Hello list!
Recently, the J-type overdrive on my Spitfire stopped working - it
wouldn't engage. So I checked the Haynes manual which said that the
likely causes are low gearbox oil, faulty wires and faulty solenoid. So
I checked the wires on the switch - and as I took the switch off, all
the wiring fell apart! Ok, I thought, that's the problem. So I
re-wired the switch, and it worked - for about 3 days, then it stopped
again.
I checked the wires in the switch - still good, so I decided to take off
the gearbox tunnel and check out the rest of the wiring. Again, it fell
apart as soon as I touched it. So I sorted all that out, checked the
gearbox oil while I was there (it was fine) and put everything back
together again, expecting the problem to be cured. But it still doesn't
work!
Seems like I might need to replace the solenoid. But solenoids don't
come cheap, and I'd like to know that this is what's wrong before I
cough up the cash.
Does anyone know how to test a solenoid? Is this a really stupid
question - is it obvious whether it's working or not? I have absolutely
no idea, and Haynes does an excellent job of completely avoiding the
issue!
I'd appreciate any advice anyone has!
Cheers,
Dean Dashwood
'77 Spit 1500 (doing 4000rpm on the motorway)
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