Setting up a P6 Automatic gearbox

[puffernutter]

I have a 1969 P6 3500 automatic.

The gearbox is relatively new and was installed professionally (this
occured prior to my buying the car). However, since I've had the car
I've never had kickdown working. I took it into a local transmission
specialist for a quick once over and a bruiser just seemed to yank the
bracket around until it kicked down. (I won't go back there again! )

The trouble is now that it won't change up at the right speeds (it
needs to be above 40 mph before it will go into third even on a very
light throttle (the book says around 25mph). And this is after I've
"yanked it back" to where I reckon it was before the bruiser got hold
of it!

So, does anybody have acccess to, or know a garage in the
Wiltshire/Somerset/Dorset area that has the proper Rover pressure
gauge that will let me set up the gearbox kick down properly.

(Or any other suggestions! )

Cheers

Peter

[mrcheerful]

"puffernutter" <peter@puffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote in message
news:5b957725.0408050448.117fd24b@posting.google.c om...
> I have a 1969 P6 3500 automatic.
>
> The gearbox is relatively new and was installed professionally (this
> occured prior to my buying the car). However, since I've had the car
> I've never had kickdown working. I took it into a local transmission
> specialist for a quick once over and a bruiser just seemed to yank the
> bracket around until it kicked down. (I won't go back there again! )
>
> The trouble is now that it won't change up at the right speeds (it
> needs to be above 40 mph before it will go into third even on a very
> light throttle (the book says around 25mph). And this is after I've
> "yanked it back" to where I reckon it was before the bruiser got hold
> of it!
>
> So, does anybody have acccess to, or know a garage in the
> Wiltshire/Somerset/Dorset area that has the proper Rover pressure
> gauge that will let me set up the gearbox kick down properly.
>
> (Or any other suggestions! )
>
> Cheers
>
> Peter

wind the adjuster back till you are happy

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <5b957725.0408050448.117fd24b@posting.google.com>,
puffernutter <peter@puffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote:
> The gearbox is relatively new and was installed professionally (this
> occured prior to my buying the car). However, since I've had the car
> I've never had kickdown working. I took it into a local transmission
> specialist for a quick once over and a bruiser just seemed to yank the
> bracket around until it kicked down. (I won't go back there again! )

> The trouble is now that it won't change up at the right speeds (it
> needs to be above 40 mph before it will go into third even on a very
> light throttle (the book says around 25mph). And this is after I've
> "yanked it back" to where I reckon it was before the bruiser got hold
> of it!

> So, does anybody have acccess to, or know a garage in the
> Wiltshire/Somerset/Dorset area that has the proper Rover pressure
> gauge that will let me set up the gearbox kick down properly.

I wish I had a quid for everyone of these set up incorrectly. But doing it
right is simple.

I'll *bet* the rubber bush on the bulkhead bracket for the throttle shaft
has disappeared. Grab the back of this shaft and try and move it up and
down - there should be no play. Best to take off the airfilter first to
gain access.

Another test - get someone to floor the throttle (with the engine off) Now
try and open the throttle via the aforementioned shaft - I'll bet it will
open a further 1/3rd or so till it meets the stop.

So - unclip the downshift cable. Replace the grommet that forms the inner
bearing on the shaft, and check that the throttle opens fully - adjust the
link rod if necessary. Now adjust the downshift cable so it is an easy
fit. Open the throttle via the shaft, and you should feel the kickdown
valve operate (extra resistance) towards the end of the travel. Get an
assistant to hold the pedal on full - not kickdown - and pull the
downshift cable to check it's just near kickdown. Then get the assistant
to push to kickdown and check the valve has operated.

Be careful next time you drive the car - it will feel like the engine is
now twice the size, given that you've not been able to get full throttle
before.

If all this sounds too complicated, bring it round here and I'll sort
it. ;-)


To summarise, to get the correct gearchange speeds, the cable must be in
the correct relation to the throttle position. To get kickdown, you must
have full range of throttle opening.

F**k knows why auto specialists can't see this...

--
*I'm really easy to get along with once people learn to worship me

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[Peter Sheppard]

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article <5b957725.0408050448.117fd24b@posting.google.com>,
> puffernutter <peter@puffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>The gearbox is relatively new and was installed professionally (this
>>occured prior to my buying the car). However, since I've had the car
>>I've never had kickdown working. I took it into a local transmission
>>specialist for a quick once over and a bruiser just seemed to yank the
>>bracket around until it kicked down. (I won't go back there again! )
>
>
>>The trouble is now that it won't change up at the right speeds (it
>>needs to be above 40 mph before it will go into third even on a very
>>light throttle (the book says around 25mph). And this is after I've
>>"yanked it back" to where I reckon it was before the bruiser got hold
>>of it!
>
>
>>So, does anybody have acccess to, or know a garage in the
>>Wiltshire/Somerset/Dorset area that has the proper Rover pressure
>>gauge that will let me set up the gearbox kick down properly.
>
>
> I wish I had a quid for everyone of these set up incorrectly. But doing it
> right is simple.
>
> I'll *bet* the rubber bush on the bulkhead bracket for the throttle shaft
> has disappeared. Grab the back of this shaft and try and move it up and
> down - there should be no play. Best to take off the airfilter first to
> gain access.
>
> Another test - get someone to floor the throttle (with the engine off) Now
> try and open the throttle via the aforementioned shaft - I'll bet it will
> open a further 1/3rd or so till it meets the stop.
>
> So - unclip the downshift cable. Replace the grommet that forms the inner
> bearing on the shaft, and check that the throttle opens fully - adjust the
> link rod if necessary. Now adjust the downshift cable so it is an easy
> fit. Open the throttle via the shaft, and you should feel the kickdown
> valve operate (extra resistance) towards the end of the travel. Get an
> assistant to hold the pedal on full - not kickdown - and pull the
> downshift cable to check it's just near kickdown. Then get the assistant
> to push to kickdown and check the valve has operated.
>
> Be careful next time you drive the car - it will feel like the engine is
> now twice the size, given that you've not been able to get full throttle
> before.
>
> If all this sounds too complicated, bring it round here and I'll sort
> it. ;-)
>
>
> To summarise, to get the correct gearchange speeds, the cable must be in
> the correct relation to the throttle position. To get kickdown, you must
> have full range of throttle opening.
>
> F**k knows why auto specialists can't see this...
>
Dave,

Thanks for the tips.

The "loose" throttle problem is one that I was aware of and I had
re-bushed the throttle shaft before I started messing about with this.

I'll have a go at setting it up again, but if I fail and need your
assistance, where are you ?

Cheers

Peter
(Trowbridge, Wilts.)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <WCQQc.456$aO7.4194352@news-text.cableinet.net>,
Peter Sheppard <peter@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote:
> The "loose" throttle problem is one that I was aware of and I had
> re-bushed the throttle shaft before I started messing about with this.

> I'll have a go at setting it up again, but if I fail and need your
> assistance, where are you ?

In the sig - like everyone should do. ;-)

--
*How come you never hear about gruntled employees? *

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

[mrcheerful]

"puffernutter" <peter@puffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote in message
news:5b957725.0408050448.117fd24b@posting.google.c om...
> I have a 1969 P6 3500 automatic.
>
> The gearbox is relatively new and was installed professionally (this
> occured prior to my buying the car). However, since I've had the car
> I've never had kickdown working. I took it into a local transmission
> specialist for a quick once over and a bruiser just seemed to yank the
> bracket around until it kicked down. (I won't go back there again! )
>
> The trouble is now that it won't change up at the right speeds (it
> needs to be above 40 mph before it will go into third even on a very
> light throttle (the book says around 25mph). And this is after I've
> "yanked it back" to where I reckon it was before the bruiser got hold
> of it!
>
> So, does anybody have acccess to, or know a garage in the
> Wiltshire/Somerset/Dorset area that has the proper Rover pressure
> gauge that will let me set up the gearbox kick down properly.
>
> (Or any other suggestions! )
>
> Cheers
>
> Peter

wind the adjuster back till you are happy

[Peter Sheppard]

Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
> In article <5b957725.0408050448.117fd24b@posting.google.com>,
> puffernutter <peter@puffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>The gearbox is relatively new and was installed professionally (this
>>occured prior to my buying the car). However, since I've had the car
>>I've never had kickdown working. I took it into a local transmission
>>specialist for a quick once over and a bruiser just seemed to yank the
>>bracket around until it kicked down. (I won't go back there again! )
>
>
>>The trouble is now that it won't change up at the right speeds (it
>>needs to be above 40 mph before it will go into third even on a very
>>light throttle (the book says around 25mph). And this is after I've
>>"yanked it back" to where I reckon it was before the bruiser got hold
>>of it!
>
>
>>So, does anybody have acccess to, or know a garage in the
>>Wiltshire/Somerset/Dorset area that has the proper Rover pressure
>>gauge that will let me set up the gearbox kick down properly.
>
>
> I wish I had a quid for everyone of these set up incorrectly. But doing it
> right is simple.
>
> I'll *bet* the rubber bush on the bulkhead bracket for the throttle shaft
> has disappeared. Grab the back of this shaft and try and move it up and
> down - there should be no play. Best to take off the airfilter first to
> gain access.
>
> Another test - get someone to floor the throttle (with the engine off) Now
> try and open the throttle via the aforementioned shaft - I'll bet it will
> open a further 1/3rd or so till it meets the stop.
>
> So - unclip the downshift cable. Replace the grommet that forms the inner
> bearing on the shaft, and check that the throttle opens fully - adjust the
> link rod if necessary. Now adjust the downshift cable so it is an easy
> fit. Open the throttle via the shaft, and you should feel the kickdown
> valve operate (extra resistance) towards the end of the travel. Get an
> assistant to hold the pedal on full - not kickdown - and pull the
> downshift cable to check it's just near kickdown. Then get the assistant
> to push to kickdown and check the valve has operated.
>
> Be careful next time you drive the car - it will feel like the engine is
> now twice the size, given that you've not been able to get full throttle
> before.
>
> If all this sounds too complicated, bring it round here and I'll sort
> it. ;-)
>
>
> To summarise, to get the correct gearchange speeds, the cable must be in
> the correct relation to the throttle position. To get kickdown, you must
> have full range of throttle opening.
>
> F**k knows why auto specialists can't see this...
>
Dave,

Thanks for the tips.

The "loose" throttle problem is one that I was aware of and I had
re-bushed the throttle shaft before I started messing about with this.

I'll have a go at setting it up again, but if I fail and need your
assistance, where are you ?

Cheers

Peter
(Trowbridge, Wilts.)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

In article <WCQQc.456$aO7.4194352@news-text.cableinet.net>,
Peter Sheppard <peter@nospampuffer-nutter.co.uk> wrote:
> The "loose" throttle problem is one that I was aware of and I had
> re-bushed the throttle shaft before I started messing about with this.

> I'll have a go at setting it up again, but if I fail and need your
> assistance, where are you ?

In the sig - like everyone should do. ;-)

--
*How come you never hear about gruntled employees? *

Dave Plowman dave@davenoise.co.uk London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.