Author Topic: Orange (kicker) wire help  (Read 156 times)

Offline Mr. Machanic

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Orange (kicker) wire help
« on: March 25, 2024, 12:54:32 PM »
Since day 1 I've noticed this orange wire coming out of the firewall and just dangling on the driver inner fender. It has a factory female blade connector on the end.
I have not been able to find where that end connects to. And there is only about 18" of wire from the firewall.

Inside the cab, the wire meets up with a ground wire and both terminate at the gas pedal kick down switch.
So electrically, the orange wire provides ground to something.
I've been under the cab a few times but can not find where it goes. It's barely long enough to reach the frame, much less go back to the tranny or the carb.

BTW,it has no problem down shifting when gas is given.

Some insight would be helpful.
1978 Big 10 "Bigg'in"
350/350 auto.
Cordova Brown Scottsdale
Zero pollution krap.
Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow

Offline Mr. Machanic

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Re: Orange (kicker) wire help
« Reply #1 on: March 25, 2024, 12:59:26 PM »
In addition, I do recall my dad's 73 Surburban having this switch and if you reached down and pulled it while doing 40 or more, the secondary would open and the tranny would downshift.
But the Surburban had a 455 and towing package as ordered.
1978 Big 10 "Bigg'in"
350/350 auto.
Cordova Brown Scottsdale
Zero pollution krap.
Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow

Offline bd

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Re: Orange (kicker) wire help
« Reply #2 on: March 25, 2024, 06:52:55 PM »
The firewall-mounted transmission detent switch is used on THM 400 transmissions, only.  As installed by the factory, the detent switch receives 12 volt ignition through a brown/white wire from the fusebox and feeds it to the transmission detent solenoid through an orange wire and Packard 56 Series connector.  Either the vehicle originally had a THM 400 and the switch was abandoned or someone added the detent switch for some other purpose.
Rich
It's difficult to know just how much you don't know until you know it.
In other words... if people learn by making mistakes, by now I should know just about everything!!!
87 R10 Silverado Fleetside 355 MPFI 700R4 3.42 Locker (aka Rusty, aka Mater)

Offline Mr. Machanic

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Re: Orange (kicker) wire help
« Reply #3 on: March 25, 2024, 07:01:38 PM »
Interesting, it must of been added after the fact because the spec sheet in the glovebox calls out a 350 auto.
1978 Big 10 "Bigg'in"
350/350 auto.
Cordova Brown Scottsdale
Zero pollution krap.
Suck, Squeeze, Bang, Blow

Offline VileZambonie

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Re: Orange (kicker) wire help
« Reply #4 on: March 27, 2024, 05:12:31 PM »
It sounds like bd is on the money but why not post a pic?
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74 GMC, 75 K5, 84 GMC, 85 K20, 86 k20, 79 K10