moran75

Hi All 65 Riv - TH400 - i've got a new style 'open' kickdown solenoid which didn't come with a metal or any other gasket - the original existing gasket used with the original solenoid doesnt fit (see pics). Opinions on line vary as to i need a gasket with the new replacement - but im thinking as it has a raised rubber ring then i dont' need one - any opinions? Cheers Kevin

so.....when solenoid activates it briefly 'seals' the above chamber, thus changing fluid pressure etc?.. Cheers Kev

Hi allRe my 65 Riv - TH400Just for my own education...I've attached a couple of pics of my kickdown solenoid/gasket and of the valve body it attaches to within transmission...If i'm correct, when the solenoid is 'activated' it creates what i believe is called 'DET pressure' which acts on the 1 2 valve up in the valve body, thus kicking down?How does the DET pressure get created?!Re the little hole on underside of the solenoid as per first pic - is this closed when solenoid is activated, and resulting vacuum or change of pressure - DET pressure - acts on the 1 2 vale? Or is a component missing and something else happens?Thanks in advanceKevin (London, England)

many thanks..much more en-lighened then when i started! Kev

let me amend my last comment - so rfurther esearch suggests the 1-2 valve doesn't actually physically hang through the hole (pic 1) as I proposed a moment ago ..instead maybe veactivation of solenoid results in 'DET pressure' which acts on the 1 2 valve up in the valve body? So back to the hole in pic 1 - how does the DET pressure get created? by a vacuum created when the solenoid is activated? Thanks in advance KEvin

Hi Paul Thanks for getting back to me so quick. Don't know if its been overhauled in the past . ... the wiring for the switch pitch solenoid is still there and clicking so i'm assuming it at least hasn't been converted to Fixed pitch as the article suggests sometimes happens... As i'm very much on a learning curve the article is a bit hard to follow.. But.... So kick down kick down is achieved by 'DET pressure' acting on a '1-2 detent valve'... As you asked if the trans was rebuilt does that suggest the detent vale is missing and should be poking through the empty hole as evidenced in my first pic? Or am i barking up wrong tree?! All the best Kev

Hi All Just for my own education re. kickdown solenoid on my 65 Riv TH400... I know its activation causes downshift at speeds below 70mph...but how is this actually activated? I've attached two pics ..the original style solenoid covers an 'empty' hole but ....physically doesn't touch it because of the gasket...in my ignorance i was expecting some kind of plunger to shoot out and interrupt movement of the ATF, but there is only a small hole that also isnt quite centered in the opening in the gasket..... So what happens when it clicks to make the downshift happen? An (educated?) guess by me - the activation of the solenoid energises the metal gasket which in turn transfers the 12V to the body of the transmission ,,,and somewhere down the line changes route of ATF... Enlightenment very welcome... Many thanks Kevin

On mine it’s passenger side, almost at very front , hanging from the top...it hangs down , but not very far ....so if you don’t look up you’ll miss it! cheers Kev

used my initiative - wait for it, wait for it - took the pan off and had a look! all questions answered both solenoids clicking, so just the two prong connector to replace (spinning and leaking) cheers kev

Indeed...but as per my original question will I need to remove valve body to get to the detent solenoid and if there is a second solenoid where is it? maybe in the torque converter itself?... thanks kev

I’m thinking more of what happens on the inside of the pan - the solenoid. Does that ‘detent’ solenoid handle both switch pitch and kick down functions? Or is there a second solenoid somewhere inside transmission... Cheers kev

Hi all I need to change my switch pitch/kick down connector terminal at the transmission...its spinning...and potentially the solenoid inside... RE the solenoid - manual suggests i need to remove control valve body assembly/gov pipes (pg 5-109) before removing what's referred to as 'detent' solenoid...but rae these instructions refrring to a full tear down? Will it be possible to remove and replace solenoid without removing the valve body? Also...manual refers to an 'electrical detent solenoid (kick down) AND stator solenoid (switch pitch)' - is there an additional solenoid for the switch pitch somewhere? or does the one 'detent' solenoid control both functions? I think it does both - but thought i'd check... Thanks in advance Kevin

I had almost exact issue on my 65 - only diff was I did not have the black smoke ..initial acceleration ‘lumpy’... Upon various testing my solutuon was two things - new accelerator pump (from Mikes carbs ) and new vacuum advance (that’s the thing plugged into distributor) cheers Kev

...seemed strangely appropriate ....

I’ve got 3.23 as well...stamped on base of diff housing...workshop manual suggest 3.07 was standard...I think , anyway cheers kev

the UK

thanks all - very interesting info Kev

Wanted - Large Buick sign for my garage nothing super rare , neon, double sided porcelain etc just large - maybe cardboard, plastic etc - ideally 1960s all the best Kev 1

Amended...i was concentrating so much on spelling 'molecularly' properly i ignored everything else😀 Anyway, any views on the question? PS - please tell me i spelt 'molecularly' properly and it is an actual word?!😱

1000 apologies Mike!

Sounds interesting - yep, if you could measure and maybe send a pic that would be great. Kev

Ta very much - I'll have a look

Hopefully all this info has been useful?

Wanted - Large Buick sign for my garage nothing super rare , neon, double sided porcelain etc just large - maybe cardboard, plastic etc - ideally 1960s if you have anything please message me directly all the best Kev

Wanted - Large Buick sign for my garage nothing super rare , neon, double sided porcelain etc just large - maybe cardboard, plastic etc - ideally 1960s all the best Kev