The only information I have access to is the repair manual and I feel like I'm reading the old testiment of the Bible!  This sun-gear begot that ring gear, and the balk ring gear is internal the output pawl....blah blah blah.  I just want to know how I'm supposed to operate it!

I'm looking more for the information that would in the owner's manual.  Something along the lines of "pull the lever on the dash when you want xyz to happen".

I figured out enough from the repair manual to realize that the overdrive happens automatically? (contrary to my assumption that I had to pull out the dash lever to engage the overdrive).

So how is it suppose to work and how to I know if it is working?

Nate - Madison, Wisconsin

 

56 Ford Customline Sedan

 

Do they have repro owners manual??

54 Victoria 312;  48 Ford Conv 302, 56 Bird 312
Forever Ford
Midland Park, NJ

I'm sure there is, but I'm hoping someone else can just tell me.  Isn't the three-speed manual trans with the overdrive a pretty common transmission?

This is what I gathered from reading the repair manual.

1) just leave the lever on the dash pushed in for normal overdrive operation

2) when you go over 27 mph, the "governor" (I assume in the transmission?) weights pull out and make contact with a ground and complete the circuit that causes the overdrive solenoid to push the pawl against the balk ring, which causes the overdrive to be operational.

3) if you pull the dash lever out you are "locking out" the overdrive (overdrive will not engage)

Can any confirm this operation?

Nate - Madison, Wisconsin

 

56 Ford Customline Sedan

 

That prety much covers it. You probably want to engage or disingage it with the car stoped. You can disingage it with the car moving if you hit the kickdown and shift it out of OD and then pull the handle out. Not sure about engagin OD when it is moving. Memory fails me at the moment.

Thanks Slumlord!  I was looking at the wiring tonight and it looks a little suspect to me.  I don't believe mine is working.  At least the kickdown button doesn't do anything when I floor the throttle at cruising speed.   I think a re-wire is in order on that whole system, anyone know of a good source for the components of the parts for this system?

Nate - Madison, Wisconsin

 

56 Ford Customline Sedan

 

Nate..........To engage the OD,at any speed above 27 MPH,simply lift your foot from the accelerator and it engages.Pushing the pedal all the way to the floor disengages it,into what known as passing gear.After coasting down to below 27 MPH,the car freewheels.The handle on the dash is used to lock out the OD.If you pull it out,no OD and the car doesn't freewheel at low speeds.

Most of the vendors that handle mid-50s Ford parts have at least some of the OD electrical components.

 

Paul,

Boonville,MO

Nate,



Here is a link to the entire owners manual in pdf:



http://www.tocmp.com/manuals/Ford/1956/Owners/index.htm



Attached is pg 12 with OD info.



HTH


Jim
Norfolk, VA

"MABLE"
1956 Thunderbird Green / Brown Interior (ZE-XG)

"MEAN GREEN"
1956 Mainline (FG-BE)

Big6

I had the same sort of not knowing issues when I finally got my O.D.

If you know how your cars engine RPM feels when running in 3rd gear now (O.D. not engauged), thusly when the O.D. is engauged and is functioning the engine RPM will be considerably lower when crusing in 3rd gear.

With the O.D. engauged starting off in 1st gear and shifting into second (above 27MPH) the car should feel at a normal engine RPM range/once you are in 2nd gear-simply let off of the accelerator pedal and the car will then automatically put itself into O.D. in 2nd gear.

This is when you will feel the engine RPM drop due to the O.D. kicking in.

Shift into 3rd normally and you will be in 3rd gear O.D. for hiway crusing.

Mashing the accelerator pedal to the floor when the car in in 3rd gear O.D. (or 2nd) causes the trans to momentarilly drop out of O.D.It feels like you are kicking into passing gear with an automatic trans.

If the O.D. is not functioning your RPM will not drop down and you will have to troubleshoot the system.

Check all of your wiring.My problem was I did not have a full 12 volts at the coil when running (I ran the O.D. circuit thru the ballast resistor). Once I had 12 volts at the coil all was well.

The wiring schemetic is simple.Just check all of the required locations for wiring continuity and voltages.

You could have a stuck solonoid which is easy to clean.

Hope this helps,Oldmics

Thanks Old Mics, that is great info.  I did pull up a wiring schematic and it looked pretty simple.  The wiring looks old and and in not good shape.  There was an underhood fire (float stuck) when my grandpa had it, they caught the fire quickly, but they had to replace some wires so it likely needs to be cleaned up.

You started to answer my next question which is what are the likely culprits?  There aren't many components, the kick-down switch, the solenoid, a relay, and the wires themselves right? 

Can I apply 12 Volts to the solenoid and see if I hear a click to check it?

Is there a way to test the relay?

Nate - Madison, Wisconsin

 

56 Ford Customline Sedan

 

Cool! Thanks Jim

Nate - Madison, Wisconsin

 

56 Ford Customline Sedan