Hi All, Anyone tell me what the small black switch mounted on top of vertical accelarator linkage does, it is mounted where the vertical and horizontal linkages join and has black wires. Also my switch pitch set-up appears activated by full throttle only, long switch, horizontal position, twin orange hot, twin white to transmission, anybody bypassed this set-up and run a manual switch? Thanks Ian
ST400 switches The small black switch is for putting your torque convertor to high stall @ idle. You should be able to hear the solenoid click with the engine off, and a small movement of the throttle pedal should make it click off. @ idle it should click on when you take your foot off the pedal. There is play built into that joint that makes this work. The second switch controls 2 different solenoids, separate circuits-1st circuit is in series with the previous mentioned switch, it puts the torque convertor into high stall @ 1/2 to WOT (wide open throttle). (inside the switch its like a sliding switch) The second circuit operates @ WOT only and switches the second gear kickdown solenoid. It is desireable to have a manual cut out of the sstator position solenoid so @ WOT it can be switched to low stall or to control it totally for drag racing.
A million thanks I never would have figured this out without your help, thanks... knowing how the original set-up is supposed to work has saved me from butchering it. Ian
Ted, That's a good idea! I never noticed if the stator switched to high stall at steady highway speeds. I have thought about adding a light that would tell me when the stator is in high stall (just for testing) but never thought about a manual switch! Do you know near which speed the stall speed change happens? I know it depends of the switch's adjstment and of the gear ratio. I guess it would certainly incerase the car's top speed! That's a mod I'll have to do on my 65 and 67!
Hi Phil I like your Idea on the light, that would be a good thing to sneak into the dash pod somewhere- like the high beam location, or some place more stealth. The slickest switch I saw installed on a '67 Wildcat in the dash using a Buick light switch that was for the map light (I think). I was thinking of using one of the slots in the center pod (on the 65)normally for the power top or power antenna. Just have to use like a wiper switch in that spot- Here's to increasing top speed! :beer
On my old Riv I had eliminated that switch on the top of the linkage and instead wired a stoplite switch into the hydraulic brake system that would put the convertor into high stall whenever the brakes were applied. Worked great for brake torques! :Brow: That factory design has a tendency to hang up in low stall........you can tell when that happens because it will creep like crazy while idling in gear. I don't think getting stuck in high stall while driving has ever happpened to me though. :bglasses:
switch pitch converter switch I converted my 72 Skylark TH350 to a TH400 switchpitch, I hooked up the low/high stall solenoid to a new headlight dimmer switch that I installed in my floor next to the original high beam switch. I bought a small round red light at Radio Shack and installed it in my aftermarket three gauge bracket. Now when I want the high stall for doing those great burnouts I just hit the dimmer switch with my left foot and the red light comes on to let me know when I am in high stall, once I get launched I hit the dimmer switch again and it returns to low stall. The light really helps! Tim
The low stall switch will certainly be necessary over 100mph, I'm installing mine behind the ash tray cover with a tach...nobody smokes except the tires.
I think that at higher RPM's the SP converter works the same whether in high or low stall mode........I recall an advertisment from Kenne-Bell years back that claimed their converters automatically became "low" stall at speeds over 3,500 RPM's...........could someone please correct me if I am mistaken? I can't see GM engineers making something that would be inefficient at high speeds when the top speed of these cars was a marketing factor. :bglasses:
Don't know about the stall speed setting, from what I'm reading as long as the solenoid is energised high stall is engaged. GMC motorhome site warns about severe tempreture increases when high stall is engaged for extended periods...
Hooked a "Hurst" roll control switch to my 67 GS400's column shifter. Worked great. Everyone thought the switch was for activating nitrous oxide. :3gears: I called it my "go getter button".
