Mongo

Last night we just recently bought a 1987 928S4 Auto. My dad and I were driving on the freeway and i floored it at 65 mph. But the car only kicked down from 4th (overdrive) to third gear and the pickup was a lil slow to 85 for a 316 HP V8. Is there a problem with the tranny? Should it go into second gear when i floor it and push us into the seat????? I'm a little worried

Jerry 87 928S4

2nd gear lasts until about 75mph on mine. Could be you were close to the maximum RPMs or possibly your kickdown switch is not working. The kickdown switch will take you to the lowest gear under the RPM limit.

Try it again going about 50MPH. You should drop to 2nd and stay until about 75. If not then your kickdown is not working. There is a kickdown relay number 15.

Here is also a link you can look at.

<a href="http://members.rennlist.com/v1uhoh/kickdown.htm" target="_blank">Tony's kickdown</a>

Mike Schmidt

About 70 mph is the cutoff of where the car would downshift from 4th to 2nd. Above about that speed, the transmission would only shift from 4th to 3rd. At 65 mph you were pretty close to that cutoff point. The exact point that a shift down to 2nd occurs can vary with the adjusment of the kickdown cable on the throttle cable bracket. The bracket is under the hood on the driver side of the intake manifold. There are four cables on the bracket. The cable for the transmission is the top one on the side towards the fender. If you tighten that cable and take out any slack, it should allow the transmission to downshift easier. Just make sure that you don't tighten it so much that it prevents the throttle from opening all the way.

Randy V

Good advice from Jerry and Mike.

I'll add that you should first adjust the throttle cable before adjusting the kickdown cable. Removing slack from the throttle cable allows the throttle linkage full travel - and better kickdown response.

To adjust the throttle cable, locate the threaded adjustment on the bowden cable - located where the throttle cable passes through the firewall on the upper driver's side.

With the engine warmed up and idling, turn the adjuster until the engine RPM just begins to rise. Then, loosen the adjustment a turn or two to get just a wee bit of slack in the cable without increasing idle RPM.

Steve Cattaneo

Full throttle kick down, down shifts
Are from 4th to 3rd gear between 62 and 106MPH
3rd to 2nd - 71and 62 MPH
2nd to 1st - 26 and 23 MPH

Full throttle (no kick down) down shifts
Are from 4th to 3rd gear between 95 and 85MPH
3rd to 2nd – 40 to 36MPH
2nd to 1st – 18 and 15MPH

You may have to reposition the gas pedal to activate the kickdown switch


Your 4speed auto is not an overdrive, 4th gear is a1: 1 ratio (direct drive)


Good luck with your new car


Steve C
The great white

<img src="graemlins/beerchug.gif" border="0" alt="[cheers]" />

Mongo

Update on that kickdown problem...I looked underneath the pedal, tested the gas pedal (which had 2 fatally loose bolts holding it down) and noticed that the little metal contact was about a quarter inch away from pushing the kickdown button. I rigged it up now so the kickdown should work a little earlier without even getting a special switch...I'll see how she drives tomorrow

and thanks ya'll!!!! its good to be a part of the 928 Family again <img src="graemlins/bigok.gif" border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" />