12 Volts and R10 OverDrive

[hkestes41]

I am getting ready to replace current engine / trans in my 48 coupe with one from a 53 with an R10 Overdrive.

My coupe had been converted to 12 volts when I bought it. So, my question is do I need to replace the solenoids on the overdrive with 12 volt units or can I use a voltage regulator and the current 6 volt solenoids?

If I can use a voltage regulator what do I need to look for? If I need to get new solenoids where do I get them and how much are they going to cost me?

Obviously electrical is not my strong point.

[martybose]

I am getting ready to replace current engine / trans in my 48 coupe with one from a 53 with an R10 Overdrive.

My coupe had been converted to 12 volts when I bought it. So, my question is do I need to replace the solenoids on the overdrive with 12 volt units or can I use a voltage regulator and the current 6 volt solenoids?

If I can use a voltage regulator what do I need to look for? If I need to get new solenoids where do I get them and how much are they going to cost me?

Obviously electrical is not my strong point.

Well, you won't be able to use a 12V to 6V converter, because the amperage requirements are way higher than any rational convertor can handle, plus there is actually two separate OD requirements; one for shifting, another lower amperage for holding. 5th Ave. Garage tried for a couple of years to make a 12V->6V converter just for this application, and gave up.

I've read several versions about whether 12V OD components can be installed on a 6V OD, but most people say no due to shaft length differences. I know 5th Avenue now rewinds 6V solenoids to 12V configuration, but the last time I checked it was $75 and a 8 week backlog.

At least a number of people have come up with 12V relays to replace the rare 6V originals; the kickdown switch and governors don't care about voltage.

Marty, patiently researching how to hook up my OD in a 12V car ..........

[Young Ed]

Our own Pete Blueskies has converted his R10 to 12v. I believe he just bought a 12v solenoid which would have come from a 56 model and the rest fell into place.

[blueskies]

As Ed mentioned, I'm running 12v with my R10 OD. I bought a 12 solenoid ($75) and a 12 relay ($85) from Neil Riddle (seaplym@hotmail.com).

The later model cars that used these overdrives were 12v, and the parts are interchangable.

Pete

[norrism1]

You could use a 12 v battery with the 6 v center tap and still keep everything simple. Could work, would do you say guys?

[builtfercomfort]

Once I saw an old pickup with two 6-volt batteries - ran the starter with 12 volts, he'd put in a new radio 12 volts, everything else was original 6 volts including generator. Need good power diodes and a hellishly big starter relay to make it work, generator has to charge both batteries.

Center tap - sure but who has a wet-cell battery these days? Don't you have to do it yourself, potentially leaking sulfuric acid? Or maybe I don't understand the process?

Anyone try a power transformer to convert 12v to 6v? Normal stuff for cars just uses resistors, bleeding off excess energy as heat. You would think that you might be able to find a surplus DC-DC power transformer that would have enough amps to handle a relay or two.

[clay diggs]

Anyone with a R10 ever use just a cable for the overdrive and on/off switch for the soleniod?

[Robin (UK)]

Yes Clay,

I have my R10 hooked up with single wire activation.

It works great, and there's less to go wrong.

Especially with the British weather, as under-car electrical connections don't like the salt and rain.

Also, no need to kick down and stress the engine with high revs.

Just by 0.02 worth.

[Suddensix]

I've been running my 6 volt R10 on 12 volt for 2 years and have had no problems. It works great wiring doesn't get hot just doesn't seem to matter. Having said that the motor and trans are coming out this winter for a freshen-up and at that time I will replace the solenoid with a 12 volt unit and probably the starter also which is still 6 volt. Cheers Gary

[Normspeed]

Robin, is the governor still in the circuit or did you bypass it? I'd be interested to hear more about it. My 53 has all the factory components working ok but there's always room for improvement.

Yes Clay,

I have my R10 hooked up with single wire activation.

It works great, and there's less to go wrong.

Especially with the British weather, as under-car electrical connections don't like the salt and rain.

Also, no need to kick down and stress the engine with high revs.

Just by 0.02 worth.

[james curl]

If you bypass the governor when you stop you will take off in low overdrive. That is how I have the overdrive in my pick up wired. You have to turn it off when you stop every time before you start again. With a 3.9:1 rearend first overdrive is the same as starting in low with a 2.73:1 rear gear.

[blueskies]

My 53 has all the factory components working ok but there's always room for improvement.

I would argue the notion that the factory wiring setup is the best setup. Aside from the need to find or purchase all of the electric components, it is a very simple system.

Wired as such, the overdrive works on it's own. There is no need to remember to flip a switch, or when to flip the switch. No starting out in the wrong gear, etc.

Most of the folks I have talked to about the wiring that have had it wired with a "simplified" method, have done so because the factory wiring seemed "to hard to figure out", or because they didn't want to spend the $ for the relay or governor that had gone bad.

This is the best wiring diagram I have found:

George Asche uses the same wiring for his overdrives, with the addition of some sort of over-ride switch that seems to turn the system off. Not sure what the need for this switch is in his setup, because the lockout cable does the same thing by pushing the reverse lockout switch.

I gave GTK a PDF copy of a Borg Warner OD manual to put in the download section of this site, that has a great troubleshooting guide that, by process of elimination, will tell you what part of the system is not working as it should, if that ever happens.

For the little extra effort to run a couple more wires and install the rest of the electrics, it is well worth it. Anyone can drive the car without any special knowledge, and it all happens automatically and effortlessly.

Pete