Hi! My car is a '50 Special 4dr sedan on a '65 Wildcat chassis w/401 and a TH400. The guy I got it from told me it used to be a switch pitch tranny, but it was rebuilt with a shift kit and new non switch converter. The actuator switch was hanging from the firewall. I made a bracket so it actuates @ WOT but I 've not noticed any change in the operation of the transmission. In D with the pedal mashed, it shifts 1-2 @ about 35 and 2-3 @ about 75 and she's not even breathing hard... Any info on where to get the proper T/C would be appreciated.
If it was indeed changed over to a non-variable pitch converter, it means the front pump & input shaft were also changed. The only way to get back the variable pitch feature would be to install all the correct parts again. On the other hand, it may have all the correct parts in place with the wiring messed up. The way to know for sure is to test the stall speed with and without 12v to the stator connection on the side of the case (I think it's the top spade terminal). Another potential failure is the stator solenoid attached to the front pump. If it's dead, the high stall function will be too. More info: http://buickperformance.com/switchpitch.htm http://buickperformance.com/SPTrans.htm http://www.442.com/oldsfaq/oftsp.htm http://www.california.com/~eagle/SWITCH.html http://www.bdub.net/tranny/TwoTimer-CarCraft-11-77-text.pdf http://www.webrodder.com/article.php?AID=85&SID=6&PHPSESSID=6166d046a3c6fc2ca75d28a450167fef Devon
Like Devon said, a switch pitch converter will not fit on a fixed pitch input shaft. The splines are different. If they converted it to fixed pitch, they replaced the front pump and input shaft.
Thanks for the reply...Think I'll sneak the switch through the firewall to the inside of the car so I can actuate it by hand. If all is well, with the switch depressed, am I expecting a higher stall speed?
Hi! Chris you can check for the switch pitch with the engine off by hooking a hot wire to the spade terminal. I believe its the top terminal as someone else had mentioned. When you apply power on and off to the terminal you can hear a click in the transmission. Your 55 should surprise a few people at the light. I have a 53 Roadmaster with a 455 and switch pitch 400 Turbo. Goodluck with your project. Bob H
Haven't had any time lately to mess with my car, but I did do a few things today. For one, I actuated the switch by hand with the motor off and I could hear the actuator solenoid click on and off. IT'S ALIVE!!(Young Frankenstein). Now to route the wires and switch into the dash...
