FJ62 kickdown cable adjustment (1 Viewer)

[yeahmag]

I've done a ton of searches and can't quite wrap my head around this... My FJ isn't shifting down as soon as I would like it to. It always shifts down if I floor it, but with a moderate throttle at 10-20 MPH it just shouldn't be in 3rd gear...

I've put a lot of slack in the cable and that didn't really do it... Do I need to tighten it way up and if so how much? The 0.5 - 1mm off the stopper with the throttle closed was where I had it and I didn't like it. I've read some people adjust kickdown cables at WOT by taking all the slack out (close to tight).

Anybody care to share where there's is adjusted or a have a reference point. I.E: Tightening the cable makes the truck do X and loosening the cable makes it do Y.

Thanks.

-Aaron

 

[FJ-KroozerKrusader]

i had some sticking on my kickdown cable(detent) with my fj62. so i bypassed fixing it for 80 bucks and just disconnected from that throttle loop and just shift down when it needs to. makes it like a manual w/o clutch. just to let you know b/c i didnt know how to adjust the cable and mine is just fine.

 

[RockDoc]

i had some sticking on my kickdown cable(detent) with my fj62. so i bypassed fixing it for 80 bucks and just disconnected from that throttle loop and just shift down when it needs to. makes it like a manual w/o clutch. just to let you know b/c i didnt know how to adjust the cable and mine is just fine.

That's going to KILL your transmission. The transmission gets 2 inputs to to use for switching the hydraulic circuits - the throttle cable and the governor (ie vehicle speed). You've effectively "blinded" your transmission to what the engine is doing!! I believe (not 100% sure) an overly loose adjustment will lead to low clamping pressure on the clutch packs. Putting full power through the transmission when it "thinks" the engine is idling is not a good idea.

As for adjusting it, it should be just a touch slack when the throttle valve is closed (ie idle), and tighten up just as the throttle valve starts to open. You might have to play with it a bit to get a feel you like. According to the FSM, there should be 0.5-1.5mm of cable between the stopper crimped onto the cable, and the boot on the end of the threaded portion of the sleeve. But this is for a fresh cable, and yours may be stretched a bit requiring longer adjustment.

 

[cruiser88]

Yea sure shift it like a manual....

no don't.....not only will it get got the tranny will kill over.

There is a reason why Toyota put it there.

The kickdown cable is quite easy to adjust...just play with it.

 

[yeahmag]

To answer my own question, it looks light tightening the cable is the trick. I'm now about 4mm off the stop and it's better. I'll keep fiddling.

My findings seem to be:
Tighter = more sensative to kickdown (kickdown earlier)
Looser = less sensative to kickdown

 

[RockDoc]

To answer my own question, it looks light tightening the cable is the trick. I'm now about 4mm off the stop and it's better. I'll keep fiddling.

My findings seem to be:
Tighter = more sensative to kickdown (kickdown earlier)
Looser = less sensative to kickdown

You've got it.

 

[cruiser88]

To answer my own question, it looks light tightening the cable is the trick. I'm now about 4mm off the stop and it's better. I'll keep fiddling.

My findings seem to be:
Tighter = more sensative to kickdown (kickdown earlier)
Looser = less sensative to kickdown

 

[Wile E Coyote]

i had some sticking on my kickdown cable(detent) with my fj62. so i bypassed fixing it for 80 bucks and just disconnected from that throttle loop and just shift down when it needs to. makes it like a manual w/o clutch. just to let you know b/c i didnt know how to adjust the cable and mine is just fine.

Not so much of a pile-on, as more like just in case a third opinion would be the charm...I absolutely agree that you are supplying inadequate line pressure to the trans by driving without a KD cable. Low line pressure = poor clutch clamping force = slipping trans. A missing or poorly adjusted KD cable is one of the most common causes for an early trans death.

 

[agent orange]

I just adjust mine until there is very little slack with the throttle closed, i like it to be sensitive, it makes it really easy to control gear selection with throttle input.

 

[FJ-KroozerKrusader]

sorry guys i didnt mean to give bad info or anything or for you guys to hateme,lol. but a very professional mechanic who is a good friend of mine told me it is fine and it has even drove better than b4 for me(i baby it though) but maybe he doesnt know the final outcome of what could happen withthe ever so finicky fj62 tranny. sorry fellas for the bad info.

 

[RockDoc]

No worries, replying to your post gave me something to do. If you stay with no cable, keep us up on the transmission's life.

 

[Wile E Coyote]

sorry guys i didnt mean to give bad info or anything or for you guys to hateme,lol. but a very professional mechanic who is a good friend of mine told me it is fine and it has even drove better than b4 for me(i baby it though) but maybe he doesnt know the final outcome of what could happen withthe ever so finicky fj62 tranny. sorry fellas for the bad info.

I agree, no worries on my end, either. For your own research, poking around the www will quickly confirm the commonly held idea that a poorly adjusted or missing KD cable will kill a trans. Here's one link from TCI:TCI - TECHNICAL INFORMATION: Transmission "Do’s and Don’ts".
This is not a Toy specific problem. It's universal to any non-electronically controlled auto trans with a kickdown cable or rod.

 

[daboheme]

Tightened up the kickdown cable about a month back. Transmission is WAY cooler. Got a temperature sensor in the sump, and offroading made it rise to 80-85degC quite easily. Hammered it the other day and couldn't get it above 70degC. That's temp in the sump. Probably a combination of less slipping and more cooling because of higher line pressure and more circulation... I have bypassed the OEM cooler in the bottom of the radiator and fitted two oil coolers in front of the radiator. And performance offroad (mainly dune climbing) was notably better. Didn't need so much of a run-up anymore. She wants to just pull herself out. I'm happy as a pig in sh%t. I delayed this way too long...

 

[Tavman]

Could any of you guys help me know how to locate and adjust the KD cable? I'm a novice, just bought an FJ62 with a slipping trans going from 2nd to 3rd gear. Original owner drove it that way for 12 years.

What tools, etc... do I need?

 

[StayClassy]

X2 for what Tavman said. FSM is in the works for me and I am also a novice. A picture will be fantastic. Thanks mud!

 

[StayClassy]

Lol just noticed how late both tav and I are on this thread.

 

[billmc]

X2 for what Tavman said. FSM is in the works for me and I am also a novice. A picture will be fantastic. Thanks mud!

It's attached to the spool at the throttle body at the top of the engine. It has 2 cables, one that goes to the gas pedal and the other that goes to the transmission. Do a search for adjustment help, it's been written up many times here. It's probably the biggest (and cheapest) improvement you can make to your trucks driveability.

Bill

 

[Thomsonhvac]

Ok. First post here. Just an FYI: be careful with the adjustment on the kick down cable. I tightened mine all the way up (after reading this) 3 weeks later, my transmission died. After the rebuild, the truck shifted at low RPMs again. I asked my mechanic if I could adjust the cable. again He said that the increase in line pressure is not good for the tranny. He had dialed it in as per factory specs. He told me that the correct way to adjust the cable is with a guage on the tranny and you can get it within range of the factory pressure specs. He has agreed to increase line pressure slightly because I feel that my truck shouldn't be in 3rd gear at 20MPH. I'll check back with you guys and let you know how it goes.