Forgot to update. I made an error in filing off that 'tab' on the end plate that was blocking the throttle valve. According to the book, (which I missed) you're supposed to push the valve out past the first land then install the plate. It acts as a stop to keep the valve from over travel and prevents it from fulling returning inside the valve body. Amateur mistake.

Luckily, Dad has a couple extra in his parts stash that we can scavenge. I'll be sure to update the thread once corrected and installed for future reference.

In the meantime, Getting the accelerator pedal height correct and having everything in the linkage work as it should is my next hurdle.

If anyone has another threaded rod they could check total length when fully extended, that would help me a ton. Mine measures 5 1/4"


If this is too short and incorrect for a '57 thunderbird, that would explain the issue. If not, looks like I'll end up having to 'tweak' my firewall rod.

Thanks!

Kent — Round Rock, TX
'56 F-100  | '56 Crown Vic  |  '57 Fairlaine 500  |  '57 Thunderbird

What did You need for  the Valve Body?

  

While I'm waiting on my valve body part, I wanted to try to get the linkage set the best possible by the book. I can't get the accelerator pedal height up past 3" and the book calls for 4 7/8" on a '57 thunderbird.

As a consequence of this, when you floor the pedal, you do not get full throttle engagement. When you work the 'grasshopper' under the hood by hand to full throttle, the rod pops out of the back of the accelerator pedal. Obviously there's something wrong here.

I've locked the 'grasshopper' in place with the 1/4" drill bit and the threaded rod that sets the pedal height is extended as long as it will go. 3" is all I can get out of the adjustment.

I went ahead and removed the piece of linkage from the accelerator pedal that goes through the firewall and measured and took a few pics. If anyone has one I can compare mine to, that would be great. Not sure if the curve in it is correct or not — it doesn't appear bent to the naked eye. I don't want to flatten that curve in a vise if it is indeed correct and the problem is elsewhere. Tip to tip is 5 7/8"




Nothing else in the setup looks bent or twisted.
Thanks!

Kent — Round Rock, TX
'56 F-100  | '56 Crown Vic  |  '57 Fairlaine 500  |  '57 Thunderbird

Great work, you nailed it.............


64F100 57FAIRLANE500

my screwup was a 57merc and removed tailshaft and turned the whole asemblyaround,was my1st crack at a auto trans,that worked,found out later could axcess threw the cover,tho in my case just turning govener may not have worked

years ago put my govoner in backwerds, woud not shift into high atall,turned around worked ok. if you do eventualy int high ,it was in corectly 
stickey or gasket incorect

Thanks for the great description and videos Kent!

"FREE SAMPLE"

I did not bend the L bracket. Didn't feel right. Didn't look like that was the actual issue.

After several of y'all pointed out and I initially missed, the back side of the throttle valve was NOT moving freely. It was being stopped by the back cover plate that had a small protrusion just barely covering the edge of the TV bore, thus creating a hard stop on the valve. Pics I viewed in the FOM manual clearly show the TV protruding out the backside of the bore. Mine was not. Apologies on the videos. I accidentally stopped in between showing the issue.




I don't have an explanation on why that back cover plate was interfering with the valve, but I went ahead and filed it down to get the clearance I needed. It only goes on one-way so no way it could've been flipped or put on backwards. Now it operates with MUCH more movement than before. I suspect this will translate into the additional articulation I need to get the linkage set correctly and have full throttle without binding.



I'll be sure and check movement of everything when I reinstall the valve body and before the pan goes back on. If anyone has any additional thoughts or ideas on what I should look at while the pan's off, I'm all ears!

I'll be setting the TV rod using my pressure gauge when it gets to that point. I want to verify this gets me back into the ranges shown in the FOM shop manual.

This has been a great learning experience. I can't thank everyone enough who's chimed in with all the help and suggestions. Very much appreciated! I'll be sure and post my findings.

Kent — Round Rock, TX
'56 F-100  | '56 Crown Vic  |  '57 Fairlaine 500  |  '57 Thunderbird

Ok, got the pan off and took at look at things. Made another video showing the TV linkage against the ‘L’ bracket. It’s obviously putting pressure on the valve at the ‘Rest’ position and limiting travel of the linkage. I think this is the key to the entire problem.



I went ahead and pulled the valve body and disassembled. Everything looks good and all springs are present and accounted for. All pistons move freely.
Would y’all go ahead and bend the ‘L’ bracket back and check for free movement and reassemble? For grins I hooked up the TV rod to the trans with valve body removed and I get full articulation with no binding.
Here’s a closer look at the TV & L stop



I'm concerned that even bending this L won't give me the amount of travel I need without seriously distorting things. Thoughts?

Thanks,

Kent — Round Rock, TX
'56 F-100  | '56 Crown Vic  |  '57 Fairlaine 500  |  '57 Thunderbird

I drove my Ford0 once with the throttle pressure rod off by mistake. The car went thru the gears 2-3 fine but shifted quick, 15 mph. Not knowing it was off I stepped on the gas harder at the next light and it still shifted at 15 again when I knew it should have been higher. That’s when I found it off. Sounds like pressure at low speed has a lot to do with what’s happening. Good luck.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.