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Veteran
Posts: 112
Location: Lake Havasu , Arizona | I tried to use the test light method to adjust my powerflite on my 56 Dodge. It didn't work. My neutral switch is fairly new .I disconnected the hot wire but left the ground wire attached to the switch. I ran my test light lead from the poss. batt. term. to the neutral switch with the neutral push button firmly in neutral position. I loosened the cable bracket at the trans. No matter how I adjust the cable I can.t get my test light to go off the lit position so that I can make a final adjustment. Please any help would be greatly appreciated as I'm trying to finish this job today. Fellow Forward Look Guy, Bill |
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Expert
Posts: 3577
Location: Blythewood, SC | Are you sure the switch is good? Mine failed back in 1994. I should get around to fixing that sometime... |
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Veteran
Posts: 112
Location: Lake Havasu , Arizona | Thanks for the reply. I am thinking that the new switch might be bad. I put a new Delco neutral switch on about a year ago but haven't driven the car because it needed a shift cable. I suppose that I could try the old switch. Bill kari 613 |
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Expert
Posts: 3782
Location: NorCal |
Are you sure the cable core is actually engaged in the trans? |
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Veteran
Posts: 112
Location: Lake Havasu , Arizona | Thank you for your reply. When I was adjusting the cable I pulled it out about an inch too far. I pushed it back in and and it seemed ? ok but now I don't have reverse that I did have before and my new neutral switch still doesn't work. I hope that I don't have to pull the pan. The Powerflite book doesn't tell me what position the manual control lever should be in.( don't think that I moved it). Bill |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8445
Location: Perth Australia | What is a manual conrol lever?
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Veteran
Posts: 112
Location: Lake Havasu , Arizona | The manual control lever is the flat shift arm that is just above the neutral safety switch on my 56 powerflite, thank you |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 8445
Location: Perth Australia | Ok
Kick down
What you should be able to do if the cable is still attached inside the trans is put the selector on the dash in reverse (that should extend the trans end of the cable out the most, undo your adjuster, so you can slide the whole cable in and out
As your sliding the cable in and out, you should be able to feel the detents for each gear (bumps), if you cant (or the cable just pulls out), its not connected into its catcher thing
If thats the case, pull the neutral switch out again and start again
If all is good, Assuming you have a 2 wire neutral switch from what you said above, remove both wires from the switch, run 1 wire from the battery + (should put a fuse in it as well, but if your carefull it wont matter) and connect it to one of the neutral switch pins, then find a good earth on the trans to plug your test light on and connect the other end to the other pin of the switch.
So, with this all hooked up, you should be able to slowly push and pull on the trans cable (feeling the detents) and the neural switch should turn on your test light when it goes through the neutral position, if this happens, good, you can put you cable retainer thing on and adjust the cable very slowly until you work out where the middle of the light on time is and lock the cable in that spot and all should be happy with the world
If you cant get the light to come on at all, its time to test the switch, this is easy, its a simple on/off switch
Remove the switch from the trans and re connect your test light setup from before, now depending on the switch confuration (Cant remember now) it will either bring the light on straight away when you connect the wires to it, or you will have to pust the plunger (ball) in as far as you can to bring the light on.
If it does not come on at all. switch is no good, if it stays on all the time (wether your pushing the plunger in or not), the swich is no good
The kick down lever does not influance any of this
Hope this helps
Just thought I had better add this just in case someone reads this and runs themselves over
ALL OF THIS TESTING IS DONE WITH THE ENGINE OFF..........
THE CAR SHOULD BE JACKED UP WITH AT LEAST THE REAR WHEELS OFF THE GROUND AND SUPPORTED ON JACK STANDS OR ON A HOIST WITH THE REAR WHEELS (AT LEAST) ABLE TO SPIN FREELY
THIS SHOULD ALSO BE DONE ON LEVEL GROUND WITH FRONT WHEELS CHOCKED TO PREVENT THE VEHICLE FROM ROLLING AWAY
IF WHOEVER READS THIS AND IS NOT SURE OF PROPPER JACKING AND CAR SUPPORT METHODS ARE, THEN I URGE THEM TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE TO DO THIS JOB OR BETTER YET,TAKE IT TO A MECHANICAL WORKSHOP
I TAKE NO RESPONCIBILITY FOR ANY OF THE ABOVE ADVICE AS FAILURE TO UNDERSTAND THE CONCEQUENCES OF DOING THIS JOB WRONG COULD RESULT IN DEATH
Cheers
Edited by ttotired 2014-10-30 6:37 PM
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Veteran
Posts: 112
Location: Lake Havasu , Arizona | 57 Plm. Maybe you should have bought your neu. switch back in 94 when it went bad for about $4. You better hurry before it reaches $100 soon. I bought a new (defective )one about 2 years ago for $22.00 |
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