kickdown operates ! ( was KD problem on '57 Torqflt) long post

[Philippe Courant <accf-club@xxxx>]

 Hi all,

1. I've made some adjustements on KD linkage and, yes, now it works
! But i haven't follow the manual instructions ! On my car that
doesn't work !! I've made a special page about this KD adjustement
: http://www.ifrance.com/c-i-f/fvb_us.htm

2. About "runaway" on 2-3 upshifts, i've tried to adjust the KD band
and here are the results: Yesterday i removed the oil pan (clean)
and took a look at KD lever : seems OK but i wanted to re-check
the KD lever adjustement.
I've three manuals and the KD adjustements is different on each !!
I've read also that some 300 (and other sport cars) have a
different KD lever (ratio 4.25 versus 3.2 on other) so the
adjustement must be different. My KD lever is a 3.2 ratio, i've
measured it..
- 57 Chrysler/Imperial shop manual says: (..) back the adjusting
screw 3 1/2 turns
- 57-59 Mopar (canadian) manual says for 1738227 trans : (..) back
the adjusting screw 2 1/4 turns
- 59 Torqueflite reference guide says: (..) back the adjusting
screw 2 1/2 turns (2 turns on sport cars)
(all these adjustements are made after a 75 inch/pound torque on
the screw)

- I try the first adjustement ( 3 1/2) and test the car : wrong,
i've "lost" the 2nd and the car upshifts from 1 to 3 (D position)
!! If i forced the 2nd button, the trans. slips a lot and i pushed
fastly the D button ... Same when started from a stop, 1 , then
lot of slippage in 2. I didn't test the KD ...

- I re-adjust to have 2 1/4 then test : now i found again the
"2". When i start from a stop with "light foot", car starts in 1
then (at 13-15 mph) upshift to 2 but immediatly (1 or 2 seconds) 
goes to 3 !! The trans. doesn't want to stay in 2.. If i have a
"heavy foot" the car upshifts at higher speed and rests a little
longer in 2. If i force in "2", the car seems sluggish. KD is the
same than in # 2 paragraph

- last try, i adjust the screw to 2 turns (like "sport cars" !.
Works great ! The KD 3-2 is good (no runaway) and if i release a
little the pedal, the upshift in 3 is immediate w/o slipage .. If
i shift to 2 position, a very little runaway, i feel that the car
"pushes" fast and when i shift to D, immediate response... I've
noted that the runaway still exists but only if i have a "very
light" throttle. In this case the 1-2 occurs at 15 mph and the 2-3
(with the runaway) at 20 mph .

Conclusion: the runaway still exists but only at light throttle.
If the acc. pedal is at 1/3 or 1/2 (or more) no runaway ... But ..
bad mpg. And perhaps my KD band needs new relining (too thin)..

3. Another interesting item is "The new Chrysler Torqueflite
transmission, hydraulic system", manual from Chrysler division
that i've bought on ebay; I think that this (technical) manual
shows a lot of infos and pics not showed in FSM so i've scaned the
pages and put them at http://www.ifrance.com/c-i-f/tqf-intro.htm

4. I've also updated the "Mirror-matic page" at
http://www.ifrance.com/c-i-f/mirrormatic_1959.htm 

5. Last, i've updated the "safety switches Torqueflite page" at
http://www.ifrance.com/c-i-f/tqf-sw.htm with some infos (from G.
Riehl) about adjustements, oil, etc..


I think these infos would be helping , it's the reason why i put them 
on my site.

-- 

Philippe COURANT (Pau, France)- Webmaster des sites ACCF et C-I-F
Imperial 1957 Crown convertible
Buick 1996 Roadmaster wagon

- American Car Club de France (ACCF) : http://www.accf.com

- Chrysler Imperial France (C-I-F) : http://www.ifrance.com/c-i-f

- Cadillac " Standard of Excellence " : http://www.ifrance.com/accf-cad

- SportsCars : http://www.ifrance.com/accf-sprtcar



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