sidhiatt Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 I have just purchased a 1941 Packard 110 business coupe with overdrive , I don't have a owners manual to tell me how to engage it , I have noticed a pull out knob on the bottom of the dash that goes to the overdrive unit , I am guessing that when the knob is pulled out that the unit is engaged , at what speed does it come in to play ? Thanks for any help .FAT40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest imported_48DLX Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 push in and the OD is engaged. Try that-- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 It's engaged when the knob is in. There should also be a small red light somewhere on the instrument panel that turns on when it's time for you to let up on the accellerator pedal. By lifting the pedal, it will automatically go into overdrive no matter which gear you are in. It will kick out of overdrive if you mash the pedal down hard all the way (for passing), but experts will agree that this is not extremely good for the system and shouldn't be done too often. If you are in a situation where you're having to kick it out of overdrive often, you shouldn't be in overdrive in the first place.Once overdrive is engaged, when you let up on the accellerator pedal, you will be freewheeling, so be careful.Hope this helps.Oh... and try not to back up while it's in overdrive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Randy Berger Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 Were early overdrives different than later ones? I took one out of a 53 Clipper and replaced the automatic in a 52 hardtop. When it was in overdrive it didn't freewheel when I let up on the gas. There are a lot of hills in western Pa and perhaps I noticed that going down a long hill in overdrive that the engine was still holding the car back although not nearly as much as when locked out. It also automatically locked out overdrive in reverse. There was a rod that went into the overdrive unit when you shifted into reverse that accom[plished that. Perhaps a lot of improvements from the 40's to the 50's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted April 12, 2006 Share Posted April 12, 2006 I don't know much about postwar cars, but I'd have to believe that the differences you mentioned HAD to be improvements. I'm always forgetting to take mine out of o.d. when I back up. I haven't ruined it yet, but it's probably only a matter of time. And I don't care for the freewheeling bit, either, although I think it was supposed to help give you better gas mileage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sidhiatt Posted April 13, 2006 Author Share Posted April 13, 2006 Thanks for the information on the overdrive question, it is really apprecaiated .FAT40 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
West Peterson Posted April 13, 2006 Share Posted April 13, 2006 I forgot to mention that it will not shift into overdrive when you push in the clutch and shift gears. It will only shift into o.d. when you lift up the gas pedal by itself. So you can wait to put it in o.d. until you are in third gear if you want. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert fuentes Posted March 19, 2019 Share Posted March 19, 2019 NEED THE OVER DRIVE UNIT THAT GOSE UNDER THE DASH Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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