so i have a '64 riviera with the stock 400 trans... I was wondering if it is possible to convert this transmission over to switch pitch operation.. i'd rather do that than swap it out to a later trans and have to alter my consol wes
Good Question. The 64 400 was an odd ball. It had significantly different hydraulic circuitry than the 65 and up transmissions. Not sure if the pumps are different but the valvebodies sure were. It may not be possible to convert them to SP. Maybe someone else will know for sure.
Sorry Wes, no it can't be for reasons stated. You would need to find a "NailHead" '65-'66 SP400 tranny & do the conversion. With that said, in stock form the SP400's high stall wouldn't be much higher than the stock stall you have now which should be around 2000RPM's as opposed to a stock high stall of around 2200RPM's. Or you used a SP converter from a SP300 & have a high stall of around 24-2500RPM's. Something better for all the work involved would be a 700R4 or a 200/4R. The 700's 1st. gear of 3.06 will make the 3.07's feel like 3.64's in 1st. for take off & 3.22's for 2nd. How's the car runnin' with the "Rockers"???
sorry i didn't give you a call there tom... phone bill is getting "up there" went over my monthly minutes:eek2: as far as the car goes with the "T.T. Rockers" it runs like a scalded cat... i did the intake manifold modifications you suggested, rebuilt my carb, and fixed my trans kickdown switch as well... all of these working together make it a helluva ride.... one problem though, when i go to my "testing area" I load the converter by footbrake, and when i go i get my right rear tire spinning for about the first 10 feet or soou: so an accurate measurement, it is not.. but it is almost on par with my GN when it was slightly more than stock (chip, exhaust) and no tire spin. not bad for a car at 6,500 feet of elevation and 3.07 gears wes p.s. tom, i hae the metal "aircraft style" seat buckles in the back but the black plastic ones in the front, the driver's one is broken of course. were the riv's optioned withte metal ones in front, and if so where might i find a pair?
Also, not bad for a car that weighs in at 4500lbs. +. Spinning the tires for 10ft. allows you to get into your peak torque range faster. As long as the spinning doesn't get out of control & go much longer right now at this power range you should be OK. With a posi you may have to torque brake it even higher to get tire spin & if you didn't it wouldn't run as fast.Seat belts, go to Andoauto.com They more than likely will have what you need. Tom T.
how do we go about checking this kick-down? When I floor my car it never drops gears. The wire appears hooked up. the switch is mechanically functional... what do I do?
You must use a multi meter, or a test light to verify, that there is 12 volts at the switch, and the switch is actually passing the 12 volts down to the transmission. If 12 volts is reaching the transmission, check to see if the downshift solenoid is working. Run a jumper wire directly from the + terminal of the battery to the vertical spade on the side of the transmission. Just touch the spade, and you should hear an audible click emanating from the pan. If you don't, there is a problem with the solenoid, or the wiring inside the pan. The solenoid is easy to replace, but you have to drop the pan.
The '64 Metal Buckles have the lift style release mechanism and no buttons. The best looking ones have the tri-shield logo on them but the ones with the fischer coach are a lot easier to find.
thanks a lot larry! When the weather warms up a bit I'll get to this and let you know what happened! -Pete
i should get some pics of this, but.. only one wire is going to the trans, the other yellow wire off the kickdown switch terminates right near the distributor.. not sure if both should be going to the trans...
The kickdown only requires one wire. Just do the voltage tests and see what you have. One side of the gas pedal switch gets key on 12 volts, the other side goes to the transmission. That's it.
Well being that that 2nd wire isnt going anywhere, and the 1st wire goes to the trans, i'd imagine it ain't getting voltage from anywhere, unless the transmission has a hidden generator in it!! I will get out with the test light tomorrow...... see whats going on. I have 2 suspicions.
Okay, I confirmed my suspicion and there was no power going to the switch. I found the snap-in connector for the switch on the pas. side of the firewall. Not sure how that got over there, but I split the wiring harness open and moved it to where it belongs, and plugged it into the switch. Now after driving around like a wildman in a wildcat for 15 minutes, flooring it all the way.. I'm not sure if I'm getting a kickdown. Being this has never been hooked up, I thought I'd notice the difference, but maybe its more subtle than I'm expecting? I was kinda expecting a lurch-forward like you're in a rocket-ship kinda feeling.. You know, a negative G or so. Should the car drop from 3rd to 2nd every time the pedal mashes the carpet? I'm not feeling this transition. The wire on the trans itself (only 1) is horizonal --- and was kinda lose so I pushed it on best I could, went for a drive, and these were my results. "I'm not sure" -Pete
If you aren't sure, it isn't working. You can plug things in, but if you don't check for voltage all along the circuit path, you'll never figure out if it is getting to where it needs to be, or if it is there to begin with. You need to see if there is 12 volts at the gas pedal switch with the ignition on. Then you need to see if the gas pedal switch is working. You then need to find out if the 12 volts is making it down to the transmission. Finally, you need to find out whether the downshift solenoid (inside the pan) is working. If you have a volt/ohmmeter, the tests might take you 10 minutes tops. When you floor the gas pedal, the transmission should downshift from 3rd to 2nd gear. The RPM's should increase dramatically, and you should be thrown back in the seat.
Well, it's at the switch.. (now.. since I plugged it in). And It's at the trans. So it makes it all the way down the wire.. But all i've got right now is a snap-on test light and nothing to see how much juice it's got. I'll search around for a multimeter of some sort.. If you've seen my garage pics there has to be one in there SOME where... lol but I gotta figure out where. that or i'll borrow one from my buddy who knows where his is. Inside the pan... I had issues trying to find out what gasket to buy... No one lists one specific for the car.
No need for a voltmeter if the test light says there is juice at the transmission. Take a length of wire. Hook it to the + side of the battery. Probe the connection on the side of the transmission. Every time you touch the connection, you should hear a distinct click. If you do not, either the downshift solenoid is bad, or the wiring inside the pan to the solenoid is bad. Drop the pan and repair/replace. As far as I know, the 400 pan is the same for all years. The gasket should be available anywhere. www.rockauto.com shows Felpro TOS18621 for a 64 Wildcat as well as a 72 GS455
Larry, I don't know what happened.. but the other day I hit a bump (HARD.. need new front shocks) and slammed my A-Frame into the ground. After cursing and yelling for 10 minutes... I went home.. and went back out later.. And I noticed that.. since then.... the kickdown has been working properly!! Would you believe that? I wonder what I knocked into place or free..
