Alright guys, now that I'm road worthy and driving the car I'm into some final tweaks and I'm focused on the tranny. I've got a few questions. As a reminder I've got the following power plant pushing a 1965 F-85 Cutlass:

425 (from 1967 dynamic)
rebuilt bottom up
.030 over on Egge 10:25 pistons
Federal Mogul Sealed Gap Rings (file gapped)
C heads (unported but rebuilt)
Engle JM 20-22 Cam with 110 lobe seperation
Cloyes Double Roller TIming Chain
Edelbrock Performer Intake
Edelbrock 750CFM Carb
MSD HEI Ignition (plug and play version)
NO STALL CONVERTER (STOCK)

How I can tell if it's working properly? I modified the kick down cable bracket and vacuum hose? Manifold vacuum at the Carb is 14-15hg at 650 rpms and a solid 20 at 950RPMS. I'm getting tire burning tourque through 2nd gear but concerned that I'm not shifting properly at highway speeds. Running 65-70 mph there's no downshift when I stomp on it. Is that normal? Also it doesn't seem to be downshifting correctly on the hills putting more load on the engine? Any thoughts or suggestions on what I can measure, test or do? What is normal? Sorry but looking for any tid bits that will help. Thanks.

 

It sounds like something is up with the vacuum modulator on the trans. First make sure the vacuum line is good.

 

How did you adjust the kickdown cable?

 

Don't remember now as I did it some time ago. Is there an easy procedure to check adjustment?

Also, tranny is shifting better as it turns out, I did have a vacuum leak in the back of the manifold where I had a fitting blanked off. The rubber cap had a crack and the leak was sizable. It seems to be shifting well now around 28 or 30 into 3rd, When I stomp on it running about 55 it will downshift. I do not get a down shift much beyond 55 or 60 though. Is that normal?

 

Sounds normal to me. With that engine, you shouldn't need to downshift to "accelerate sharply" above 60 mph!

 

Just to close the loop, tranny is working fine. It was the vacuum leak. Thanks for your help.

 

Don't forget, downshift speeds also take into account rear end ratio. A car with a 3.90 rear won't downshift above say, 55 where a car with 2.73's might still drop to 2nd at 70-75 or so.