Kick down switch wiring

B

boxman

Guest
The wires for the transmission kickdown switch on my 1964 Ririera were cut off, now I am trying to get them hooked up. There are 2 wires, 1 from the wire harness to the switch, and 1 from the switch to the tranny. The problem is that there are 5 male taps on the switch. 2 on the left facing front and back, 2 on the right facing front and back, and 1 in the middle. It looks like the 2 on the sides that face front and back are connected, so that leaves 3 possible. The books that I have looked at just show the yellow wires going to the switch, not the placement of the wires. Any help would be appricated.
Thanks,

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Thank you,
Todd
1964 Riviera 425
 
As best as I can tell, the throttle switch is set up to handle a switch-the-pitch type of transmission. This feature was used on the ST300 transmissions in 64, but not the ST400 as on your Riviera. The 65-67 ST400 units did use the switch-the-pitch feature.

The switch-the-pitch feature used one section of the throttle switch to energize the stator solenoid in the transmission. This switch section makes contact first as the throttle opens and the switch plunger begins moving. This section also has jumper connections to the other tabs. The two tabs to the front of the switch would go on to an idle switch on the dashpot. That switch would also energize the stator solenoid when the throttle linkage is at rest. Your car does not use an idle switch.

The other section of the throttle switch makes contact later, when the throttle is almost wide open. This switch energizes the kickdown solenoid in the transmission only under heavy acceleration. This is the section used on your car.

Both switch sections were fed by the same feed wire from the ignition switch.

As long as you tie the wires to the switch section that makes contact last as the throttle opens, you should be OK. My guess is it will be one of the rear tabs with a jumper to the front and the lone tab with no jumper. A test light or ohmmeter will sure help check it out. Too, the solenoid can be heard to click when depressing the accelerator with engine OFF and ign. switch in the ON position.

Good luck.
 
Thank you Todd,
This is a great help. The carb has been changed over to a Quadrajet so the dash pot tab is no longer needed. The tranny is NOT a switch pitch so these tabs are not needed.
I have energized the kick down selanoid, to make sure that I could hear it click. I will have to try to see what tabs make contact. Now that I know that contacts to use.

Thank you,

------------------
Thank you,
Todd
1964 Riviera 425
 
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