Greetings friends. It's been a while since I've had a chance to drop in but I sure need some help. When I bought my second of two 68 FB's in 2000, my 350 car had a TH350 in it. But, it came with the factory two speed which I just had a real nice rebuild one on (the two speed) and istalled it in my car. However, unlike the 350 trans the 2 speed has a kick down that is controled by a single wire going to a termanial on the side of the trans. I, can not locate this wire after spending many, many long nights looking for it. None of the manuals I have even the 68 wireing guide shows where the wire is. All the manuals do show the switch, but not where the wire is located that goes to it. Or, where it comes from. So, if anyone knows where the solnoid wire to the 2 speed trans is at. Or, where I can hook something up that will work. Pleas let me know. Thank you.

Now, another problem started when I drove the car tonight. When I have my high beams on and go to turn on the heater the car sometimes will just die. No hesatation, just causes the engine to shut down and until I turn the heater off and start the car I'm again on my way. BUt do it again, and maybe it will keep running or maybe it will shut down. Any ideas? Thanks for any help you may have. My name is MIke, and muy email is rr67gto@aol.com. Good day friends Now I will look at whats for sell.

Hey Mike, the kisck down wire for the ST300 is about the same set up as the kick down for the TH400 3 speed. Maybe you can cross refernce looking for that info.

But for the most part, you should be able to order the parts... especially from an outfit like Lokar (switch, bracket etc.) and then just run a wire from the switch at the throttle linkage to the switch on the side of the tranny...

I'm sure others can give you more detailed info!

Brett - 67 Drop Top 455!

Mike, you've got mail!

Thank you, but that's not true. The part your thinking of on the 350 car is an idle stop. It's job is to keep the car from running on after the engine is turned off. WHile on the 68 400 car the kick down switch was a one year only mounted behind the carb. And, not an idle stop solonoid like the 350 is. And then in 69, the kick down switch was located under the dash behind the gas pedle. A huge improvment. I also own a high option 68 400 vert Bird and when I needed to replace my kick down I didn't have any place to get one so I bought a used one. I now, have three extra working switches in case I need one again. I hope not. Thank you anyway, and my best to you and yours. NEXT !!!

That is not entirely correct, if you are referring to Firebirds. I have a '69 400/TH400 and the kickdown switch is electrical, and located on the throttle bracket. It is not under the dash on the gas pedal.

The .pdf file I sent is a 1968 underhood harness diagram showing the kickdown switch and detent solenoid wiring.

I will look for additional data for the kickdown switch wiring for the '68. Which engine originally came in your 2 speed car, 350 2bbl?

Mike, it is on the carb, not under the peddle.I mentioned this to you this over on PY. The peddle set-up sounds like my dad's 69'olds with TH400 which the switch is under his peddle, he was happy when i found him one cause he said it is was a rarity.Apparently the 2spd and TH400 are the same idea for firebirds, TH350 is different.
The wiring should be there on the harness along the firewall.

David

Thanks for the file, I will download it and have a close look. Yup, my car came with the factory 350 2bbl, which has an idle stop solonoid that's supposed to be mounted on a bracket on the carb. If you look at the 68 manual for the 350 (none A.I.R.) car with auto trans. It will even tell you to dissconnect the idle stop on the carb before trying to adjust the jets. So, it show no such thing as the kick down switch mounted to the carb, like my 68 400 vert has. I may have been wrong about which year they moved the kick down off the carb for the 400 TH400. But, it was not long after 68 because it was considered to be in the way of other parts. I'm going by what the 68 shop manual shows and not by my own memory. Simply because if I only used what I remember, I'd forget where the key goes half the time. Everyone has been a big help to me. And, I'm very thankful. And, I'll consider anything that I get because it bugs me not to have the WOT passing gear. By the way, it's 2:00 AM here so sorry about the poor spilleing !! Good day friends. < Mike >

I'm also still trying to find out why the engine stops when I have he headlights on and turn the heater motor on. This, was something which just started happening on my last outing in the car. I'd still rather own it than another one I didn't have as much history with though. We have an agreement me and this car. It never leave me standing beside the road, and I always make sure it's well cared for. Like two old men, watching out for the other. < Mike >

Oop's, I may have been wrong here but now that I remember it I do have some switches in the shop I can't remember what they go to. So, my question is did the 350 2 speed have both a idle stop as well as a kick down? If so, was the kick down just a cable or also a switch mounted next to the carb? I see a bracket for a Turbo Hydromatic trans with a cable and bracket used as a means of kick down. So, can I be wrong in that the 2bbl had both switches? < Mike >

2spd kickdown was definitely a switch by the carb, not a cable like the th350.

for the other problem you might want to check the alternator output, belt, and battery. it sounds like maybe the heavier load is too surprising to the system and it cant compensate fast enough. check your secondary grounds too.

Mike, in my reply, I mentioned the ST300 2 speed, not the TH350.

And the ST300, and the TH400 both have an electrical switch activated kick down as mentioned. And why I suggested cross refrencing the two... TH350 is a completely different story.

I agree with Scott, also check the Voltage regulator and the main wires to and from it...

Good luck - Brett - 67 Drop Top 455!

You may also want to check the condition of your battery cables & terminals. Corrosion and loose conections can cause high resistance on the negitive side of the battery, causing just the condition you describe.
This spring my 66 LeMans would sometimes die when I had the radio on & hit the brakes!!!!!! A cleaned up conection & new negative cable cured it.

Jeff R

rr67gto,

The '68 ST300 down shift switch is absolutely found at the back of the carburetor on the driver side. The circuit gets power from a black wire with double yellow stripes that goes to the windshield washer solenoid where it shares the same terminal as a black wire with a single yellow stripe. The opposite side of the down shift switch has a black wire that goes directly to the down shift solenoid on the driver's side of the tranny.

Give up the argument on the switch at the pedal. It just ain't so on the FGF.

Good morning friends, OK I give up and I'm sorry for being so bull headed. I was wrong, because I was getting the kick down switch mixed up with the idle stop. I went through my switches and found three real nice kick downs I have picked up over a long time. I also have the 68 400 drop top which uses one of them so I started getting them when the first one I had went bad. I'll use one on the two speed and later today will start looking for the wires. Thanks everyone for being so thoughtful about this.

As far as the power problem goes I did remove the battery cables and cleaned everything although it was already nice and clean. My battery is a sealed unit Delco with a five year warenty and has the little round window in the top. But, nothing says what I look for to see if the batter is good or bad in that little window. Is it just to see if it had fluid or does it have a color that says when it's good or bad? Well, if I have little luck today the trans will be connected and I'll have found my wiring problem. Thanks again friends and have a great weekend. < Mike >

the eye will be green if the battery is charged, but it wont tell you if the battery will hold the charge.
you can take it to the nearest place with a load tester to see if it's good. It has to be fully charged to test it. Autozone should have one, or any service center. they basically put half the rated CCA load on it to drop it down to about 9.5 volts for a few seconds, wait about a minute for it to climb back up to 12.5v, and do it again. if it wont climb back up on its own, it's bad.

As long as you're "gettin' into the Zone" why don't you take your alternator with you and have it load tested as well?

Let us know what you found.

- Jake