Throttle cable and kickdown cable pulling hard

-

prorac1

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 29, 2012
Messages
1,510
Reaction score
1,340
Location
Martin, Mi
Hard to describe in the title.

318/727 combo in a 1963 Valiant.

Holley street dominator intake
Holley vacuum sec 4150
Lokar throttle and kickdown cables

Kickdown is properly adjusted, (at the first sign of tension at idle, and about 1/8" from full open at full throttle)

No tight bends in either cable. No extreme angles from bracket to cable attaching points.

Here's the problem.

Throttle pedal seems to push hard. Not impossible, but harder than I think is comfortable. Pretty hard.

By eliminating variables, I discovered it's from the effort required to pull kickdown lever.

The trans is fresh, without fluid, not running yet.

Anybody else with a kickdown cable set up have this issue?

Any help or advice is appreciated.

Thanks. Eric
 
You checked for wot, im sure and it has full return? This setup has different geometry than original i imagine.
Comparing it to original setup or your daily driver?
The trans kickdown has resistance
When you pull it by hand?
Usually there is very little drag.

Feel different with trans cable off?
 
You checked for wot, im sure and it has full return? This setup has different geometry than original i imagine.
Comparing it to original setup or your daily driver?
The trans kickdown has resistance
When you pull it by hand?
Usually there is very little drag.

Feel different with trans cable off?

Yep. Full throttle.

Full return as far as the cable will let it go. The way I read it, you adjust the kickdown at idle, by opening the kickdown arm on the trans until you just start to feel it resist from internal pressure.

But yes. It fully returns to that point.

This car had nothing when we started. We had no kickdown linkage, rods, or bellcranks. The cable seemed like a simpler way to go.

And it's stiff in comparison to any car old or new I've ever built or driven. It's pretty stiff.

You can feel as you push the lever on the trans it gets harder to push as you push it back. And when you let off it springs back forward.
 
Are you using the early a v8 pedal?

Jake

Yep. Full throttle.

Full return as far as the cable will let it go. The way I read it, you adjust the kickdown at idle, by opening the kickdown arm on the trans until you just start to feel it resist from internal pressure.

But yes. It fully returns to that point.

This car had nothing when we started. We had no kickdown linkage, rods, or bellcranks. The cable seemed like a simpler way to go.

And it's stiff in comparison to any car old or new I've ever built or driven. It's pretty stiff.

You can feel as you push the lever on the trans it gets harder to push as you push it back. And when you let off it springs back forward.
 
Are you using the early a v8 pedal?

Jake

Yes. Mated to the Lokar throttle cable.

It's the funny factory V8 pedal with the pedal mounted to the floor and resting against the metal rod style bellcrank mounted to the firewall.

So yeah. Long stupid way for me to say, yeah. Early A V8 gas pedal. Lol

Thanks. Eric
 
Yes. Mated to the Lokar throttle cable.

It's the funny factory V8 pedal with the pedal mounted to the floor and resting against the metal rod style bellcrank mounted to the firewall.

So yeah. Long stupid way for me to say, yeah. Early A V8 gas pedal. Lol

Thanks. Eric
I think you’re using the 225 pedal? You happen to have a picture of it? Look like this?

2475887A-AAAF-4215-9EDE-764881E6F636.png
 
I pulled it from a 1966 formula S Barracuda in a junk yard in my area.
 
I have the lokar setup on my 273/904 combo. The action is slightly stiffer than factory was but not enough to fret about. I adjusted the kickdown to fully engaged at WOT and have about 3K on the car since completion with a 700 mile road trip and no issues whatsoever. Good equipment imho.
 
I have the lokar setup on my 273/904 combo. The action is slightly stiffer than factory was but not enough to fret about. I adjusted the kickdown to fully engaged at WOT and have about 3K on the car since completion with a 700 mile road trip and no issues whatsoever. Good equipment imho.

Are you running a return spring on the kick down lever at the transmission?

I'm also wondering if some fluid and running the engine won't make a difference in the kickdown lever/ internal piston stiffness.
 
No return spring on the transmission. I thought the same thing about a dry transmission. I filled mine up, started the car and adjusted the setup per the lokar instructions. No worries mate:)
 
Are you running a return spring on the kick down lever at the transmission?

I'm also wondering if some fluid and running the engine won't make a difference in the kickdown lever/ internal piston stiffness.
I tried that spring to the transmission and it was hard as hell to push. Now I’ve got 2 decent springs from the carb and it’s way better.

Jake
 
No return spring on the transmission. I thought the same thing about a dry transmission. I filled mine up, started the car and adjusted the setup per the lokar instructions. No worries mate:)

Was yours stiffer before adding fluid and running the engine?

Thanks for the assurance
 
-
Back
Top