727/904-518/46RH Lock Up and Overdrive Switch Kit. (Not made for “RE” transmissions)

$ 110.00

Overdrive Speed ? *

Speed at which OD comes on.

Lock-Up Speed ? *

Speed at which the converter locks up.

SKU: PA 727518, A6x653221 25 to 50 PSI + or - 10 PSI, K058 Categories: , , Tags: , , ,

Description

  # 727518. Use this kit when you’ve replaced your 727 with a 518 transmission for the lock up and overdrive to engage automatically. Or use this kit for your lock up three speed transmissions as well but with only one switch needed.Let’s say you drive an average of 400 highway miles per week, at that rate you could save as much as $1000.00 per year on gas, not to mention the 31% reduction in RPM. Your new 518 will have automatic shifts into overdrive and lock-up, no toggle switch needed. Now with an adjustable vacuum switch option.This is the kit for gas applications or diesels with a vacuum pump. The instructions are at the bottom of this page.
(Not for “RE” transmissions)


((The vacuum switch must be set to 16 inches of vacuum to engage the switches, they do not come with a preset.))

This is how to replace your three-speed transmission with a 1995 back A518 overdrive transmission with a three-wire connector. A 518 transmission has a 31% overdrive and will produce a 30 to 40% increase in gas mileage on the road over a three-speed transmission. Remember overdrive is only 3rd gear high range anyway. There are two wire 518 transmissions out there, these have a non-lock-up torque converter. With this three-wire setup you have a four-speed transmission plus a torque converter lock-up feature. The extra gear is 3rd high range. We’ve been asked this question for years, so I decided to put it down in black and white. What we’re actually going to do here is control the overdrive and torque converter lock-up normally controlled by the computer using one vacuum switch and two oil pressure switches. Instead of using an electronic speed sensor and throttle position sensor we will use a mechanical / hydraulic / electronic speed sensor and a vacuum / electronic throttle position sensor. This will be accomplished with the use of three parts and some trick wiring. The Chevy and Ford guys make the swap to overdrive all the time, it’s time for the Dodge people to have the same option. Let’s say you drive an average of 400 highway miles per week, at that rate you could save as much as $1000.00 per year on gas.


#1. The center wire on the transmission is the hot wire and the two other wires are ground wires for overdrive and the lock-up torque converter. The front wire is the overdrive ground and the rear wire is the torque converter lock-up ground. You can get a three wire female connector from a junk yard or buy one from us.

#2. Run a 12 volt fused wire that turns on and off with the key to the vacuum switch, then to the center wire on the transmission connector. This is a normally open vacuum switch that takes 7 inches or more of vacuum to shift into overdrive and lock-up the torque converter and 3 inches or less of vacuum to down shift and unlock the torque converter. Lets say you’re in overdrive going 54 miles per hour at very light throttle, when you press on the throttle and the vacuum drops below 3 inches the transmission will immediately shift back to 3rd gear low range without lock-up or even a lower gear depending on the throttle position. (There’s a small mistake in the picture. The fuse goes on the battery side of the vacuum switch.)

#3. At the governor pressure tap on the transmission install a tee fitting for two oil pressure switches. Say a 44 PSI oil pressure switch for overdrive and a 52 PSI oil pressure switch for the torque converter lock-up. Or any other combination of switches you may want. At light throttle the transmission will shift into overdrive at 44 MPH and the torque converter will lock-up at 52 MPH. The pressure switches go on the outside of the transmission case in the governor pressure port. It’s located on the right side, at the upper rear of the main transmission case. The figures on the pressure switch will only be correct if you have a stock tire size and rear end ratio.

#4. Run a wire from the front pin on the transmission connector to the 44 PSI oil pressure switch and a second wire from the rear pin on the transmission connector to the 52 PSI oil pressure switch. Now at 52 MPH when you step on the gas the transmission will shift back to third gear and the torque converter will unlock at the same time. It can’t get any easier than this.

NOTE: People make this swap all the time, but I’ve never heard of anyone doing it correctly. They drive down the street flipping a toggle switch on and off at every stop. This setup works automatically.

NOTE: The way governor pressure works is 1 pound of pressure per square inch equals 1 mile per hour unless someone has changed the tire size, or rear end ratio, or governor springs and weights. The vacuum switch acts as a throttle position sensor and the oil pressure switch acts as a speed sensor.

NOTE: Use a lock-up type torque converter if possible, this could get you as much as 5% better gas mileage and the transmission will run much cooler. Running cooler will make the transmission last longer.

NOTE: You can also run the torque converter ground wire through the brake switch if needed.


The #4 tap is the correct one.


Throttle Valve Adjustment

#6. A 518 transmission has a throttle valve cable (pressure cable), it must be hooked up and adjusted correctly. You can get the cable and brackets from a junk yard. If you have a 727 transmission now this linkage may work. The correct adjustment on the T V cable or linkage is minimum throttle pressure at minimum throttle. In other words no slack in the cable at idle and it must start to pull immediately off of idle.

Other Modifications

#7. When going from a 727 transmission to a 518 transmission the driveshaft will need to be cut about 3 and 1/2 inches. The swap may require some driveshaft tunnel modification on some cars. You will have to fabricate a new crossmember using the old crossmember ends because the transmission mount is lower on a 518 transmission than a 727 transmission. The stock Dodge truck mount is very tall. See pictures below. In the 1st picture notice the 518 transmission has a larger tail area. The second picture is the crossmember ends cut off ready to be reused. In the 3rd picture notice the transmission mount area has been lowered.


On the adjustable oil pressure switches the “C” post goes to ground, the “NO” post goes to the solenoid and the “NC” post has no wire.




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The 3 above pictures are a 1970 Dodge Dart Swinger A-Body.

Click Here, if you have a diesel without vacuum.


Additional information

Weight 1 lbs
Dimensions 4 × 4 × 3 in