New truck and lots of questions here's #1

[Duke66]

Hey guys I just picked up an 86 chevy and the guy rebuilt the motor and trans. He put on a Holley carb. not sure what it is trying to find a number. There is no cable for the kickdown. I'm not real familiar with these trucks but from what I have found by searching is there is a kickdown cable OR a TV cable.

Do I need a kickdown cable or a TV cable?
Where does the cable go into the trans.? It is an automatic.
Thanks for any help.
Duke

[gchemist]

Welcome to the site.
A 400Th transmission does not use a cable. It's uses an electrical wire. First ID the transmission. Is the truck moving?

[Duke66]

The trans. is a TH350 The truck runs and drives fine just no kickdown. When I got it home I pulled the air cleaner and there is only a throttle cable hooked up no kickdown. The truck used 1/2 a tank of gas to go 60 miles so I'm hoping that is the reason.

[motornut]

maybe it was just hidden
my holley size forced the cable further away from the carb
PO added an extra piece to mine
i still havn't changed it over to a bracket for the holley
check by fill tube@tranny for cable comin out and up
may be just sitting wrapped around somthing

if the kickdown works it won't help the gas mileage
it down shifts the tranny for passing/making it worse
i've seen it unhooked before in some company work trucks/thinkin i guess engines will last longer

[mooseknuckles]

Originally Posted by Duke66

The trans. is a TH350 The truck runs and drives fine just no kickdown. When I got it home I pulled the air cleaner and there is only a throttle cable hooked up no kickdown. The truck used 1/2 a tank of gas to go 60 miles so I'm hoping that is the reason.

......that sounds about right!

[Duke66]

that sounds about right!
Ah 1/2 a tank for 60 miles sounds right????
I was just thinking that the kickdown would have helped on the hills instead of just flooring it. Oh well maybe not.

Best I can tell the cable should come out on the passenger side of the trans. I was looking on the drivers side so I'll check that out and see if I see anything there.
Thanks
Duke

[gchemist]

I had a neighbor once with the same problem. I connected this detent cable. Boy was he happy. He sold me his 4 aluminum wheels for $100 and I gave him my ralleys. Paid another $80 to have a shop remove and install the tires. I like my aluminum wheels.

[cr34t3d_by_d4rkd3n]

the th350 senses its needed hydraulic pressure to apply by how far that cable is pulled, if its not connected it think its idling all the time and WILL NOT SUPPLY ADEQUATE PRESSURE.... trust me. I learned by experience. Connect that cable, hopefully it isnt too late, good luck!

[Duke66]

I found the cable going in on the passenger side the PO just cut off the cable so I know I need a new cable. The truck has a Holley so do I need a stock cable or a universal one? Can I use the stock bracket at the carb. or do I need to get the Holley one?
Thanks
Duke

[gchemist]

Holly and Elecbrocks carbs usually require a bracket to use the stock detent cable. See the cable end on my picture above? It has a cylinder with a lock screw on the end. The TV cable on my is generic. I like them. You can make finite adjustements for kickdown.

[motornut]

On mine the bracket is stock
I asume the cable too
I have the right one , havn't put it on yet
Right now the high winds have knocked out the power ( off 1100am still off at 4pm)i can't post a pic,but you may find the same prob,it gets moved to far over with out extention
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[Duke66]

Thanks gchemist

[JBRAVO383]

if all else fails can you down shift on the column to help out?

[Duke66]

Yeah I can downshift for now. I got a cable on order and have to figure out the bracket but I think I'm on my way.
Thanks
Duke

[motornut]

this is what i picked up for mine

[Duke66]

I worked on it this weekend but had no luck finding the "hook" inside the transmission to hook the end of the detent cable to. I'm not sure if it's broken or if the guy never put it back in when he "rebuilt" it. So for now I'll shift it if I need to until I figure something out.
Later
Duke

[gchemist]

Here is a picture of the Edelbrock plate mounted on my RPM Air Gap intake.

[Doug_J]

you said the cable was cut? So if the cable is cut an still hanging out you shoulda been able to take the bolt out holding the cable their an when you pull it out the hook should be attatched to it still, other wise its gonna be a pain an the only way I can think of getting it out is with like a magnet or somthin. you cant really fit your head up their and look inside may have to drop the trans inless you wanna pull the pan. And as for a bracket Id just find a stock one at salvage or buy one from summit racing for the holley carb.

[Duke66]

Doug, It looked like the cable was cut but what the PO did was to pull the cable out and fill it with rtv then put the "boot" back on to keep it from leaking. I tried to fish it out with some wire then called him up and he said that it isn't there because he was planning to put in a floor shifter and just shifting the truck????????? Oh well that's a project for another day I have enough other things on this truck to keep me busy maybe next time I change the tranny fluid I will drop the pan and take a look see.
Later
Duke

[Doug_J]

Did he say he actually removed the hook from the trans? Seems like a waste of time if he did sometimes the things people do wow, but hey looks like you have a nice truck. Dont let the little things eat at you only bad thing about buying used.

[Duke66]

He actually said he never put it back in when he rebuilt the trans. Yeah the more I read and find out about these trucks the more I'm finding out what a moron he was or I was for going on a search for something I didn't know much about. All I knew was I wanted an older truck to fix up. This one is not quite as old as I would have liked but I figure I can hone my skills on this one and it will be easier on the next one. I don't let the small stuff bother me it just sucks when about the time you have a little extra scratch put away for something you "want" to do then something creeps up that you "have" to do. I know everyone here has been there.
Later
Duke

[motornut]

maybe try a small mirror?
reflect back to you looking up laying under?
if it's just a cap and sealer worth the look
i'd hope any tranny place that would rebuild it with the part there for that optional use later


could be that cable was cut for a quick swap
over looked till it was to late,and "they" just wanted it done/running

[liftlawssuck]

Swap it to a standard and solve all problems!!!