Ok put a new vacuum control modulator on my tranny, I replaced it to rule it out as the problem, which may cause my shift points to be way off? Doesn't hit 2nd until about 25 or 30, and hits 3rd at 55 to 60 mph, when it does shift it isn't slipping at all it shifts very well, just not when it should . My next guess would be to check the vacuum lines... but how do i do that? where should they connect under the hood? Also still can't shift out of park once I start the car, have to turn the key to the " run" position start in neutral then put it in gear? Oh and I dumped a fair amount of fluid, maybe a half cup to a cup or so, will that cause it to shift late, My gut tells me it would just slip, since it acts extactly like it did before the modulator change. Ideas? Guys ? Also, I have mentioned this before but I have actually gotten to drive the car and the problem is now fresh on my mind.. I have to pull back on the shifter slightly to get the radio etc to work. and they will work until I turn on the turn signal or wipers then everything stops working and the Alt light comes on ??? I then have to pull the shifter back a little and everything works again, until I try to turn something on such as the wipers? people here have advised to clean all the grounds.. but what exactly do you guys mean by that? the grounds in the fuse box? the grounds of every wire? I am not very experienced at electrics on a car except installing alt, battery , starter. I am concerned that a short could be damaging the alternator, if un checked. Any help on these items of course is very appreciated, :confused:
First thing I'd check is your battery ground. From the factory, the ground cable went from the battery, to a built in lug that bolted to the base of the regulator, then on to the engine block. There was also a grounding strap on the back of the engine that went to the firewall. Usually after many years, the grounding straps dissapear. Also battery cables dont have the ground lug for the regulator. Therefore, you probably have a ground strap that goes from the battery, to the motor. Since the motor and trans is mounted on rubber, you end up with a very poor ground for the chassis. Best thing to do is add a ground off the battery to the chassis. Use 12 ga wire and clean the mounts to bare wire when you screw them into any metal. That includes the base of the regulator and the chassis metal behind it. Run 1 from the battery to the base of the voltage regulator and another from the back of the motor, to the firewall.
Having fun now Have you or anyone else had the trans worked on? Sounds like a shift kit is in there changing your shift points. That or the trans governor is sticking. But it sounds like it been worked on to change the shift points. Vacuum should come off the intake manifold just as a power brake would. From the fun electrical problems you're having, you might need to take the column cover off and look for wires rubbing.
There are three real possibilities that would cause shifts that late. 1. no vacuum signal to the modulator - hose plugged or disconnected at the manifold.(just follow the line up from the modulator - tube crimped or short hose leaking or missing) 2. kick-down linkage - stuck in the kicked position. (see if it moves freely toward the tranny from the at-rest position) 3. Govenor stuck in the "at-rest" position (this would be extremely rare and would only cause the symptoms if one of the other problems existed as well) PaulS
Thanks A Million Guys! You know , if the countries of the world could just be Maverick/ Comet Fans we'd have no wars! HA Ha, Guys I can't work on the Comet until Sat, but your input is Awsome, thanks for the advice . Mavaholic, thanks for the good suggestions, I will check that out, Racer, to my knowledge this car is 100% original, the previous owner parked the car and basically didn't do anything but start it now and then for 10 years as it sat in a garage. so no I don't think a shift kit is in it, I'm going to double check my vaccum connections first then try adjusting the modulator , then it's a trip to have the tranny flushed and new fluid put in, as far as electrical I'm going to check out the grounds mentioned by Mavaholic. By the way if your a Mavoholic , I guess I'd call myself a "Comethead". Ha. I'll let ya know how I Come(t) out
Kickdown linkage PaulS, the kick downlinkage is that down by the tranny?? I wanna say it is up by the Carburator, amy I confused with something else? I just put a new carb on it, but this has done this since I bought the car, :confused:
It runs from the carb linkage to the throttle pressure arm that goes through the shift lever at the transmission. If it is bound in the kick-down position its just like having your foot to the floor all the time. If I was you I would check the vacuum line to the modulator first though - unless you've had the tranny pan and valve body off. PaulS
Gotcha It's sorta like having the tranny stuck in passing gear? , now... mine does shift at 25 to 30 to 2nd then to 3rd at about 55 to 60mph, would the kickdown being bound still let the tranny shift to a higher gear? I will add this to my check list though , thanks for the tip
Those are the speeds I would expect with either no manifold vacuum to the modulator or with the KD linkage stuck in the "down" position. It is about the speed that the governor pressure will overcome throttle and modulator pressures. PaulS
Victory !!!! Thanks Pual S YEEEEEHAAA, :bananaman :bananaman :bananaman got normal shifting tranny for the first time since I bought this car!! Turns out the Kickdown linkage was stuck.. almost rusted together up by the carb! A little Dubya Dee 40 and Vi-Ola It shifts like a new tranny, Paul ... man thanks , I can't tell you how much I apprecaite your good advise, Thanks to the rest of you guys too, Now please confirm something for me, if I have a bad ground at the battery could it cause the starter to engage part way and cause it to grind, this is a new starter, and I have noticed every so often it grinds, and every so often I turn the key and get nothing, then sometimes it starts fine but I turn on the signal and the radio shuts off and the alt light comes on also I 've already been told to check the chassis ground for the electrical problem, but just wanted to confirm this could also cause the starter to grind sometimes, I'm thinking new ground wire could kill a lot of my gremlins.
Bad grounds can cause all kind of weird things that are not related to be related. A good clean ground from battery to the chassis and to the engine is absolutly necessary. Your starter problem could also be a bad solenoid but check to make sure of your ground connections first. Clean the posts on the battery and the cable battery terminals to - use 60 or 80 grit sandpaper because the oxide that forms is hard as tin and will not come off easily. The posts and clamps should be bright and silvery. Coat them with spray-on silicone lube after attaching them to prevent problems between maintenance cycles (6 months). PaulS
Solenoid I'll try that my ground wire for the battery is very cracked and if it is moved the wrong way it won't even try to turn the starter over, where is the solenoid? isn't it part of the starter? :confused:
If the ground wire is that sensitive you need a new one! If you follow the battery positive wire it will go to the starter solenoid. It is the relay mounted on the inner fender. PaulS
