'64 Dart with 273-2bbl/auto is presenting me with an interesting shift problem. When I got the car, the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts were way too late. Couldn't get the car to go into 3rd below about 40 mph no matter what I did (lift off the throttle, etc). The rod-type kickdown adjustment works backwards compared to the slant-6 kickdown: you unsnap the ball joint from the pivot mounted on the firewall and unscrew it, lengthening the upper rod, to reduce kickdown pressure — it's because this upper rod is a pullrod, not a pushrod as in the six-cylinder setup. Once I figured that out, I was able to get the 1-2 and 2-3 shifts almost perfectly timed, but now I have no full-throttle kickdown at all.

This makes me think the kickdown lever on the trans itself is incorrect (probably too long), because I can only have one part of its motion range: either I can have the rear half of its range (so I have kickdown but upshifts are too late) or I can have the front half of its range (so upshifts are correct but no kickdown).

Can anyone think of another potential cause?

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I was going to say it sounds like the throttle pressure lever on the trans is too long. Then I read that you already suspected the lever is wrong so I guess this is a second vote.

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Joshua

From personal experience dealing with backyard rigged vehicles, I also vote that the arm is too long. Had a few vehicles do the same thing, only difference was the linkage on the carb was incorrectly proportioned.

~THOR~

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1984 D100 Shorty Custom
Certified Auto Appraiser - RevItUp Classic Appraisals
President - Cherry City Bombers CC
Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

There is at least 3 different 904 KD levers that I know of,two different lenths and two different clockings of the "D" hole.most of the ones for the 3 piece bellcrank setups were shorter,also pre 70-ish ones had the diferent clocking.

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V8?? We don't need no stink'n V8!!