Overdrive Help!

Hi,

My Dad's '41 LC had the 'Warner 2 speed' box checked on the build sheet I have, so it must have had this option when delivered. I had the car in a resto shop in NC where my Dad lived to check it out, and they replaced the 'OD relay/pin and line'. The shop could not get the overdrive to work, for some reason. This is all I know about the overdrive on this car. My Dad is gone, now, so I can't ask him, but I would really like to get the overdrive working again.

I do not seem to have anything connecting the overdrive to the interior. No knob, switch, anything. I understand this is an electrical contraption with, perhaps, a solenoid to engage the gears?

Any help getting me closer to an operating overdrive would be much appreciated. I realize I haven't provided much information, but this is about all I've got.

Anybody have a drawing or shop diagram showing all the bits that make the OD function? This would tell me what I am missing and I might have a chance getting this operating again.

Thanks, in advance.

Scott

I there a knob with an "O" on it under the dash to the left of the steering wheel and next to the hood release cable? This is your manual connection to the overdrive. Without it you can''t engage the overdrive.

I there a knob with an "O" on it under the dash to the left of the steering wheel and next to the hood release cable? This is your manual connection to the overdrive. Without it you can''t engage the overdrive.

John,

The knobs on the dash are labelled 'L', 'D' and 'H', then there is the heater speed control knob. The 'D' knob is attached to a cable that is steel sheathed going through the firewall (I can't see where it goes, but I'll look at this next). Is this the overdrive? If not, there is no knob under the dash next to the hood release pull.

Scott..."L" stands for lights. "D" stands for defroster. "H" stands for heater. These knobs are in the dash. The "D" knob is attached to the defroster manifold unit that is on the firewall. and directs the hot air to the window defroster nozzels. "H" heater knob directs the heated hot air into the cabin. Underneath the dashboard on the lower left side is mounted the hood release cable. Next to it is the "O" overdrive cable to engage and disengage the Borg Warner overdrive unit. The overdrive unit is attached to the rear of the transmission...about 18" in length. If it "ain't" there. you "ain't" got an overdrive in your car. Better check in this before you go any furthur. No Overdrive cable might mean not overdrive tranny. Just a three speed tranny.

Scott..."L" stands for lights. "D" stands for defroster. "H" stands for heater. These knobs are in the dash. The "D" knob is attached to the defroster manifold unit that is on the firewall. and directs the hot air to the window defroster nozzels. "H" heater knob directs the heated hot air into the cabin. Underneath the dashboard on the lower left side is mounted the hood release cable. Next to it is the "O" overdrive cable to engage and disengage the Borg Warner overdrive unit. The overdrive unit is attached to the rear of the transmission...about 18" in length. If it "ain't" there. you "ain't" got an overdrive in your car. Better check in this before you go any furthur. No Overdrive cable might mean not overdrive tranny. Just a three speed tranny.

John,

Would the tranny have the OD relay/pin if it didn't have OD?

S

the defroster / heater panel has 3 knobs..fan, heat and defrost ....the overdrive knob needs to be out, it is the normal

operating position and acts like 5 th gear in a modern stick shift car... the O looks kinda like a D...

there is a governor ...a relay and some wiring ..but it is a good "modern" unit warner made..read about it any any motor manual for theory of operation almost all of these cars had overdrive as the postwar world moved faster!! The very dated prewar design of our

beloved cars needed this to compete

But, mine is pre-war '41 car. Did they all have OD?

Scott...your car on 1941 came with one of three types of transmissions...the standard three position one, or a Borg Warner overdrive transmission, or the old standbyy Columbia overdrive transmission. If you have a Borg Warner overdrive trannsmission you would have an overdrive relay box mounted above and a little to the left of the voltage regulator on the firewall. Not there, no Borg Warner overdrive transmission.

Scott...your car on 1941 came with one of three types of transmissions...the standard three position one, or a Borg Warner overdrive transmission, or the old standbyy Columbia overdrive transmission. If you have a Borg Warner overdrive trannsmission you would have an overdrive relay box mounted above and a little to the left of the voltage regulator on the firewall. Not there, no Borg Warner overdrive transmission.

John,

This car was a builder that had very little on it when found, except the original engine and drivetrain. Bits like the relay box or switches inside had been canablized over the years. The reason I think it's got the OD is the build sheet that Ford sent me based on the engine and body numbers indicates it had the Warner unit.

Scott, still does it have the overdrive relay on the firewall?

Not sure. I took pics of both sides of the firewall but the files are too large to attach here. I'll email them to you.

I've seen where someone got frustrated with electricals and locked the OD out underneath. Get car on secure jack stands, look for extension housing with a governor on the top left rear, a solenoid on the lower left front, and extra fill and drain holes on the right side. Mine also says R10 on the side. Should you find an OD trans, the Ford, Mercury, Lincoln repair manual for through '48 has an electrical diagram.

Abe

I've seen where someone got frustrated with electricals and locked the OD out underneath. Get car on secure jack stands, look for extension housing with a governor on the top left rear, a solenoid on the lower left front, and extra fill and drain holes on the right side. Mine also says R10 on the side. Should you find an OD trans, the Ford, Mercury, Lincoln repair manual for through '48 has an electrical diagram.

Abe

It turns out I have the Warner OD relay under the hood on the firewall. Right of the harness as it comes through the firewall. Big yellow wires going to it. Also, it seems the shop I used replaced the solenoid, not the relay. I have the bit they took off and it looks remarkably like the picture of the solenoid in the Boos catalog. So, now to figure out what I do not have!