Overdrive delay

[Ken Young]

When I select overdrive in my GT6 under engine load, it can take up to 2 or 3 seconds before it engages. When it does go, in it happens immediately. At lower load or speed, it pops in almost straight away. Is this normal or is it a sign of something wearing out? Thanks. Ken

[Jonny-Jimbo]

Easiest check is low oil level, or old oil.

I had a similar issue on my Vitesse. The oil was low, and not all that good, so I drained it out and then put fresh in, and it sorted it out well, although it may have been masking wear elsewhere in the box.

It's the cheapest and easiest thing to try.

[Velocita Rosso]

One of the failings of bolting on an overdrive to a gear box.....there is a step(the casting joint)
A general tip is, when filling a gear box, dont sit on flat ground as when your oil change/fill/top up is being done and the oil begins to dribble out (" ah that must be full!") showing a the possibility of gearbox full scenario.
If you lift /tilt the car so the front end is higher,  when your new oil is going in, it flows over the step joint and then allows the oil to enter the overdrive and hence the o/d pump and giving full operation and then having substantially more oil in the box/o.drive  

[Basil Fawlty]

Check the wiring to the solenoid
Could be a slightly high resistance joint, same symptoms

Also I had a switch recently on a friends spit that was full of
fur and dust (gearchange switch)
When you switched to the on position it had a random delay
as you describe
Ultrasonic bathed it and then relubed with electrical lube
The crap that was washed out of it was unbelievable
Beware these so called Lucas new switches as the quality is
worse than an old one full of fur!!

Baz

[RobPearce]

If the delay is only there under load, I'd suspect poor hydraulic pressure or clogged arteries. The clutch may be taking its time to properly engage. On overrun or coast, the light pressure is enough to balance the speeds and it feels like the O/D has gone in before it's ready for full power. When engaging under load the clutch continues to slip - and the car is being driven on the unidirectional roller clutch - until the pressure is fully up. I'd expect the final engagement to feel soft, though, rather than fast.

As Baz says, bad electrical contacts can result in delayed operation - indeed Tessa suffers from that at the moment, albeit usually only the first time of a given journey - but I can't see a good reason for that to only apply under load.

[RedRooster]

Try spraying thin oil at the solenoid shaft, had one before that was sticky & a bit of lube cured it.

[nang]

If it is a J type I'd suspect the solenoid sticking, it happened to me. Otherwise I don't know.
Tony.

[markcro]

Where is the solenoid shaft located? Can you spray it by crawling under the car easily?

[markcro]

Where is the solenoid shaft located? Can you spray it by crawling under the car easily?

[RedRooster]

Yes you can if you use a long tube on the tin of spray oil, its on the RH side just forward of the gear stick.