Steen Jensen

I have just spent over an hour reading the archives and have got a few clues but no answer.

I've completed a rear suspension and torque tube rebuild and the car is working fine (no more whine) but the tranny is not kicking down.

There is one wire with a single round spade female connection that I cannot find the male mate for. I suspect (through my archive research) that its male mate is on the kickdown solenoid that is supposed to be on the passenger side front of the transmission. I can't find it for the life of me.

Am I on the right track? Is that the correct wire? Exactly where is the kickdown solenoid and what does it look like?

S4-on-your-back-door

the kickdown is located at the rear bottom of the trans right below the diff.

dr bob

Steen-- what kind of car are you working on? 928? What year?


The kickdown solenoid actuates only at full- or close-to-full throttle position. Idea is to give you max available accelleration. Prior to full-throttle, all kick-down function is managed by the TV (throttle valve) cable. That cable is connected to the throttle transfer linkage at the front end, and to the TV arm on the side of the trans. So there are two shift cables-- one from the shift lever for gear selection and one for the pedal linkage to cause downshifts & upshifts based on throttle position. There's also a vacuum connection from the manifold that determines shift firmness based on engine load.

HTH!

adam928

Im uncertain what you mean by "spade female"... But there is a wire from the throttle linkage that goes all the way back to the tranny. The cable goes to a hole in the front passenger side of the tranny. The cable is for telling the tranny how much the gas pedal is pressed. You will need this for the kickdown to operate as it should.

The wire can be a PITA to attach correctly. It has a hook that should be attached to a small arm in the hole in the transmission. At a first glance the cable seems to short to pull out far enough to attach. If one detach the cable in the engine end it gets a lot easier.

When pulling "the arm in the hole"... be careful not to accidently detach the spring that holds it...

Steen Jensen

dr Bob / adam 928

My car is an 88S4.

I believe I have the TV cable attached correctly...adam you are right , it was a PITA.

My understanding is that there is also a single electrical connection to the kickdown solenoid. I have one wire that I can't find a home for and am hoping it is the wire to the KS. I will look again where S4-on-your-back-door says the KS is...

adam928

The electric cable goes in the hole on the "backside" of the tranny. You will find it in the rear end of the tranny.. Its a small hole in the lower/pass/backside of the tranny.

Steen Jensen

adam 928

Thanks a million. That did the trick. Downshifts like a champ now.