Overdrive dead

bobbydamit
bobbydamit Expert Adviser
edited November -1 in HUDSON
I lost the quick fix for OD wiring. Is it just a hot to the solenoid and switch on to od and switch off to free wheel? I just bought this 54 hornet special and the OD was pinned in the IN position. I want to just test it to see if it is electrical or mechanical. Do I pull cable out and power the solenoid?

Comments

  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Generally you push the OD cable IN to engage the OD. A hot wire to terminal 4 of the solenoid should push (or pull as the case me be) the rod to activate the solenoid. I have a '41 Packard with all the relay, kickdown, lockout, governor all bypassed. When I want OD, I flip the ON/OFF switch under the dash.
  • bobbydamit
    bobbydamit Expert Adviser
    Trog wrote:
    Generally you push the OD cable IN to engage the OD. A hot wire to terminal 4 of the solenoid should push (or pull as the case me be) the rod to activate the solenoid. I have a '41 Packard with all the relay, kickdown, lockout, governor all bypassed. When I want OD, I flip the ON/OFF switch under the dash.



    Thanks for the help. The OD sol. has two terminals on it. I assume one is push in and one is pull out and the case is + ground. which one to use is the question.
  • Jon B
    Jon B Administrator
    Mine is an earlier edition of the Hudson overdrive (1940), but its solenoid also has two terminals as yours does.



    One is for attaching the wire which runs to the kickdown switch (when switch is closed, solenoid plunger is activated).



    The other terminal is for a wire to the distributor. When I activate the solenoid (by flooring the accelerator), an internal switch on the solenoid closes, causing this wire to short circuit the distributor so that the engine will 'miss a beat'. This releases pressure on the overdrive gear teeth and enables the solenoid rod to withdraw the pawl from the balk ring -- which enables the transmisson to go out of overdrive and back into conventional third gear, for extra power.



    So, if your solenoid has two terminals, then the other one might be for the distributor wire. Check your shop manual to see.
  • EssexAdv
    EssexAdv Expert Adviser, Member
    A normal problem with OD it trans oil getting into the govonor. This will keep it from kicking in. All you have to do iis remove it, clean it out inside, and make sure the contacts are clean. Hopefully this will help. AND>. only a little bit of oil will foul the contacts. Don't just open it up and look..... clean it while you are there
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