Hi Bruce,
They do have a lockout, in that the 3/4 gear switch is supposed to keep
the OD from operating in other gears. The trouble seems to arise when
the solenoid gets stuck, thus keeping the unit engaged. Frankly, I don't
know how one would know that, either, except that rpm would be noticeably
lower in 3 or 4. I don't think you would notice in 1 or 2.
One of our club members rebuilt a thrashed engine and installed an OD
at the same time. He drove for a month with the OD stuck in OD before he
figured it out. Nothing broke, but I understand that he was just lucky.
He didn't notice, he said, because he wasn't planning to use the OD
during the break-in period, and engine had so much more power that the
car performed better even in OD than it had before.
I have rigged an indicator light in the wiring. I know when the OD
circuit is energised, but not that the solenoid has disengaged. Another
reason, perhaps, to use 20/50, or even synthetic oils, in the OD, so as
to minimise any hanging up from overly high viscosity.
Bob
On Sun, 20 Dec 1998 20:43:46 EST BDurgin1@aol.com writes:
>I was under the impression that the OD units had a "lock-out" that
>prevented
>them from engaging at all in reverse.
>
>I'm copying the group, Dave, because I'm wondering about what you
>heard!
>
>Bruce Durgin
>64 B (Laycock unit for the 3 synchro)
>
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