Kick down linkage
 

Exactly how does the kick down linkage work? Does the linkage regulate the amount of fuel the carburetor delivers to the engine as well as down shift the transmission. (when you go past half throttle) Or does it just act to down shift the transmission?

I have a 68 w/ 289 and C4 it’s a daily driver with a new tranny. I want to have this linkage set up properly but, I have had considerable trouble hooking one up. I have had several people look at it and you would think I was asking them to decipher hieroglyphics or something. Maybe I just haven’t asked the right people.

Anyway I have taken matters into my own hands now. I am pretty new to all this and anyone’s help would be greatly appreciated.

I went to a salvage yard and got the kick down rod off of an old Mercury Marquee with a 302. I studied how this linkage was hooked up (not to complex) and figured I could work something out for my car. I got home and something didn’t make sense I have a Holly 600 carburetor and there doesn’t seem to be any sign of something that I should hook the rod up to. I am thinking that I don’t have the proper carb. for this application. Is this true? I was looking in a catalog and they had a Holley 600 that had the Ford A/T kick down there were others that didn’t. Is this my only hope. I have some numbers that were on the front and side of my carb. and I would like to find out what exactly this carb. is. If I don’t have the right carb. I am not really looking forward to springing for a new one, but I am curious as to what my options are. Exactly how important is this whole kick down linkage anyway? Will my tranny life be affected of I don’t hook this up.
I would like to solve this mystery, and once again thanks for any help.


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Your into buying a new carb. The throttle shafts and end mechanisms are different between the auto and manual models.

No, the kick down is not needed. It just downshifts the trans when the throttle is depressed a certin distance with low manifold vacume.

I have always removed the kick down, expecially when I have had a floor shift. With a marginal trans ( yours is new ) it is possibal to slip clutches/bands at heavy throttle settings in a higher gear than the kick down would allow. Other than that I can't think of any detriment.

A positive side of no kick down is increased controol of the trans. No unexpected or unwanted downshifts.

Mark.

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'78 Mach, V6, Steel wheels and staying stock.
'77 Hatch, 351W, RUG, 9", Disks .....
'95 Toyota 4wd.
'82 Virago 920.
Have owned a variety of Fords.

Since you want to hook up your kickdown and don't have the holley with the ford lever on it, go to a car show and look at how older fords have the kickdown set up. My '65 has a lever you mount on the manifold that gets triped when you depress the gas to the floor. The lever connects to a rod that leads down to the kickdown. I think you could use a simple setup like this to make it work!

The kickdown has nothing to do with the engine. When the kickdown is depressed more pressure is applied in the valve body pushing the 3-2 (or the 2-1 shift valve depending on how fast you are going) shut and keeping it shut until a higher RPM than when driving without the peddal to the floor.

-JON