[Healeys] Overdrive Conundrum

Sun Oct 26 06:53:11 MDT 2025

Just to keep the pot boiling.....when I was up at OD Spares talking to Dave
Twigger, I asked him which oil to use in my OD. "20-50", he replied very
firmly. Over here, UK, OD Spares is somewhat regarded in the same light as
AH Spares. Dave's father-in-law worked for Laycock and, when they stopped
manufacturing ODs, he bought all the remaining stock and started up on his
own. (Or something similar...Dave did tell me but ages ago). Anyhow, I'd say
that Dave and son are our leading OD experts. His workshop is surprisingly
small and slightly scruffy but is stuffed with all the right spares, test
beds and spares. Michael, I recall you saying the same.

I have to say that I use 30 or 40 non-detergent, which he says is fine.
After fixing my OD, he put my 30 wt back in perfectly happily. He was
absolutely against Redline and similar products...

Simon

From: Healeys <healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> On Behalf Of Michael Salter
Sent: 25 October 2025 18:42
To: gradea1 at charter.net; Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net>; Healey team
<healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Overdrive Conundrum

Hank, I have never be able to find any recommendation from Laycock De
Normanville which recommend any particular oil for one of their overdrive
units.

I wrote to the company (back in the day when one sent letters through the
mail, many decades ago) and asked what lubricant they recommended and they
replied that the lubricant was specified by the gearbox manufacturer.

This 30 weight non-detergent thing is nothing more than an "old wives tale".

M

  _____  

From: Hank Leach <gradea1 at charter.net <mailto:gradea1 at charter.net> >
Sent: Saturday, October 25, 2025 12:52:20 PM
To: Michael Salter <michael.salter at gmail.com
<mailto:michael.salter at gmail.com> >; Bob Spidell <bspidell at comcast.net
<mailto:bspidell at comcast.net> >; Healey team <healeys at autox.team.net
<mailto:healeys at autox.team.net> >
Subject: RE: Re: [Healeys] Overdrive Conundrum 

The required clearance for the sunwheel is .016-.020" If you swapped out the
bearing there could be a difference from original. Moss and AH Spares sell
the various sized steel washers depending on the reading you get. Typically,
after many miles, that rear bronze washer is cracked or worn and should be
replaced.

The factory(when there was one) recommended to only use 30W Non Detergent
oil as others tended to foam and cause pressure issues. Also to be sure it
is properly topped up- #1-key reason to not work.

Before you tear it down, why not just change the oil as recommended and see
if there is a difference-easiest fix at this point. If not the problem then
it needs to come out and repair. Hank

-------------------- 

From: "Bob Spidell via Healeys" <healeys at autox.team.net
<mailto:healeys at autox.team.net> > 
Reply-To: "Bob Spidell" <bspidell at comcast.net <mailto:bspidell at comcast.net>
> 
To: "Michael Salter" <michael.salter at gmail.com
<mailto:michael.salter at gmail.com> >, "Healeys" <healeys at autox.team.net
<mailto:healeys at autox.team.net> > 
Sent: October 24, 2025 at 9:38 PM PDT 
Subject: Re: [Healeys] Overdrive Conundrum 
Hi Michael,

I rebuilt the gearbox and O/D probably about 7-8 years or so ago. I've
probably put close to 10K miles on it since, but not too many since I moved
to the Central Valley. For the last few years it's been mostly short and day
trips every month or two so, it's been mostly sedentary. A few months ago I
took it out for a spin and noticed the O/D wouldn't engage at first but
would start working normally after maybe 20 minutes of driving. In
subsequent runs it's more not engaging, until a few days ago I'd decided I
would likely have to pull the gearbox and O/D, but had to pull it out to get
it off the QuickJack underneath it and, to my surprise it started to work OK
again after 15-20 miles.

I rebuilt the O/D myself, and I think I did OK except I may not have gotten
the planetary gears depth exactly right; I didn't have a selection of thrust
washers to try so I just put the existing one back in. The only thing I
changed out was the thrust ring bearing, which might have been a different
width. The unit did have a very slight vibration, barely noticeable through
the floorboards but otherwise operated perfectly. Now, when it works, it
seems fine. When I rebuilt the gearbox the rearmost thrust washer was
whacked (see pic), but of course I replaced it (how that could happen and
why the O/D worked is another mystery). I couldn't get the GB and O/D to
mate up so I took them to BCS where David Nock got them together and set the
operating shaft lift. Besides trying a new relay at Tom Monaco's suggestion
I haven't done anything else to it.

Only thing I can guess is maybe the lever that the solenoid lifts to turn
the valve operating cam maybe slips sometimes and not others.

Bob

On 10/24/2025 8:00 PM, Michael Salter wrote:

That does defy logic Bob.

Can you give a little history, has it always been this way or did you change
something? Did the problem develop slowly or over time?

Anything else that may be relevant?

M

  _____  

From: Healeys  <mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net>
<healeys-bounces at autox.team.net> on behalf of Bob Spidell via Healeys
<mailto:healeys at autox.team.net> <healeys at autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, October 24, 2025 8:41:36 PM
To: Healeys  <mailto:healeys at autox.team.net> <healeys at autox.team.net>
Subject: [Healeys] Overdrive Conundrum 

Listers,

I have a problem with my BJ8's overdrive that defies conventional logic: 
The O/D will not engage when the drivetrain is cold, but begins to 
function more-or-less normally as the drivetrain gets fully heated-up 
(15-20m on a warm day). I've checked the functioning of the electricals; 
i.e. when not running I can a) disconnect the coil ground so as not to 
fry the Pertonix Ignitor, b) place the gearbox in 3rd or 4th and c) 
close either, or both, the dash switch and/or the switch on the shift 
knob --they're wired in parallel so either one will engage the O/D, but 
both need to be in off/open condition to disengage--and I can hear the 
solenoid click firmly (this pretty much rules out the switches). I have 
already replaced the scuttle relay to no effect (I have had them get 
flaky). AFAIK, the throttle/'kickdown' switch only comes into play when 
disengaging, and seems to work when the O/D does engage.

My thinking is, if the pump is failed or failing the O/D might work when 
the fluid is cold but cease to function as the fluid heats up and thins 
out (I've used Redline MT-90 successfully for over 100K miles or more; 
it's equivalent to 50wt engine oil). But, the O/D not engaging when cold 
(somewhat) refutes this theory. If the outlet check valve on the pump 
was somehow boogered I would expect either a) cold function only, or b) 
no function at all. Ditto the solenoid; I'd expect it to get flakey when 
hot and it does 'click' reliably (when cold). I can imagine the lever on 
the operating cam slipping, but wouldn't expect that to vary with 
temperature (or to work at all, actually). Actuating shaft lift was 
correctly set at rebuild. I do have a DWM 'uprated' accumulator 
installed, and the O/D engages within 2 seconds when it functions.

Anyone had this condition, or have a theory as to why it behaves this 
way? Next step would be to remove the console and confirm I have good 
oil pressure (but if I do, then what?).

TIA,
Bob
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