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Hi, I'm currently adding an overdrive indicator light to my dashboard and wondered where I connect it to. I believe the positive ground wire goes to the overdrive relay (but which connection?) As in the photo there is one connector on the relay that is clearly stamped 6 V - but I thought I would ask on the Forum to make sure before I start connecting things up. I assume the ground wire would connect anywhere on the car .........or would it have to connect to the other side of the "Y" shape connector coming out of the Overdrive Relay? Your help will be much appreciated!!!

Steve

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There was no indicator light used on the R11. Unlike the R9, the R11 relied on the operator knowing when the speed was correct and he could then engage OD.

You could add a light either in parallel with the relay coil or the solenoid coil so you would know when the governor has closed and the relay has operated to power the solenoid. That would give an indication OD could engage but the problem with trying to add a light to an R11 is unlike the R9 solenoid, there is no extra contacts in the R11 solenoid to disconnect the light when the solenoid has completely shifted and car is in OD. The solenoids are not interchangeable and without some way to turn the light off when the solenoid has made it's movement it will remain on even when in OD.

Howard, I have a very pretty 1/2" blue jewel led light under the dash that I don't mind being on whenever the overdrive is engaged. Personally it gives me a good feeling to see it lighting up and knowing everything is working as it should be. I should mention this R11 set-up is in a 1939 Super 8, but maybe I'll get more hits if I posted this in the postwar Forums as this R11 transmission is from a 1949 model Packard.

As long as you don't mind the light staying on the easiest way would be to add using install 1 location. Power is from the relay output to solenoid terminal. This is how the R9 did it except instead of the other side of lamp directly connecting to ground it went to a set of contacts in the R9 solenoid that opened when the solenoid pawl was fully engaged.

Install 2 works the same way except the light is parallel to the relay coil.

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I connected a light after the Overdrive Relay that I installed. My light would come on when I would get up to speed, then I would let up on the gas and the overdrive would kick in.
Also seepackardinfo.com/xoops/html/modules/newbb ... act&order=ASC&type=&mode=0&start=10
Wes

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Well I attached a wire to the tab just below the other tab marked 6V and the light turns on, but only when I hit 28 miles per hour. It's like a shift indicator light telling you when to shift, where I really wanted it to light up when the solenoid was engaged.

Steve

If you have installed per the drawings above, the light is telling you when the solenoid is powered and able to engage OD just as it does in the R9. Your governor is apparently coming in at 28 mph which is a tad higher than the usual of around 20-22 mph but the actual engagement speed is dependent on several other factors so not an absolute.

The solenoid just being powered is not quite enough to completely engage OD. When the solenoid gets power it can only move so far because there is a mechanical part of the mechanism blocking the pawl the solenoid is trying to push from moving more than a fraction of an inch. When it comes on the light is an indication that you can now release the accelerator to lower engine speed. The slowdown of the engine while the rear wheels are still going the same speed lets part of the OD mechanism move backwards a tiny bit to line up the OD gears and unblock the pawl which the solenoid is trying to move inward.

Once the gears are in line and blocking mechanism is out of the way the solenoid engages fully and you are in OD as soon as you push the accelerator and resume speed again. On the R9 when the solenoid is fully extended and car is in OD a set of contacts in the solenoid open to disable the light but in the R11 there are no other contacts so the light will stay on as long as the solenoid has power.

Light will go out for a few moments when you engage kickdown such as when passing a car. The sequence there is the kickdown switch opens the circuit from the governor which drops the relay and kills power to the solenoid. Ign cutout makes engine miss a few milliseconds to release torque so OD can drop out. As soon as you pass and then release the accelerator enough that the kickdown switch closes again the relay powers the solenoid and light will come on again since you are still above the 28 mph. The rest of the kickdown end is just a matter of the solenoid re engaging the pawl. The mechanical will work similar to before. The light will still remain on as long as the solenoid has power.

Actually, now that I'm driving it more I see that the indicator light goes on when I hit 22-24 mph. I still wish the light went on at the same time the solenoid engaged but I suppose beggars can't be too choosey. Oh and I did the "Install 1" on the diagram. Thanks all for your help in this matter!

Steve