Re: Bad OD Solenoid?

Posted by Ross On 2013/5/12 6:14:58

Two things I find over and over again on inoperative or intermittent overdrives:
the first is the contacts that Howard just showed. A few strokes of a point file will have them right. When you test one of those solenoids on the bench you about have to use a known good battery and jumper cables unless you have some bodacious good test leads. Plunger should jump out and stay out.

The second is that the relay on the firewall may click but because of internal resistance will not pass enough current to push the solenoid out. This is happening a lot now that the cars are 60 years old.

My first test is to always to jumper power to the solenoid terminal of the relay. You should hear the solenoid operate. That will tell you if the problem is on the power side or the control side of the system.

I say all that because the solenoids are expensive to replace and are seldom bad beyond those dirty contacts Howard pointed out.