Question about broken gas pedal cable (why are there 2?)

[roadrunner54177]

Car is a 1972 cutlass supreme convertible, orig. engine was a 350 2-barrel, now has a 455 4-barrel. automatic trans.

The gas pedal has 2 cables connected to it, one is broken. It drives with the one cable just fine. I traced the second cable (the broken one), it goes near the destributor, then I can't tell where it goes after it goes down behind the motor on the passenger side. What is this cable for and how can I fix it? It is broken right at the gas pedal.

Thanks

[RocketDude]

If it has a 350 TH transmission, it is the shift cable. Look on the right front of the trans, just above the pan, you should find the other end of the cable. It goes through the housing, and hooks up internally inside the trans, and determines shifting. I'd be surprised if you didn't have a trans leak at that same location. You will have to remove the trans pn to replace the cable.

[joe_padavano]

The original TH350 trans used this cable to activate the kickdown. It does not control the shifting under normal conditions, only when the trans needs to downshift when you floor the throttle. When the engine was swapped, was the original TH350 retained or was the stronger TH400 trans installed along with the 455? If the car now has a TH400, that trans uses an electric kickdown and does not require the second cable, which is probably just hanging there. If the car does still have the TH350, you'll want to repair this cable. In what way is it broken, anyway.

By the way, if the car has been converted to a TH400, the gas pedal should be replaced with one from a TH400 car. This will allow you to install the correct kickdown switch for that trans.

[roadrunner54177]

The cable is frayed and broken right at the end, by the gas pedal. How can I tell what trans is in the car?

[RocketDude]

The quickest way is by looking at the trans pan. The 350 is more square, except for one corner notched out. The TH400 is much bigger, with the pan going back to a rounded off point. damn, didn't realize how hard it is to describe a pan. Might be easiest to go by your local parts store. They will have pictures of the shape of the different pans in their filter book. They is how they usually narrow down which trans kit to sell a customer, if he isn't sure what trans he/she has. you might even stop by a transmission shop. they usually will have a chart on the wall, showing the shape of the different transmission pans. They might even have one apart on the bench you could look at.There are lots of ways to tell, but if you're not sure what you're looking for, it makes it more difficult.

[joe_padavano]

Here's a guide to GM transmission pan shapes to help with identification:

http://www.autotran.us/gmABpg26.htm

[roadrunner54177]

Thanks for the help. I spliced in a peice of cable right by the gas pedal and it worked great.