Bloody D-type Overdrive...

[G.in_Lux]

Right I'm hoping to draw on you fine peoples expertise  ;)

Right, as you probably imagine, it has stopped engaging recently.

The relay goes clock - clunk when I move the lever down and up.
There is 11.5 volts to the yellow and er... can't remember cable on the relay, 0.4v? on the brown and not much on the others when the switch is engaged.

What other checks could/should I do? I suspect the appalling wiring as I have to tweak the wiring every so often to keep my lights lighted...
but it could be anything...
too much/not enough oil?
crap solenoid?
a hidden BL badge?
too much oil and muck on the outside of the gearbox?

[Straight Six]

Where the solenoid is screwed to the g'box there is a rectangular plate held on with four screws. Remove this to expose the operating lever. Operate the overdrive switch and check that the lever is moving back far enough.

A hole in the operating lever should line up with a similar size drilling in the gearbox casing when the solenoid is operated and the lever is correctly adjusted. If these holes do not line up adjust the nut on the end of the operating arm.

Hope that makes sense, if not it's all in Haynes.

[G.in_Lux]

Oh, is that all?

I'll have a look. Ta Straight Six :)

[Richard B]

Also check the gearbox oil level.

[G.in_Lux]

incidentally...

The gearbox and OD use the same oil? I can't find where one would fill the Overdrive, so I assumed it was lumped in with the gearbox...
and is it possible to overfill the gearbox? Third gear whirrs a bit, but that could be down to wear...

I've never done this sort of thing before... not much oil or many hyphoid gears in typography  ;D

[Richard B]

Same oil, common filler. There is a Square Taper Plug on the side of the gearbox. accessible when the transmission tunnel cover is off. Park on level ground and fill through this until oil is level with the bottom of the filler hole.

EP90 or EP75w/80 (GL4 Specification)

[G.in_Lux]

Righty ho.

I have the oil (pretty hard to find over here, so i got some Total...)

I gather this taper is on the right hand side of the gearbox...

[Richard B]

yep about half way up the side of the gearbox casing.

Quote:

too much oil and muck on the outside of the gearbox?

This suggests you have an oil leak? Either the breather or an oil seal.

[G.in_Lux]

Just put the car on axle stands... The car has (nearly) stopped soiling the garage floor since I took off the "breather" (suffocator?) arrangement.
That said there's a lot of muck under the engine, bellhousing, gearbox, and even the diff (which doesn't have a number stamped on it... strange)

I reckon I'll have to clean it up, drive around a bit and stick it back on the stands to see where the leak is coming from.

So... a set of a million gaskets, a chip buttie and a coke please :p

What's the betting I drain the oil and get 5cc in all?

Anyone know of a good "get's oil off of everything" product?

Maybe I should move back to the UK for six months to be near the retailers :)

Thanks loads Mr. B

[Richard B]

Job is done inside the car on ground level. I'm not sure if you can access the filler from underneath.

Some people cut holes in the cardboard transmission tunnel. You should not need axle stands.

[G.in_Lux]

Yep, I gathered, But I want to clean it up a bit down there, and I can't fit under the car without the stands, despite the fact that I appear emaciated (it must be my big head getting in the way) :))

[Pete Lewis]

If the cars up on stands or whatever and level you can fill from underneath but need nimble fingers to get the squeeze bottle pipe into the level filler,
for cleaning I use Jizer  spray  or bush on ,it washes of with water and dosnt  smell
any paint brush cleaner is similar, or a can of brake cleaner which disolves oily crud but needs ventilation or you get a bit high on the fumes .
over here there are a lot of aerosol engine degreasers on sale from motor factors
   dont get it on your chip butty   Peter

[G.in_Lux]

lovely Pete :)

I'll see what I can get... I'm not keen on ventilation at the mo, it was -7°C when I set off this morning...

[Pete Lewis]

take a deep breath of brake cleaner you wont care about the -7c   Peter

[G.in_Lux]

Bloody hell!

Can't get that square plug off! Grrrrr!!!

Well, the operating lever isn't budging... and obviously one of the bolts fell into the gunge in the billionth of an inch space underneath... it that the (gungy) wire on the (gungy) solenoid that should have 30 amps or whatever? or is i just a good old 12v live when engaged?

[Nick Jones]

They seem to come off easier with the gearbox warm.........  really you need a proper square key that you can swing on without fear of breaking!

Overdrive solenoid should just have 12v supply to it when (supposed to be) engaged.

Note that the D type solenoid has two windings, one high power one to pull it in and a lower power holding coil.  This is one reason why the adjustment is important on these as if it doesn't move far enough to engage the holding coil the high power one will run hot and eventually burn out.

From your original description it sounds like you have a wiring problem - very common!

Nick

[G.in_Lux]

Now this is interesting...

Managed to get the bolt off with a clamp, spanner and a good chunck of my 70 kilos... and poured A WHOLE LITRE of oil in!

Something tell me this car has not been looked after much.

Anyway... flicked the switch, nothing moves. But! The end of the solenoid lights up for about a second.

Dead solenoid and bye bye 70 quid?

(not that I can get my fingers to the thing... the space is non existent!)

***edit***

Incidentally, is there any give on the gearbox if I undo the bolts to the propshaft?
I reckon that in it's current position, the bottom solenoid bolt is totally inacessible...

[G.in_Lux]

Apologies all round.

I had a major blonde moment :)

Brown wire to ignition and it's up and running again.