Rescue878

Hello guys, I've recently purchased my first Cutlass and love her to death!
I purchased a 1972 Cutlass S with the 350 motor, bucket seats, center console shifter car. While tracing back a coolant leak I saw a plug hanging down from above the transmission area that I couldn't trace back or figure out where or what it goes to... Also was wondering if there is s fuel filter on these cars other than the vapor canister?? Thanks in advance!!

BackInTheGame

I thought I recognized the configuration/orientation of the blads, but I'm not familiar with that layout. If you can clean enough of the wire to tell the colors/stripes/etc., that would be helpful.

oldspackrat

That plug was used if your car had a turbo 400 transmission for the electronic kick down. It should have been taped up out of the way and obviously has came unattached somewhere along the line. Just fasten it somewhere out of the way.

oldspackrat

The fuel filter for this car is in the front of the carburetor where the fuel line goes into it.

Rescue878

The wire is white.. I can't see a stripe on it..,

Rescue878

Thanks oldspackrat.. Any help is much appreciated

joe_padavano

FYI, that plug has TWO wires because a 1972 will also have Transmission Controlled Spark. The second wire connects to the pressure switch inside the trans that operates the vacuum solenoid valve on the intake. Note that this plug was actually connected to every transmission used in 1972. Only the TH400 used the kickdown wire, but even manual transmissions used the TCS wire.

Rescue878

So I should be looking for another wire and where this plugs into the Transmission? Any idea where the wire should originate from Joe_Padavano?

joe_padavano

If you have the original trans, there should be a plug on the side of it.

Rescue878

Thanks again Joe, any idea of how the car would be acting eith the plug off?

joe_padavano

So the dirty little secret is that pulling this plug disables the TCS and provides spark advance in all gears.

The TCS solenoid is designed to fail operational. The valve is normally open and must be closed to prevent vacuum advance in the lower gears. By pulling the plug (or disconnecting power to the circuit), the valve stays open all the time and vacuum flows to the distributor all the time. What's not to like?

Rescue878

Good deal! Again thanks for taking the time to reply! Have s great Labor Day weekend!!