Peeeot......I will take the car out tomorrow to verify that there is engine braking under 20 MPH as opposed to freewheeling (which I assume I should have if the OD was working correctly).  As to clutchless upshifting, I did not know that this was possible with a working OD so I never tried it.  I would be reluctant to try it as couldn't I end up damaging a gear if it didn't work?  Right now, at least the 1-3 gears work flawlessly and I don't want to mess that up.  This '54 Ford police car that I am currently working on is not my only car equipped with an OD.  I also have a '54 Mercury convertible with the 3 speed OD that I restored and the OD in that car has always worked flawlessly.  When I get up to about 55-60 MPH and back off of the gas, I can feel the Mercury shift into OD and the engine RPM's are reduced.  The police car has never done this.  I get it up to 60 MPH on a straight away and the engine is really revving.  I back off momentarily, and then hit the gas again but the engine is still revving just the same as before I backed off so it feels like the OD did not engage.  Needless to say, I am getting real frustrated with this problem.

Very interesting! So, previously you indicated that you had engine braking below 21MPH. How confident are you that that is the case? Similarly, what tells you that your overdrive is not engaging on the road? Are you able to execute clutchless upshifts? At what speed do you typically shift from 2nd to 3rd? Just trying to get a clearer picture of what you are experiencing.

1954 Crestline Victoria 312 4-bbl, 3-speed overdrive

Peeeot....No tachometer, but I parked the car on a slight downward incline with the engine off, put it in first gear, released the emergency brake and the car rolled forward.  Same result in second and third gears.  Only in reverse did the car not roll.  Now I am totally confused!  Thanks again for all of your help.  Alan

Alan, it definitely sounds like the controls are working like they should.

Do you have a tachometer installed? Regarding freewheeling, I just want to clarify that if you are looking at a tach, when you are freewheeling the tach will drop to idle rpms as soon as you let off the accelerator. If this does not occur (as you have otherwise stated) when the overdrive shift lever is all the way back then there is a mechanical problem. Similarly, if you park the car in any gear other than reverse, without setting the parking brake, and the car holds its position as you would expect with a normal manual transmission, then there is a mechanical problem.

1954 Crestline Victoria 312 4-bbl, 3-speed overdrive

Peeeot....I did one final test to confirm that all of the electrical components i.e. relay, governor and solenoid are working correctly.  I hooked up a wire from the solenoid terminal on the relay into the car with a test lamp on the end of the wire.  I grounded the bulb socket and took the car for a test drive and the light came on right at 27 MPH.  I also heard the solenoid click when the light came on.  Do you agree that this pretty much proves that my problem is not electrical but instead mechanical inside the overdrive?

Pintoplumber....you may be right but anyway you look at my problem this transmission is going to have to come out.

Here’s a possibility, if your sun and planetary gears are chewed up, your overdrive won’t work. It will be just a 3 speed transmission. No freewheeling.My overdrive section ran low or out of oil and chewed up the gears. Had to get a new gear section off eBay.

  Dennis in Lititz PA

The passage of a lot of years makes things a bit fuzzy. But when I was 17 I disassembled a T-85 R-11 unit to put a new first gear in, the original was chipped pretty good. I took the overdrive apart, checked everything, and managed to get it back together just following a (probably Motors) manual. The only trick I remember was from an old mechanic to “use a rubber band to hold the neddle bearings in, when you drive it it will break and not hurt anything”. I drove it for years with the only problem being a burned out solenoid years later. I’d tear one apart again. But mine was all working right when I started. Makes it easier than diagnosing a problem.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ

Miker, I’m not 100% on that explanation. The thing I’m not clear about is how it is possible for folks with a switch-activated overdrive to lock their drivetrain as described earlier in the thread. If the sun gear engages the planet carrier locking teeth and the pawl engages the sun gear control plate, that would lock the whole drivetrain just like shifting into park—but in order for it to happen, the shift rail would have to be able to move rearward with the pawl extended, contrary to my earlier explanation. Maybe someone else knows for sure.

1954 Crestline Victoria 312 4-bbl, 3-speed overdrive

peeeot, thanks. I knew the lock out was there, but never really understand how it worked. Got it now.

miker
55 bird, 32 cabrio F code
Kent, WA
Tucson, AZ