the past and remember that the Lokar kit can't be adjusted correctly. I think it was something about the kit geometry that will not allow setting proper trans pressure, and getting the throttle to fully open. In the past, one of the forabodiesonly members designed a special carburetor linkage cam that allowed correct adjustment with the Lokar kit, but I don't think it was very adjustable. A&A Transmissions, recommends and sells the Bouchillon setup, along with their stock kickdown products.

 

[Bakerlite]

Sorry everyone, I didn't think my statement would piss so many people off. It's just my opinion.

Don't be sorry, your sort of close to the mark.
It's because everyone's a boy racer
They all get that "dog humpin your leg" look as they shift the trans.. LOL
If people want to row through the gears of an "automatic" trans in a street car, every day, like it's a manual trans then good luck to them.
Personally, it all seems a bit pointless, unless your street or track racing.
Fact is, it's easier to put in a Manual VB, than it is to fine tune an auto shift trans with manual over ride, because it's Voodoo..LOL
A lot of the box,s I rebuild, weren't even set up to take full advantage of the manual VB that was installed in the first place.

 

[Bakerlite]

I kind of wonder why Chrysler didn't install manual valve bodies in every automatic car they ever built then?

Because they figured that anyone who would want that feature would buy a manual trans.
But some people just can't press in a pedal, or visualize how the gear patterns are arranged

 

[Bakerlite]

Neither my mom or my wife gets to buy a car. My dad or my brother and I pick the car for my mom and I buy a car for the wife and bring it home and and her the keys.

Well, at least you let them drive, when they're not chained to the sink..

 

[John S]

Have a rather butchered 71 Dart. Long story. Original motor was a slanty, swapped for a 360 before I purchased. Kick down linkage was MIA on purchase and I wasn't aware of it (I know, I should have checked), so some miles were put on it, probably less than 100 but enough that I knew it wasn't right. Hoping the trans is not trash at this point. Tried using a Lokar cable, but could not get the adjustment anywhere close, always too much slack on both ends. Without going to steel linkage that I would have to find for this car, would a manual valve body be an option for a daily or should I just try and find a full linkage set and fight it to get it set up right?

I've had 4 speeds and 727 with auto VB and manual VB. I would not consider an auto VB in a performance car... you have very little control. 4 speeds are fun but a lot of work. Stop and go traffic w a HP clutch is not fun. I love my manual VB... Shifts when I want, hard & fast, can leave it in 3rd for easy take offs. Pair it w a great shifter like Turbo Action and it will shift easy and positive.

 

[Swinger 340]

I don't know how the conclusion is reached that someone is 'lazy' because they have a MVB. Just the opposite in fact. With fully auto, put in Drive & forget about it. With a MVB, there will be times where it needs to be shifted.
I have had MVBs in all my street cars & there are many good reasons for doing so:
[1] petrol is very expensive here, so keeping rpms low saves money. I can drive nearly everywhere in D, & take off in D from a stop. The tq c'ter does the work. If I am on an incline, I might use 2nd.
[2] because trans is not shifting gears all the time, trans lasts longer. Saves money in a country where parts are expensive.
[3] In auto form, the trans will shift early or late at times. It is never going to get it 'right' every time. With MVB, you the driver get it right every time.

If I'm in a racing mood I manually shift 1st, 2nd and Drive myself to increase my RPM's at the shift points. Then in my relaxing mode I let the transmission do its job for me. It is true though that you need to set the linkage up correctly.

 

[CudaFactHackJob]

When one of my customers starts talking about manual valve bodies, I just go into bored mode. In EVERY case they are considering it because they are too lazy to figure out the kickdown linkage. EVERY CASE. They all install their own transmissions, and that's great, but I tell them to google it or youtube it for answers. The conversation usually starts out with them saying they're going to leave the kd linkage off and just manually shift it. Then I answer that I don't want their business...then the manual vb rant...then I tell them I have to get back to work...

 

[Dave Haertel]

Ok, so I'm not sure where this whole discussion went to considering what I was inquiring about. I've been told that people that want to use a MVB are lazy to women being not being able to choose their own cars (still shaking my head at that ).

Let me remind you what my post said:

"Without going to steel linkage that I would have to find for this car, would a manual valve body be an option for a daily or should I just try and find a full linkage set and fight it to get it set up right"

I'm not being lazy, as I've fought with the cable for many hours, your assumption of that is just hot garbage. I'm also not opposed to using the linkage (see the second option of my question "should I just try and find a full linkage set and fight it to get it set up right".

My question really centered around drivability with a MVB. I don't really give a rat's *** if you or anyone else for that matter hates MVB, I really don't or honestly if they think I'm lazy. I was asking a question that if I made the decision to go this way, will it be drivable or will it be a miserable experience, that's really all I was after. Many have given me enough good feedback about the use of MVBs in daily drivers and that's what I needed. Thank you for that info, it's sincerely appreciated. I'll make my decision based on what I feel like is right for my car.

Everyone else that wants to piss on MVBs, please continue, I just wanted to update that I've got the answer to my question.

 

[CudaFactHackJob]

The best manual valve bodies use a kickdown to graduate the shift so it isn't always a racing shift; like when you're just going to Wal-Mart for more rat traps. But, I think you really are lazy; or you just don't like to use the brain God gave you; if you spent several hours "fighting" with the kd...and still can't/won't figure it out.

 

[Bakerlite]

Ok, so I'm not sure where this whole discussion went to considering what I was inquiring about. I've been told that people that want to use a MVB are lazy to women being not being able to choose their own cars (still shaking my head at that ).

Let me remind you what my post said:

"Without going to steel linkage that I would have to find for this car, would a manual valve body be an option for a daily or should I just try and find a full linkage set and fight it to get it set up right"

I'm not being lazy, as I've fought with the cable for many hours, your assumption of that is just hot garbage. I'm also not opposed to using the linkage (see the second option of my question "should I just try and find a full linkage set and fight it to get it set up right".

My question really centered around drivability with a MVB. I don't really give a rat's *** if you or anyone else for that matter hates MVB, I really don't or honestly if they think I'm lazy. I was asking a question that if I made the decision to go this way, will it be drivable or will it be a miserable experience, that's really all I was after. Many have given me enough good feedback about the use of MVBs in daily drivers and that's what I needed. Thank you for that info, it's sincerely appreciated. I'll make my decision based on what I feel like is right for my car.

Everyone else that wants to piss on MVBs, please continue, I just wanted to update that I've got the answer to my question.

It's pretty simple.
If you want the auto shift feature, because your just going to be driving this Dart around, then use that style of VB.
If you want to shift every gear all the time on every drive you go on, then use a Manual VB.
Also a MVB won't fix an auto that has internal issues..
You can always change out the VB if your not happy with it.

 

[Dave Haertel]

The best manual valve bodies use a kickdown to graduate the shift so it isn't always a racing shift; like when you're just going to Wal-Mart for more rat traps. But, I think you really are lazy; or you just don't like to use the brain God gave you; if you spent several hours "fighting" with the kd...and still can't/won't figure it out.

The problem isn't any lack of brainpower or me being lazy, (as I mentioned earlier, if I was lazy I'd take it somewhere and tell them to fuckin' do it) it's that the cable, while possibly a good idea, isn't rigid, like the linkage and so trying to get the TPV and the throttle operating in sync is much more difficult, as it's an adjustment on one or both ends. Again, my question was answered about the drivability, so if all you have to offer the discussion is that you think I'm lazy, I guess think whatever the hell you want.

 

[Bakerlite]

Keep in mind, depending on your torque converter, the MVB shifts can be quite hard. Especially the 1-2 shift if your in traffic, because of the band applications.

 

[CudaFactHackJob]

Awww, it's so difficult...really; even a cave man could do it...The carb arm radius probably isn't matched to the trans arm radius. If that's the case, then it can't be adjusted until one of them is changed. Betcha dint tink o'dat.

 

[Dave Haertel]

Awww, it's so difficult...really; even a cave man could do it...The carb arm radius probably isn't matched to the trans arm radius. If that's the case, then it can't be adjusted until one of them is changed. Betcha dint tink o'dat.

Absolutely right, cavemen were constantly drawing pictures about radii of their square wheel buggies.

 

[Bewy]

Dave,
Read post #27. I think I spelt out the benefits pretty well.....

 

[CudaFactHackJob]

You might be right about the cave men, but I found some Egyptian Hieroglyphics depicting the proper method to set the kickdown on a small block Dart w/904...ignore the birds, I figured out those were all curse

words.

 

[Dave Haertel]

You might be right about the cave men, but I found some Egyptian Hieroglyphics depicting the proper method to set the kickdown on a small block Dart w/904...ignore the birds, I figured out those were all curse View attachment 1715989704 words.

Hell that clears it all up perfectly!