Throttle Kickdown with Holley Sniper

[dm330]

When I picked up my car after having the Holley Sniper small bore 2GC (part #550-866), the transmission shifts were way off, and I mentioned that in another section on here.

So I made a couple adjustments, I’ve never really messed with throttle linkage before, and it’s a little better, but still not right. My first to 2nd gear shift now happens at 25mph and 2nd to 3rd at around 35. Today I took a couple pics to show the linkage hooked up to the Sniper.

I’m wondering if the linkage will work with this setup or if Holley has a bracket to allow this to work with the 904, they haven’t responded yet to that question.

 

[Duke5A]

Yeah, that's not going to work. With it in that position the throttle lever is pulling away from the kick down rod - it needs to be pushing it back. And that screw in the slot on the lever is a jury-rigged solution. The actual adjustment for the kick down is under the car on the transmission.

Does the cruise control work? I'd say lose that and move the kick down lever to the top and take that screw out. Then adjust it under the car.

Either this or just toss the factory kick down and use a Lokar cable kit to replace it.

Don't drive it around much until this is sorted. The kick down controls line pressure in the trans. If it isn't adjusted properly it'll smoke the trans.

 

[dm330]

I wondered if I'd be better off ordering the Lokar linkage. I still have the lean burn carb and all that junk in the trunk. I've got it parked back in the storage till we can get it fixed. As far as the cruise control, I haven't tried it since I had the Holley installed. It did work when I still had the lean urn.

 

[Aspen500]

You need something similar to the black piece in the photo. This isn't the one you need, but you get the idea.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

Yeah you need something like that to connect it from the top. The way it is now it's pulling the kickdown lever not pushing it and that will never work properly.

 

[dm330]

Thanks guys, I'll see what I can find. I appreciate the pic!

 

[Aspen500]

You could try looking at Summit or the Holley website.

Carbs and throttle bodies are made for (what else) GM. Mopar and Ford always require extra pieces.

 

[dm330]

I'm on the Holley site now. I did ask if throttle extension 20-7 would work on the 550-866 Sniper and haven't gotten a reply yet. I that piece in your pic the same as a throttle lever extension? Here's the link to the part I asked Holley about.

https://www.holley.com/products/fuel_systems/carburetor_components/brackets_and_linkage/parts/20-7

 

[Aspen500]

Yes, it was called an extension lever. Looking at your pic again, the throttle cable and kickdown rod should be on the same stud. Throttle on the inside of the throttle lever, kickdown on the outside.

For the cruise cable, you're missing the "lost motion" (think that's what they call it). It pivots on the throttle lever. That allows the cable to basically be disconnected unless the cruise is operating. It sort of looks like a crescent.

 

[dm330]

I've got my work cut out for me, luckily it's winter. I was even looking at the Lokar cables that Camtron mentioned in one of my other posts. I'll keep an eye out for a reply from Holley also where to go from here and I've got my trunk full of everything that is no longer in the engine. Other than the videos I've posted, I've only seen 2 other vehicles on YouTube with this same system, a 57 Buick and an Australian Chrysler Valiant Slant 6 with manual trans.

 

[kkritsilas]

I don't know how things work on Holley/Sniper fuel injection, but I helped a guy out with a FAST EFI on his 350 Chev/TH350 setup (in a 1954 Mercury). I helped set up the system, be he wasn't getting a proper kick down. I was looking on FAST's web site, and saw that they had an add-on bracket for this engine/tranny combo. Little zinc anodized bit, and it cost $US40, but it did the trick. That bracket allowed for easy adjustment of the kick down points. The guy had spent over 10 hour adjusting the rods/cables to no avail. Got the little bracket, he twisted a couple of adjustment collars, and things were fine from then on. Holley probably has a similar bracket for Mopars (FAST had one for both A904s and A727s).

 

[dm330]

I'm thinking that 20-7 part from Holley may be what I need, but I'll verify with them before I order and post it here. If I don't get a reply on their website, I'll call them on one of my days off next week.

 

[Camtron]

hmm, if you nudge that screw/stop on the bracket like, 1/8”-1/4” towards the radiator it should get you shifting right. In theory.
When the throttle pulls back, the stud goes forward, and it sounds like it’s hitting that stop too soon and causing too much line pressure/late shifts under park throttle…just a little too much tension/pressure on the line a little too soon causes exactly what you’re describing. Worth a try, if it works you can just enjoy the ride.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

hmm, if you nudge that screw/stop on the bracket like, 1/8”-1/4” towards the radiator it should get you shifting right. In theory.
When the throttle pulls back, the stud goes forward, and it sounds like it’s hitting that stop too soon and causing too much line pressure/late shifts under park throttle…just a little too much tension/pressure on the line a little too soon causes exactly what you’re describing. Worth a try, if it works you can just enjoy the ride.

View attachment 54758

It's still the wrong movement. Being at the bottom of the throttle shaft it's pulling the linkage when it needs to push it.
The kick down rod should be connected on the same stud as the throttle cable or close to it to work right.

 

[Camtron]

I see. Cables operate opposite.
With the cable set up, you want the kick down cable as close to 6 0’clock from the throttle cable so the kickdown gets pulled forward and the throttle rotates backwards. My mistake.

 

[Camtron]

It’s weird because if it’s pushing his linkage and not pulling it to actuate the kickdown, he shouldn’t be building line pressure and the trans should be shifting 1-2-3 by about 5-10mph.

 

[Mikes5thAve]

It’s weird because if it’s pushing his linkage and not pulling it to actuate the kickdown, he shouldn’t be building line pressure and the trans should be shifting 1-2-3 by about 5-10mph.

It's sitting quite far back so it might already be pushed and as the throttle is applied it's releasing it.

 

[dm330]

That pic is a little off, because I ended up pushing that screw all the way to the right, against the clip and that's when the shifts began to improve. We'll have to put it up in the air and see if that's what's going on, if it may be pushed in.

 

[dm330]

I checked out the Lokar kickdown cable kit on Summit and plan on ordering it, but I'd like to have everything I need so the work can be done with as few headaches as possible lol. This link is what I'm looking at. Is this enough to take care of the shift points on my transmission, or any other parts recommended?

Lokar KD-2904HT Lokar Hi-Tech Kickdown Kits | Summit Racing

 

[Camtron]

Need to figure out a cable mount for the new EFI, I don’t think they make one for the small bore you’re running.