Powerglide TV linkage question

[purplepickup]

A friend at work asked if I could help him and I can't so I'm asking you guys.  

His teenage son has a '68 El Camino with a 307/Powerglide and he just changed carbs from a quadrajet to a 600 Holley.   My friend is in a wheel chair and was watching/helping his son make the switch.  He noticed there wasn't any TV linkage hooked up to the carb.  There is linkage up from the tranny but it ends at a piece with a hole in it up by the firewall.  The linkage from there to the carb is missing.  I think he can make a rod but I don't know how the linkage operates on a Powerglide.  On a TH350 I adjust the TV cable by setting it where WOT and fully extended cable are the same.  Is that the same on a Powerglide?  Also, on a TH cable end there is a slot that allows the throttle to move some before pulling the cable.  Does the Powerglide rod have the same free movement?  Another thing to consider is where to locate the hole in the throttle bracket on the side of the carb......or does somebody sell one for a Holley/Powerglide combo?

[purplepickup]

Yes, he said you're right, there is a pivot and the linkage does pull from the carb and pushes to the trans.  The two things he would have to consider if he makes his own linkage is how much free play, if any, is there in the linkage and the location of the linkage hookup on the carb which would set the rate of movement.   That's more than I want to deal with as the middle man, without seeing it, so I gave him a couple of names of local tranny guys that can probably help him.

His only question after that was whether or not it hurts anything to run with it unhooked.  I told him I didn't think so.  At least I've known of more than a few people running with them unhooked over the years.

[GPster]

As usual I will add  some information that may be right/wrong/indifferant/useless/troublesome but here goes. From what I think I can remember, the linkage fastened to the bottom of the carb arm so that when you pulled back to open the throttle, the arm was pulled foreward. This required a special arm on the bottom linkage side of the carb that was particularly to Chevy. Most aftermarket carbs were equiped with the correct arm to be used on a chevy application and it seemed useless or a waste of time or made you wonder what you forgot to hook up in other applications. I think this rod off the tranny was for the kick/down for passing gear. If it wasn't used I think the only way you had "Passing Gear" on a powerglide was to * it back down to low. I would think by the year that this vehicle should have had a turbohydromatic and he may also not have the correct shift indicater and gear placement "clicks" in the column. The only Motors Manual I have is a '61 and it only covers the "cast iron" powerglides but it has a lot of good diagrams. If he could get a Motors Manual I think it would help him but you are probably going to be lookin for something '67 or earlier to get Powerglide diagrams. Is this the boy's vehicle or is he fixing it for his dad? If dad is in a wheel chair you might be looking at some very complicated manuvers if it has a hand operated throttle. GPster

[Stakebed]

The original rod has a theaded end at the carb for adjustment . You want full pull at WOT. If I remember right you will feel  a little resistance on the likage at the end of the travel. I have run mine without the linkage but you have no kickdown- also seems that if the lever on the trans is left at one end or the other of the travel, it will shift early or late, depending on where you leave the arm. I would try to find a rod for it, they often wear out at the ball socket end. Hope this helps.

[Travis]

I have a stack of these things on a shelf in my garage.  With the throttle closed, you want the rod pushing on the lever of the transmission ever so slightly.   Yes, it pulls on the carb, pushes on the transmission lever.   I've been told that if you run it without the rod setup, you burn up the PG.  Anyway if you need rods, the pivots, etc let me know.  I know I am getting thin in the rod department but I have about 6 or 8 of the pivot pieces that bolt up to the transmission bellhousing area.

Let me know.

Travis  (Some day I will post an introduction...)

[TooMany2count]

.   I've been told that if you run it without the rod setup, you burn up the PG.

mmmmmm thats odd just about every PG i have had I NEVER used the kickdown linkage & I ran them for severeal yrs w/o any problems. same goes for the 350turbo tranny, I never hook the cable up either cause I perfer to do all the shifting myself & my tranny man always has told me, "Don't worry about it"....joe