Atwell,
First here is how the switch is constructed. A Plastic housing that has
two L shaped pieces of metal in them (these are what your wires connect
to). Then there is a tin cap for the housing and a plastic slide (the part
you see) that snaps into the cap. The cap pushes a spring that has a
plastic fitting on the other end, this plastic fitting pushes a metal
barrel roller into the two L shaped metal pieces and voila, you have a
connection.
To fix the O/D switch I removed it from the shifter and unscrewed the
switch from the cap. The top of the switch is held together by two rivets.
To remove them drill them out from the bottom. Once the top is removed
you will have to pop the sliding part of the switch out from the tin top
casing. Make sure you don't loose any of the parts. Now with long nose
pliers pull out the two metal L pieces (they are hard at first but they
will come). Your switch is now disassembled. If you want to get real
fancy use some phosphoric acid, or you can use sandpaper like I did and
clean up the barrel roller and the two L pieces. Clean out the housing
from any goo or anything else that will keep it from moving freely. I then
reassembled the switch using dielectric grease for lubrication and to
protect from the elements. The only hard part of reassembling is replacing
those two rivets. What I did was I took the tin cap and some very small
machine screws I got from Radio Shack (I drilled the holes a little bit
larger) and screwed it on. After that you snap on the plastic slide, the
screws sit a bit taller than the rivets did and they will probably hit the
slide. Easy fix bend the tin just a little bit.
Sorry this took so long to type out. It really is quite easy. The two
objectives that this accomplishes is it improves the electrical contacts
and it lets the barrel roller move freely (probably both major reasons of
failure). Once you take this switch apart you will be amazed that VB
charges between $30 and $50 for it.
Patrick Bowen
'79 Spit
At 04:50 PM 8/15/98 -0400, Atwell Haines wrote:
>At 12:32 PM 8/14/98, Bowen, Patrick A wrote:
>>Mike, I have had a problems with my Overdrive, I am not sure exactly what
>>yours is doing. But, my problems were with the O/D switch not the
>>solenoid. I would flip the switch and it would take 1 to 2 seconds to
>>activate. This was due to the design and corrosion on my switch. The
>>switch is a barrel roller that is pushed by a spring into to contacts. If
>>there is too much corrosion or something is not sitting right I will not
>>engage or will take a couple of moments. It is easy to repair. If your
>>interested I will tell you all about it.
>
><snip>
>
>Oh tell us all pleasepleasepleaseplease.......
>
>My OD (79 J-type) is "reluctant" to engage (sometimes) during the first 5
>to 10 miles after a cold start. Is this
>
>1. just because the tranny is cold? (Owners manual sez not to engage
>unless the tranny is warm but sometimes I get anxious.)
>
>2. failing switch as Patrick explains?
>
>3. failng solenoid as Michael reveals?
>
>4. some other problem only the Prince of Darkness can reveal?
>
>This is one of my car's lesser quirks, so I'm more curious than desperate.
>============
>
>Here's another question for the List: Is it worthwhile to declutch when
>engaging/disengaging the O/D? Which pieces are we saving (or hurting) by
>using the clutch, or not?
>
>
>Atwell Haines
>'79 Spitfire FM96062 UO
>(53 HP)
>
>Succasunna, NJ USA
>
>The One Immutable Rule of Automotive Satisfaction:
>"It is more fun to drive a slow car fast than to drive a fast car slow"
>- Cory Farley in Autoweek, 8/17/98
>
>
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