Last week I had my Townace auto 4WD TD in the garage for a new head gasket (coolant probs), exchange starter and I thought while they are stripping the engine area down, may as well get the cam belt changed as it is due in another 20k km.
Since getting it back, the van "feels different". It's hard to explain but its as if you have to push it harder to change up a gear, then throttle back to let the gear engage. My wife's untechnical view on driving it was "it's as if something is tight and need's loosening up".
The obvious thing to do is take it back to the garage but as it is very subjective and not having a definite fault, it's difficult not to look foolish in front of smart-ass mechanics. Anyone had similar experiences and know what I'm rambling about? Any thoughts as to what is happening and should I just wait for it to "loosen up"?
Regards
Ian Dunse
- (#40) Ian Dunse, 12 Mar 01

Hello Ian,
Although I manage this site my mechanical knowledge overall is very basic, let alone my knowledge of these vans. I bought my van about 600 miles after an engine rebuild and one thing that made me suspicious of the job was a slight rumbling that occurred, and still occurs, when I change gear.
My initial reaction was that something was bedding itself in but then I thought that this might be something to do with the TEMS that's on my van. My final theory, that I have since convinced myself of, is some form of slipping clutch that takes away the surging that can occur when you change gear.
Does anybody else have this noise when changing gear or know what it is. My van drives as well as I expect it to and the noise still occurs after nearly 2 years so it can't be too serious. - (#41) Mark, 12 Mar 01

Ian, sounds like the kickdown cable for the autobox needs adjusted. The factory setting is for the collar on the inner cable to be level with the orange rubber sleeve at full throttle.
In your case, if that looks alright, try adjusting it to pull out farther (1-2mm)
HTH - (#42) David Miller, 12 Mar 01

Mark
Does the noise occur at any other times- like on the overrun, or at idle, with or without the clutch?
Sounde a little like clutch release or pilot bearing...?
HTH - (#43) David Miller, 12 Mar 01

It sounds, from an electricians point of view, like the engine has some load applied to it when I change gear to prevent the revs dropping completely off. It only occurs when changing gear. - (#44) Mark, 13 Mar 01

David
Thanks. That would sound about right. At the risk of seeming completely stupid, whereabouts is this cable, underneath at the side of the gearbox? o/s, n/s ? If only we had a technical manual to consult (sorry Mark, bad joke).
Regards
Ian - (#45) Ian Dunse, 13 Mar 01

Ian
On top of the injection pump- one cable comes over the top of the engine (accelerator), the other goes in line with the engine towards the rear, connected to the same lever. You should see the coloured boot on the cable end. If for some reason the coloured boot isn't there, the ferrule on the cable should be around 40mm, I think.
HTH
David - (#46) David Miller, 13 Mar 01

David
Thanks. Saves me crawling underneath the van. I'll have a go at it tonight and let you know how I get on.
Thanks again
Ian - (#47) Ian Dunse, 13 Mar 01

David
Spent an interesting couple of hours adjusting then road-testing the kickdown cable. To get the setting you recommended required turning the nut over 2 revs anticlockwise thus tightening the cable. This seemed to make the drive slightly worse. So tightened some more and got even worse such that I had to be doing 3.5k rpm to change up gear. Then worked the other way and slackened off the cable - result much better. After much experimenting one would have thought the optimum setting would be when all the slack is just taken out - but no. I've taken it past that such that the cable is slack and I now have a smooth change at last. Don't see how this figures with the standard adjustment recommendation but it works and it's now a pleasure to drive again and I'm very grateful for your help.
Many Thanks
Ian - (#48) Ian Dunse, 14 Mar 01

Ian, that's very interesting. My findings are exactly the same- I have perhaps 5mm of free play in the cable to give me the shifts I want.
If the cable is too slack, you won't get kickdown, BTW Too tight and you'll get downchanges even if you don't want them.
Regards
David - (#49) David Miller, 14 Mar 01

David
Absolutely right. I expect I may need to do some fine tuning but its virtually spot on. What I don't understand is the spec you gave me. To achieve that I would need to put on about 3 complete turns of the screw in the other direction. If the observation had been the opposite then I could have said the cable was stretched but its not so I can't explain it, unless there is a means of adjusting at the gearbox end of the cable? Any way it works, that's the main thing and I haven't had to pay the garage for the privelige.
Regards
Ian - (#50) Ian Dunse, 14 Mar 01

my 92 townace kicks down all too readily hairy when driving on the motorway. how do i adjust it ... i have looked under the gearbox but i cannot find cable, can anyone tell me where and how... or it has been suggested it might be an electronic sensor !! - (#1442) Ron, 19 Nov 01

It's on top of the injection pump, linked to the throttle cable.
Slacken the adjustment off so that the cable is just slack with the engine hot and at idle. - (#1449) David Miller, 20 Nov 01

Hello fellow aceres,
My auto lite ace petrol seems to reach 120kph and any further acceleration ,however slight, changes down a gear. Is this normal or should i get it looked at. i figure a 1800cc petrol engine should be capable of 140kph. i don't actually need or want to go that fast but i would like my care set up properly.

- (#5175) richard, 20 Aug 02

Has the engine been serviced? If it's down on power, you'll need to use more throttle to hold speed. If the engine seems OK, slacken off the adjustment on the kickdown cable- it connects with the throttle cable, and goes to the gearbox. The factory setting is for the mark on the cable to be at the end of the rubber sleeve at full throttle, but we've had better results with the cable slackened so it's just loose at idle...

- (#5176) david miller, 19 Aug 02

Yes, the label "kickdown cable" is misleading. It tells the gearbox the position of lever on the fuel pump operated by the accelerator pedal. The gearbox can respond when you "kick down" but at all other times as well.
For example, I've noticed that you need to adjust this cable if you adjust the settings on the fuel pump - which affects the relationship between the accelerator pedal position and the engine torque.
You can adjust it very quickly with one 14mm open-end spanner, the shorter the better. Having two spanners helps, but don't do the locking nuts up too tight. Make an adjustment of "two flats" = 120 degrees on the nuts and then see how it affects the general performance. You may find you need to adjust further, you may find you've gone the wrong way, but you won't go far wrong!

- (#5177) Dave Mason, 20 Aug 02

dear david miller, i have a problem same with (#966)granty32,1 sept 01. i got liteace model 92. help pls.

- (#5529) gin, 12 Sep 02

eh?

- (#5530) david miller, 12 Sep 02

David
Wanna buy a cheap crystal ball ?

- (#5531) Ian Dunse, 13 Sep 02