OD Transmission in 40 Ply P-9

[Don St Peter]

I just completed installation of a George A. OD in my 40 Ply and all has gone well except my ability to get the thing into reverse so I can do a test drive. I'm sure it's a linkage adjustment problem. I have always had a hard time adjusting the shifter at the steering column but have been able to fumble around and finally get all gears ----- except this time. I have just spent a frustrating 3 hours trying to get the reverse position. Since I don't understand how the mechanism works and have been unable to find an adjustment procedure or discription, this has become the main problem for me.

Can someone that has been there help me out!

Thanks in Advance

Don

[Rodney Bullock]

First off do you have the cable or rod set-up. If it's cable then you must adjust the cable at the trans, When I first started working on my p-9 it would not go in reverse all the time , I kept having to retry it. I found that mine had a cable and if the cable was loose it will not go, there is an adjustment on the trans, if your floor is out move the shifter and youca n follow the cable to the end and there is where your adjustment is, also if you have misalighned your trans you could have taken up slack that is for the cable and it will not go into reverse. That is if the trans is not level. If you have the rod system what I have said is of no use for you. 1940-41 Plymouths some had cable some did not.

[james curl]

The transmission has a lock out so that you can not put the car in reverse when the overdrive is activated, check to see that the solenoid is not engaged. I have the overdrive on my 55 Chev pick up operated with a toggle switch and it must be in the off position to go into reverse. I am not wired through the governor so that anytime the power is on the solenoid is engaged.

[Don St Peter]

Thanks for the post. My shifter hook-up is of the rod type and not the cable. My system is wired through the governor so I would assume the lock out feature is not engaged when sitting there, but you make a good point. I can not get a hold of George to discuss my situation and the features. I am still assuming it's a rigging problem.

Thanks

Don

[martybose]

The transmission has a lock out so that you can not put the car in reverse when the overdrive is activated, check to see that the solenoid is not engaged. I have the overdrive on my 55 Chev pick up operated with a toggle switch and it must be in the off position to go into reverse. I am not wired through the governor so that anytime the power is on the solenoid is engaged.

Actually I thought it worked the other way around. In the transmission that is used with the OD, the internal reverse shifter shaft is longer and has a hole in the back of the trannie case so that when you shift into reverse, it disengages the OD as well.

The mechanical lever on the OD unit is there to prevent the OD unit from activating at all, and has nothing specific to what gear you are in.

Marty

[james curl]

On mine if you wire only the solenoid and have the cable in the overdrive position, and energize the solenoid mine will not go into reverse until you de-energize the solenoil and move foward allowing the solenoid to retract before selecting reverse. When using the governor the solenoid is not activated until a certain RPM is reached, so the solenoid is not in the extended position while sitting still and the transmission can be shifted into reverse.