1957 Bird overdrive unit mechanic needed in Pensacola FL

Zoopie

Zoopie

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Anyone know a mechanic that is knowledgeable on the overdrive system in or around Pensacola FL??
 

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Zoopie said:
Anyone know a mechanic that is knowledgeable on the overdrive system in or around Pensacola FL??
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Do you have a local Thunderbird club? That's probably a better resource for you.
 
Zoopie said:
Anyone know a mechanic that is knowledgeable on the overdrive system in or around Pensacola FL??
Click to expand...
I'll be watching as well here. Not sure what our issues are but the OD does not engage
 
Zoopie said:
Anyone know a mechanic that is knowledgeable on the overdrive system in or around Pensacola FL??
Click to expand...


If you do not have a Ford shop manual you should get one. It has a lot of good information in cluding the clutch adjustment procedure. In addition to the linkage adjustment there is a measurement to be taken at 3000 rpm to make sure the through bearing is not "running" or touching during normal driving..
 
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You want to find an old timer that has a repair shop, most overdrives are very similar by design.
What are your simptoms?
 
Zoopie said:
Anyone know a mechanic that is knowledgeable on the overdrive system in or around Pensacola FL??
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I am not on your coast. I see you have a shop manual. Are you a member of a club? A specialty club is usually your best resource. To offer advice the symptoms would help. The BW T-85 overdrive was used in many cars of the 50s and early 60s. I installed overdrive in a car that was not so equipped. I have had some trouble over the years (25) but the transmission is pretty straight forward.
good luck to you, J.
 
The manual has for testing purposes to raise the rear end up and apply movement to the drive train. This always make me nervous with only jack stand and jacks, something I would prefer a lift be utilized with a qualified mechanic. Retired fireman and have seen too many accidents with people under cars. Thanks all!
 
Are you a member of Classic Thunderbirds Clubs International? The roster should help you locate any members near you.
I still don't know what problem you have so I cannot suggest anything.
J.
 
J- not a member but something for me to look into. The OD system was not working, I've replaced the kickdown switch and replaced the wiring harness to the unit. Have not tried any tests as I am putting a corrected intake manifold back on so cars not running. My gut tells me the OD will not work, the person I purchased it from told me it did work (wires were missing so impossible it worked). My intent is to find someone once I get it running and prove to myself indeed it does not work and then get it to a mechanic. I will attempt some of the tests but will not get under the car while powertrain is moving. Thanks- cam
 
CSPIDY said:
You want to find an old timer that has a repair shop, most overdrives are very similar by design.
What are your simptoms?
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On my client's '57 F-Bird, when the lever under the dash is all the way forward (in), the car goes just fine (manual transmission). When the lever is pulled all the way back, it's basically disengaged from everything similar to the transmission being in neutral. Most likely a linkage adjustment problem (in my uneducated opinion).
 
BigGar said:
On my client's '57 F-Bird, when the lever under the dash is all the way forward (in), the car goes just fine (manual transmission). When the lever is pulled all the way back, it's basically disengaged from everything similar to the transmission being in neutral. Most likely a linkage adjustment problem (in my uneducated opinion).
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Actually my mistake. Drove car quite a bit today. Forward gears only engage when sliding lever is all the way out. With lever all the way in, the car will not move forward. I had a guy get under the car and he said that the cable seemed to be moving the lever in its full range down on the transmission as I pushed and pulled the overdrive lever inside the car. I'll do the bench tests on the solenoid and the relay. Hopefully one of those two items is the culprit
 
That's interesting, I've never had the OD working so not actually sure how it works. My thinking was pull it out, the OD gear kicks in much like a 4th gear, push it in reverts back to 3 speed. So you're saying that's not the case?
 
I honestly don't know. I know the lever is all the way out and the driveline engages for forward motion. I'm assuming that means the overdrive is "on". When the lever is in, I have no forward engagement.
 
Jack- you said " The governor can be removed through the cockpit, to test it out of the car." Is there a hole on in the floorboard that gives access to the governor, how does one get to it otherwise?
thanks-
cam
 
Cable T-handle pull in puts transmission into overdrive. Pull the handle out takes transmission out of overdrive.
In means in, Out means out. The governor is a grounding switch. The relay and solenoid can be checked on the bench or in the car. By the way have you checked that the fuse on the relay is not blown? To engage overdrive you must be at a speed above 28 m.p.h., below that speed the transmission reverts to the non-overdrive mode. Let's say you are road testing on the highway and traveling about 50 m.p.h.. momentarily release the throttle pedal. That light unloading of the transmission will allow the transmission to engage the overdrive. The kickdown switch is also essentially a grounding switch. When fully accelerating the kickdown switch behind the pedal is engaged. That then functions to de-energize the solenoid and the car downshifts from 3rd gear overdrive to 3rd gear direct drive. I hope this is helpful.
 
Attached is an article written by Ron Trella that explains the operation of the Borg-Warner manual transmission. This article was published in the latest issue of the Early Bird Magazine.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue
overdrive-manual-transmission-1.jpg
overdrive-manual-transmission-2.jpg
 

Attachments

  • Overdrive Manual Transmission.PDF
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Zoopie said:
Jack- you said " The governor can be removed through the cockpit, to test it out of the car." Is there a hole on in the floorboard that gives access to the governor, how does one get to it otherwise?
thanks-
cam
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Yes. pull the carpet back on the passenger side of the floorboard to expose the inspection plate on the transmission tunnel. Remove the plate and you can access the governor. Most of the time I have found that a problem with the governor is the terminal connection has come undone in some manner. I would check all other parts of the overdrive like the cable pull, solenoid, firewall relay and fuse, possibly the kick-down switch and the associated wirng to the overdrive.
 
Update on Overdrive checks: Relay and solenoid works, kickdown is new so assume that is working. Next is to check governor. One question, where does the OD in/out cable hook into OD transmission?
 
Zoopie said:
Update on Overdrive checks: Relay and solenoid works, kickdown is new so assume that is working. Next is to check governor. One question, where does the OD in/out cable hook into OD transmission?
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the governor is usually not a problem unless the terminal attachment gets messed up. Without the cable attached to the transmission you cannnnot use the overdrive. there are the two shift levers for the 3 speed transmission. Aside from that is a third lever that the push/pull cable attaches to. If you look around online you can find information on the Borg-Warner T-85 overdrive transmission.
 
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