Re: [AMC-list] overdrive issues

[Frank Swygert <farna@xxxxxxx>]

It probably could be mounted on an auto trans, but you'd have to run a relay or manual switch to the governor. OD will kick in if you let off the gas at anything over ~30 mph. So it would try to engage at times between 2nd and 3rd right when power was being applied and could blow it. A local old time rodder/racer used to run one behind a hot 312 Ford in a 50 Ford coupe. He tutored me on my first OD, and that was something he told me. He said he got into a couple street races when he'd been... not thinking clearly... and forgot the lock out the OD. Went to slam third and OD was starting/trying to engage at the same time and BOOM under the floor. Kept on with the race as the OD just jammed, but had to take it apart later and was a slower ride home. If you had an over-ride of some sort that would only let it engage in third gear (or a toggle switch on the governor ground) that would be okay. Gear Vendors has a speed sensor on their controller.

The GV unit started life as an AMC OD. The founders of GV bought the remaining stock of Laycock-DeNomanville units (hydraulically activated instead of electric solenoid, but still an electric on/off) and converted them by making adapters. They later got manufacturing rights and made stronger ones. 

I've seen a divorced mounted BW OD. Pull the output from the trans it's on and cut it off, leaving a stub shaft out the front of the adapter, and make a plate to cover the front. The only hard part is mounting a seal. The one I saw just had a steel ring welded to a flat cover plate, the ring cut from a piece of tubing the right ID for the OD of the seal. Then you just have to spline or use some other method to connect that shaft to the output of the trans. All I remember is this guy had a short driveshaft with one universal connecting the two, don't recall if the shaft into the OD unit was splined, pinned, or what. The OD normally shares oil with the trans in front, but the cover plate fixes that. 

I've never pulled a manual trans apart that was rusted or pitted inside, not that was still attached to a car anyway. Have seen some that sat in the open off the car and got water in them. Even those are pretty resistant to internal rust due to all the oil slinging around for years, but have seen some of those rusted inside (heck, more rear axles!). It's not a bad idea to pull the cover off and inspect the planetary gearset though. It could have a nicked drum gear or loose planetaries. I've only seen an OD bad due to wear or a nicked gear. Or broken planetary shafts, of course! 

A plain old rubber band is fine... no further comments!! 

------------
Date: Mon, 22 Jun 2009 22:39:43 +0000 (UTC)
From: Wrambler <wrambler242@xxxxxxxxxxx>

This reminds me, I sure would like to see what it would take to adapter kit one to a T-400!
I would think given a starting point of a 4x4 T400 one could be adapted for a lot less green than a gear vendors!

Of course, there is also the fact that you could do a  mid driveline mount...

As for Daves, I'm betting money when he gets that apart he will find one planetary or a couple of rollers that were straight up while that car sat have rusted and pitted. Now they are in the process of falling apart!

Dave, I'd recomend you look at the other unit you have BEFORE swapping it in. It may have the same condition having sat since it was rebuilt!

For a roller retainer IIRC, Tom used a band off a condom, new or used? That I don't know and I'm not asking... :-O

--
Frank Swygert
Publisher, "American Motors Cars" 
Magazine (AMC)
For all AMC enthusiasts
http://farna.home.att.net/AMC.html
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