Folks, I have a 98 D1 that shifts fine from 1 - 2, but 2 - 3 and 3 - 4 shift at 3000 rpm. Not 2900, not 3100, but 3000, every time, every day, under any and all driving conditions. When it hits 3000, it shifts. If it doesn't hit 3000, it doesn't shift. You get the idea. Fluid and filter service has done nothing. The question I have, other than what the heck is wrong and how do I fix it, is this - what exactly does the kickdown cable have to do with upshift points, and what exactly does the kickdown cable do inside the transmission ?? Why do you ask, you ask ?? Because the 3000 rpm shift point occurs with the kickdown cable disconnected. With the kickdown cable connected, the shift points increase to 3500 rpm. So, it gets worse. I have tried adjusting the kickdown cable per Rave instructions, and also per some of the creative ways I have seen described in this forum, and it makes no difference. Somehow it seems like knowing the physics and magic of what goes on in the trans will help, so any thoughts and suggestions would be appreciated.

 

an interesting observation, to keep this lively discussion going - it's been getting pretty cold here in the mornings, and within the first few miles of driving while the car is still cold, it shifts normally and smoothly

 

I had the same problem and messed with the kickdown cable a metric s*** ton and it never really changed a thing. I had this bad whining in the engine and I let it go all summer and recently came to find out that it was the alternator. Now, after replacing the alternator, everything is better and it shifts where it's suppose to.

 

The kickdown cable is supposed to adjust the shift ranges based on throttle position.. ie if you have it floored, shift later (3000+) it also affects weather or not you go into the "overdrive" gear(4th). A good way to test this is leave it in 3rd on the shifter and see if it acts any differently. if not then your kickdown needs to be relaxed


on mine, I may not have it 100% but if i'm accelerating slowly it never really goes above 2200, but if I am accelerating faster it it shifts in the 3000 range


Maybe one of the more senior guys can give a clearer explanation but thats what i've seen thus far.


I dunno if its possible for it to get stuck, does the cable actually retract on its own?

 

Thanks for the reply, I was beginning to think that this one wasn't going to go anywhere. Yes, the kickdown cable retracts fine on its own, it pulls out and self-retracts smoothly and cleanly, checked it out pretty thoroughly by hand. it is currently disconnected, and shifting occurs around 2500 - 2700 when cold, 3000 on the dot when warmed up, and 3500 if the kickdown cable is connected in any way, tight or sloppy makes no difference, heavy foot or light foot makes no difference either.

 

You mentioned that the kickdown cable is supposed to adjust the shift ranges based on throttle position, more throttle = higher shift point. Things like this bug the crap out of me, so I was just out staring and poking at it, and made an observation - the cable pulls out smoothly and easily, and retracts back on its own smoothly and easily, but doesn't seem to retract all the way if I understand Rave correctly... Rave sez to adjust the cable so that there is 1mm gap between the crimp and the end of the sheath... yet, no matter how hard I try and wiggle it, the cable hits a very hard and definitive stop when the crimp is like 3/8" from the end of the sheath nipple and that's it, she ain't goin no further. I wonder a couple things...1) wtf's up with that, and 2) is that causing the trans to think that the throttle is engaged further than it actually is, and therefore increase the shift point ?????

 

#2 is probably correct...

The rave can be somewhat miss-leading with this.. at least in my experience. There are two separate nuts on the kickdown cable...

Is there any slack when the throttle is at rest? there shouldn't be much, at rest the kickdown should be close to at rest in the cable sheath


basically if its too taught, lower the cable-side nut and tighten the throttle side a tad till it "feels right" .. hard to describe but you should notice a difference.

 

Well, I twiddled it some today, and it's pretty binary.... with the cable way loose, just a little loose, zero slack but not tight, and a little too tight I get the same result - shifts at 3500rpm. With the cable completely disconnected it shifts at 3000 rpm, and there ya have it. There's no way to adjust it to the 1mm between the crimp and the end of the cable sheath nipple as Rave recommends, even after furiously shoving the cable back into the sheath by hand it bottoms out with over 3/8" between the crimp and the end of the fitting.

 

I've been distracted from the forums for a bit sorry to leave ya hangin. Can you take a pic of how you have it setup now?

 

Currently it's disconnected. This is the only way I can get it to shift at 3K, if I connect it in any way whatsoever (tight, loose, just right, etc) it shifts at 3500, which is disturbing because to get it to go to a reasonable gear I have to get it up to like 70 on the back roads... I will set it up a couple different ways that I have tried and take a few pics when the weather warms up, it's miserably cold at the moment. That being said... it hit a balmy 22 today, about 14 when I went out to the Y early this morning, and it shifted beautifully while it was cold, and not all that bad when the car warmed up, (tho it was so cold that it never really warmed up as much as it normally does) it was shifting around 2700 instead of 3K. cold thick fluid builds up pressure quicker ??