overdrive test run... failure..

[p24-1953]

got it all installed and have a few problems ,

1. the squeal that i asked about in another post

2. the speedo quit working

3. the most important, the overdrive will not engage. I consulted the manual and it says to test the solenoid by grounding out the "a" post of the kick down switch, and it should click twice, but when i do this the solenoid on the fire wall clicks once then the fuse blows. i have checked the wiring diagram and it is all hooked up right. what could cause this? could the solenoid be bad? how do you test it?

[p24-1953]

could it be that i have the selonid connection backwards. how do you know which is the #4 terminal and the #6 terminal

[jd52cranbrook]

If you clean off the solenoid it should say 4 and 6. I would also check your relay wiring.

[jd52cranbrook]

The blue wire is #4

The other is 6

[jd52cranbrook]

Make sure those wires are not touching the solenoid, it has a internal ground, or no ground reference at all.

Edited January 16, 2010 by jd52cranbrook

[p24-1953]

okay im a dumb a$$ i connected the wires to the cover bolts. i know i know.... i will fix it and try in the morning.

thanks for the pictures

[jd52cranbrook]

Your welcome, I have more, but none of the relay I dont think sorry.

[p24-1953]

yep i conected to the bolt on the end. dork dork dork

[greg g]

Well hopefully all that popped was a couple of fuses, and you will have one of those cherished humorous anecdots for the next guy.....

[martybose]

You also need to make sure you are getting full travel on the cable; that's what my problem was. That cable mount doesn't look very strong.

Marty

[jd52cranbrook]

That mount lasted 20,000 miles until I pulled the transmission last week. No kinks, very smooth travel. I never had the nos clamp for it, don't know how one could make it any stronger unless for over kill of which has it's merits I guess, and I see alot on here.

Edited January 16, 2010 by jd52cranbrook

[p24-1953]

okay i think i got it working... when the overdrive is set up and wired the way the factory did it does the overdrive only work in third? i couldn't get it go into overdrive in second. i followed the manual trouble shooting steps and it all tested good. if i ground out the step down switch the solenoid clicks and i hear a "wind up and buzzing sound coming from the bottom of the car" if i ground out the Governor i hear the solenoid click so that tells me the circuit is good. if i ground out the Governor in 2nd while driving it will go in to overdrive. i think it was working properly in 3rd either that or the people on the freeway were driving slower. the speedo isn't working its like the cable is a little long and gets in a bind. so having said all of that does the factory set-up have a overdrive in 2nd.

[greg g]

Should work in 2nd and third giving you the ability to use 5 gear ranges if you'd like.

[p24-1953]

okay, then what could be wrong

[p24-1953]

man im frustrated

[p24-1953]

okay heres what im doing. maybe i'm running it wrong. i have the handle pushed all the way in. i shift into second and run it up till it sound like it reving farily high. (no speedo) then let off the gas completly for a sec or so and then step back on the gas. that should drop me into overdrive correct?

i wished it wasnt raining or i would take it out on the highway and try it in third again

[steveplym]

That should be correct, but pretty sure it has to be going faster than 25mph. I had a hard time getting mine to shift in with second gear. Third gear it worked like a charm.

[p24-1953]

maybe im just not going 25 yet. i dont know, i guess i will know once i get the new speedo cable. i will try third on the highway tommorow

[Young Ed]

The OD speed is almost 30. I think 27-28

[p24-1953]

update...

okay it clearly works on the freeway in 3rd. the difference was amazing . i could not get it to work in second, and i could not get the kick down switch to work, but i have now learned that when you floor my car the carb only opens up about 1/3 of the way and dosent even come close to the kick down switch, so i will correct that. it must be messed up from when i replaced the carb. i wonder if that is why it wouldn't go into second. not enough speed.

[40phil41]

My OD kicks in when I reach 37 mph (according to my speedo which does read high) and then let off on the accel. My kick-down switch only connects when you press the pedal all of the way to the floor.

Phil

[jd52cranbrook]

Glad you got it working, now you can fine tune it.

[Greenbomb]

I think you can 86 the kickdown sw. and replace it with a sw. mounted inside the car, such as on your shift lever, and then you can shift in and out of OD whenever you want. I think...

[steveplym]

Greenbomb is correct. That is how I have my od wired. Mine is wired just like blueskies has his, I bought a normally closed switch at a swap meet and used that rather than the original kickdown switch. It was a bit tougher to press. I think I only use it going up hills, or if I need engine braking. Its mounted under the left side of the dash.

Blueskies has his switch in the shift knob. There are directions on his website on how to do that. Seemed pretty simple.

The difference on the highway at 55 or even 65 is night and day. One of the best mods I did to the car.

[blueskies]

Here's a link to my kickdown switch setup. I like this much better than the factory full-throttle method for several reasons.

I can drop out of overdrive whenever I want, without accelerating WOT. I can split-shift the transmission, five forward speeds. Much better control, imho.

Not sure why yours isn't shifting into OD in 2nd, it should. I'd check the governor, it may not be working correctly. The cut-in speed is about 28 mph, give or take a few. If the governor isn't completing it's circuit until a higher speed, it won't shift into OD in 2nd. If it is working normally in third, I'd suspect the governor.

Do you have the Borg Warner manual that is available in the downloads section of this website? It has a terrific trouble-shooting guide. I found it very handy...

Pete