The Ford Barn

Ken/Alabama · 07-09-2011, 01:04 PM

I just finished rewiring a 48 Continental for a customer thats equipped with the Borg Warner overdrive. After many hours of trouble shooting this system I found that the piece of spring steel that has a set of contacts on it located in the very top of the solenoid was rusted and broken. After fabricating another one I bench tested it and reinstalled it on the car. The overdrive now works as it should. Question is, when the od cable is IN and starting from a dead stop is it O.K. to be shifting thru the gears without the use of the clutch? I noticed it shifts very easy doing this but I dont want to do any harm to the transmission or overdrive unit.

ford38v8 · 07-09-2011, 01:26 PM

I had a '58 C...y 6 cylinder that would shift smoothly any gear up or down except from a standing start, which would squeek the tires.

jdl · 07-09-2011, 01:41 PM

Yes, It is o.k. !

Mike51Merc · 07-10-2011, 07:42 AM

Yes.

rotorwrench · 07-10-2011, 09:14 AM

The freewheeling unit alows for clutchless shifts if driving on a relatively level surface. FoMoCo recommended to start out in second gear then upshift to 2nd & overdrive for around town driving with relatively flat surface roads. This would keep clutch use for stops only while driving in the city. When you had a car load of people, this practice was not practical.

Kerby

V12Bill · 07-10-2011, 12:08 PM

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Shifting without the clutch is not recommended when over the 27mph or so automatic shift to OD.

Ken/Alabama · 07-10-2011, 01:44 PM

What about a situation where you are going down the hiway and realize the cable is in the out position but you want to go to overdrive, I have read that these should not be shifted while the car is in motion. Also if I understand it correctly if the cable is IN you have no reverse. Im not very familiar with this type overdrive,all my experience has been with the Columbia units.
Thanks

jdl · 07-10-2011, 02:00 PM

If the cable is IN o.d... kick the gas pedal down untill it kicks out of o.d. then pull the cable out, your our now out of o.d. you can push the cable back IN to o.d. while under power, then let off of gas and your back IN o.d.

you should have reverse in or out of o.d. if not you have a problem, most o.d. problems are in the electrical system

40cpe · 07-10-2011, 02:19 PM

The only time that you can't select reverse form a stop is when the transmission is in OD, meaning the soleniod is energized and the OD is engaged. This is either a malfunction of the OD electrical system or you have a manual switch installed.

07-09-2011, 01:04 PM	#1
Ken/Alabama Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,260	48 Continental Overdrive question I just finished rewiring a 48 Continental for a customer thats equipped with the Borg Warner overdrive. After many hours of trouble shooting this system I found that the piece of spring steel that has a set of contacts on it located in the very top of the solenoid was rusted and broken. After fabricating another one I bench tested it and reinstalled it on the car. The overdrive now works as it should. Question is, when the od cable is IN and starting from a dead stop is it O.K. to be shifting thru the gears without the use of the clutch? I noticed it shifts very easy doing this but I dont want to do any harm to the transmission or overdrive unit.

07-09-2011, 01:26 PM	#2
ford38v8 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: SF Bay Area Posts: 6,645	Re: 48 Continental Overdrive question I had a '58 C...y 6 cylinder that would shift smoothly any gear up or down except from a standing start, which would squeek the tires. __________________ Alan

07-09-2011, 01:41 PM	#3
jdl Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: California Central Coast Posts: 931	Re: 48 Continental Overdrive question Yes, It is o.k. !

07-10-2011, 07:42 AM	#4
Mike51Merc Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Northeast Pennsylvania Posts: 1,582	Re: 48 Continental Overdrive question Yes.

07-10-2011, 09:14 AM	#5
rotorwrench Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 16,436	Re: 48 Continental Overdrive question The freewheeling unit alows for clutchless shifts if driving on a relatively level surface. FoMoCo recommended to start out in second gear then upshift to 2nd & overdrive for around town driving with relatively flat surface roads. This would keep clutch use for stops only while driving in the city. When you had a car load of people, this practice was not practical. Kerby

07-10-2011, 12:08 PM	#6
V12Bill Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mt. Holly,NJ Posts: 1,822	Re: 48 Continental Overdrive question Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) Shifting without the clutch is not recommended when over the 27mph or so automatic shift to OD.

07-10-2011, 01:44 PM	#7
Ken/Alabama Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Alabama Posts: 3,260	Re: 48 Continental Overdrive question What about a situation where you are going down the hiway and realize the cable is in the out position but you want to go to overdrive, I have read that these should not be shifted while the car is in motion. Also if I understand it correctly if the cable is IN you have no reverse. Im not very familiar with this type overdrive,all my experience has been with the Columbia units. Thanks

07-10-2011, 02:00 PM	#8
jdl Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: California Central Coast Posts: 931	Re: 48 Continental Overdrive question If the cable is IN o.d... kick the gas pedal down untill it kicks out of o.d. then pull the cable out, your our now out of o.d. you can push the cable back IN to o.d. while under power, then let off of gas and your back IN o.d. you should have reverse in or out of o.d. if not you have a problem, most o.d. problems are in the electrical system

07-10-2011, 02:19 PM	#9
40cpe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Star, MS Posts: 4,024	Re: 48 Continental Overdrive question The only time that you can't select reverse form a stop is when the transmission is in OD, meaning the soleniod is energized and the OD is engaged. This is either a malfunction of the OD electrical system or you have a manual switch installed.