One of those little things...Overdrive Rebuild...OD shift rail.

[James_Douglas]

I am posting this a new thread so folks and find it easy.

 

When installing the extension housing on an OD transmission the books say to have the slot in the shift rail facing to the top of the unit. This can drive you nuts. You do it literally and put the housing on and it does not work. You can go through the entire process and put it into the car and not find out until then it is wrong. Lucky my little voice said something was wrong and I went over it a second, third and fourth time. There are several different ways that the control shaft and lever can go in. Some of them appear to work when in fact they do not. Some just will not work at all and one other way is correct.

 

The problem is the service books tell you, "Turn the shift rail so that the slot is in a direct vertical position."

 

Now I took that to mean the opening is to point up. No. What they mean is the back wall of the machined slit in the round rod is to be perpendicular to the ground. The machined back wall of the slit should not be parallel to the ground. One can conceive of the slot to mean the open end and that should face up, but this would be wrong as I found out.

 

After a couple of days trying every combination of the shift rail, the manual control shaft and the lever...this is a place where one can easily get screwed up.

 

FYI.

 

James

 

 

[Sniper]

As I have no idea what the items you are discussing look like I suspect a picture is worth a thousand words in this case.

[Mark D]

Been there on the three that I’ve rebuilt. Problem is I figure it out and forget what it was that I did before I got on to the next two. ?

[DJ194950]

Too true James,   ?

 

I fought those rails myself, almost pulled what is left of my hair out and still may have screwed it up but It does work even if the direction is backwards?  ?

 

DJ

[James_Douglas]

I do not know...if it is in the other way...

 

The problem is you will not find out until you put the whole thing and try it.

 

A photo is not any good in this instance as you really cannot see it, you have to do it by feel. It also it the working in the book. I can take some photos of the parts apart perhaps that may help.

 

James

[James_Douglas]

Ok, Attached are some photos. Since I have a second one apart, I can show you the relative positions up against the assembled one. James

 

The slot BACK or rectangle needs to be installed so that it is perpendicular to the ground.  The shift lever end must point UP to the top of the case. I have represented the top of the case with a blue line as it is easier to work with it on its side.

 

I also have a shot showing the end of the rod sticking out of the OD adapter housing with the relative position of the cable handle. I hope this helps some future person who is fighting this aspect of the rebuild.

 

In 2006 or so I rebuilt this the last time and I do not remember having any trouble. I must have just gotten lucky the last time as hit it right without even knowing it...

 

James

[rallyace]

I must have been lucky, I did not have any issues with that when I rebuild mine a couple of years ago. My transmission has to come out this spring as I have to replace the gasket between the trans and OD unit.  I will find out soon it it will become an issue for me.