Added a line lock to the Riv. Installed a micro switch directly onto the shifter. When the lever is in low it travels 1/4" farther and hits the switch. Also used a small red LED wired to the same switch to light the "R" when activated. Just didnt want a bunch of wires and stuff showing or having to drill holes in the dash.
Mine as well, it’s because there is unequal pressure in the front and rear lines which trips the warning light.
It isn’t. Look at the diagram of a combination valve. When there is more pressure on one side of the plunger, it is forced off center activating the light. Once you let go of the switch, the plunger centers and the light goes out. This type of switch has a plunger that receives pressure on both sides, one from the front and one from the rear. In the event of a loss of pressure, like a blown line, the plunger is forced to one side or the other. This completes the electrical circuit and turns on the Brake System Warning Light on the dashboard. When you apply the brake, activate the line lock, and release the brake, there is pressure in the front brakes, but none in the rear. That moves the plunger to one side.
There is another 1/4" travel past where the trans engages L1. When pulled back that activates the line lock. Get the tires going and when ready slightly move the handle fwd and it deactivates the switch as well as the R red light. Its not really necessary to have an indicator but the kit came with one(not the one being used) so why not.
Aways been told you do not want to be doing burnouts in first gear then shifting to second on a ST400 or TH400. Known to destroy even the beefy 36 element sprags. Start burnouts in 2nd then go to third to get good tire rpm. Better yet do the burnout in 3rd from the beginning. Just found this explanation from AJ Performance Racing Transmissions: Devon P.S. Sorry, sometimes I forget not everyone is running a manual valve body, so the above may not help.
I always advise trans and converter customers to leave the shift handle in drive when doing a burnout. You need to get the trans in high gear as quickly as possible to generate wheel speed,and take the load off the trans and converter. Apply just enough throttle with the line lock engaged, to spin the tires fast enough to get the trans to quickly auto shift thru the gears, and then pour the coals to it, click the line lock off, and power out of the box, letting off gradually once you clear the water. And if we are talking about a car that is raced more than a couple times a year then a manual valve body is must... start your burnout in second gear, get into third right away. To get a visual of what is going on inside a TH 400 during shifting, watch the sonnex smart tech drum module video, they have a Th 400 with a window cut in the top,so you can see the drums stopping and starting. https://www.sonnax.com/th400#smart-tech JW
THAT makes sense. My concern is with the position of the indicator, not the concept of an indicator light. I'd have lit-up L1 in red...or the brake light on the dash. Lighting-up the wrong gear position ("R") doesn't make sense to me.
R is for Race! Its was just something fun. Never thought about lighting the Brake light on the dash. Probably a better idea. Keep in mind I dont race this car. Have one built for that. Riv is just for fun. heck it probably only gets driven 2 times a month. The 400 is auto valve body. its been hardened by Turbo Action in Jacksonville. Not really worried about breaking it.
When I was racing the Regal it had a manual rev valve body 400 with a brake installed and did the burnout as described above. That trans had many many passes on it and still functions great. Currently sitting in the RaSabre. Skyhawk has a PG sitting behind the Tomahawk. When I was at the school a few weeks back Frank told the students when doing the burnout in his PG equipped cars to do the burnout in D. I'd been doing it in 1 then 2. Which method is better?
Most of my PG racer friends did a high gear only burnout. Again, it's all about wheel speed, to get the converter to coupling speed, and the tires turning fast enough to generate the proper temp... the shortest time you can get those tires to the proper temp the better off you are. In a 400, the direct clutch on a tranbrake trans has lots of clearance, plus a bleed hole, so for that reason it's better on the trans to start in second. But your right Briz, for a little as you race that car, it should be fine.. We always used the high beam switch on the floor for the line lock.. it's not like those cars get driven out in the boonies where you would need the high beams very often.. in fact, because of the possibility of an expensive car-deer incident, I make it a policy to never drive a customer's car after dark at the shop here. the floor switch is nice for not having to drill any new holes, or to have to do anything with your hands during a burnout. JW
I'm not sure where I heard this, but it did make sense. It was to install the line lock in the rear brake line. Lock it BEFORE you apply the brakes. Apply the brakes and you only get front brakes and the pedal works as normal. When you're done with your burnout turn off the line lock and stage. That is how I set up mine and it works great.
yup, you certainly can do it that way.. the point is to isolate the rear brakes, so you can lock the fronts on,or the rear's off.. I have done it both ways. The primary use of a line lock when they came out was to hold car still on the starting line via the front brakes, and then rev it up and drop the clutch, without the car moving.. it was later discovered to be a great aid during burnouts. Front locking is preferred, because if you forget and leave the rears locked out, it could get real interesting in the shut down area. Especially on a heavy car with skinny front tires. Ask me how I know... JW
