The OD on the '50 Land Cruiser quit working yesterday. Here's what happened. On a 2 lane highway doing about 55-60. Climbed a steep hill. OD cut out as it does on steep inclines. Got to top of hill and the car shuddered for a few seconds like something was going to fall out. Stopped the car on a side road then carefully drove down road. Shifts fine but now no OD. Recently had the clutch replaced. Mechanic adjusted the clutch on Friday since is wasn't shifting quite right (was noisy in reverse). Shifts fine now. Might that have something to do with it? Where do I begin to troubleshoot? Thanks.
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Could be an electrical problem. First place to check is the BUSS fuse on the relay. then check for power and good connections along the wiring harness.Neil Thornton
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The best way is to first establish if the problem is in the transmission or the electrical system.
Remove the wire going to the solenoid and put in a new wire connected to a toggle switch through a fuse to (-) on your battery. (1941-55) (+) 1956-up.
Drive the car and when you get to the speed turn the switch on and take your foot of the gas and see if it shifts into overdrive.
This way you bypass all the complicated electrics!
If it does shift into overdrive the problem is electrical.
Use the tremendous resource available to Studebaker owners and follow the trouble shooting in http://www.studebaker-info.org/rjtechx4.html#OD.
Many owners drained the transmission to change the oil but forget that you need to refill both sections of the overdrive transmission.
If the transmission did not shift into overdrive during your test,send it to the SDC transmission guru Jerry Kurtz
KURTZ, JERRY Transmissions, overdrive units,rearends rebuilt and sold
DOVER PA 717 308 1800
Robert KapteynLast edited by rkapteyn; 04-06-2014, 04:56 AM.Comment
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Another thing to check is the cable. Make sure the lever is all the way back. the cable could be damaged or out of adjustment.Neil Thornton
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The number one cause of an overdrive not working when it just was working is the governor. The seal leaks, the governor fills with oil and the oil fouls the points. The easiest way to check is to turn the ignition on and ground the terminal of the governor. If you hear all the clicking of the relays and solenoid, then you can pull the governor, clean it out, and clean the points.RadioRoy, specializing in AM/FM conversions with auxiliary inputs for iPod/satellite/CD player. In the old car radio business since 1985.
10G-C1 - 51 Champion starlight coupe
4H-K5 - 53 Commander starliner hardtop
5H-D5 - 54 Commander Conestoga wagonComment
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While you're under there, check the lubricant levels in both the transmission and the overdrive. I was asked to diagnose why the overdrive wasn't working. As he came up the drive I could hear the transmission groaning. The overdrive was dead from lack of lubrication.
jack vinesPackardV8Comment
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Gah! I didn't think about that, and I even did that exact same thing one time. Trying to race a Pinto on the freeway with my 51 Champion, when all of a sudden it felt like the brakes went on. Turned out that I had fried the overdrive and seized it.
Let's hope that's not the problem.RadioRoy, specializing in AM/FM conversions with auxiliary inputs for iPod/satellite/CD player. In the old car radio business since 1985.
10G-C1 - 51 Champion starlight coupe
4H-K5 - 53 Commander starliner hardtop
5H-D5 - 54 Commander Conestoga wagonComment
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To answer the OP's original question, the clutch has nothing to do with it.
The shop manual has a great electrical troubleshooting technique, and you can do it with just a few jumper wires, as I recall.
Generally, one tests the electrical part of the overdrive first and if that is OK, looks to the mechanicals for the trouble.RadioRoy, specializing in AM/FM conversions with auxiliary inputs for iPod/satellite/CD player. In the old car radio business since 1985.
10G-C1 - 51 Champion starlight coupe
4H-K5 - 53 Commander starliner hardtop
5H-D5 - 54 Commander Conestoga wagonComment
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I think you'll find post #6 to be your problem....I hope not. The OD will be toast from low oil....Comment
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One thing happened to me as I was coming home from a trip to the mountains a few years back was the small Phenolic type board inside the kickdown switch wore through. It was shorting out. This would blow the fuse and thus no OD. I couldn't get one locally so I fashioned a new board from the inside of an old garage door remote. Worked well after that. Just another thing if you don't have any joy with the other ideas.Comment
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I agree, check the electrics first, since its easy and free. However, the shuddering the OP described worries me. If it was bad enough to cause him to pull over, then,"carefully drive it home", it may be one of the planetary gears pins let go. Hope not, but I cannot think of any kind of electrical malfunction that would cause the shuddering he described.
As others have said though, check the electrics first.Comment
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Thanks to all for the input. Hope it's a CASO fix, but it sound like it will probably be expensive. Will let you know what it is when I find out. Thanks again.Comment
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The problem is mechanical. Teeth stripped on control governor gear likely due to improper/lack of lubrication over the years. Am in the process of finding a replacement part. See: http://forum.studebakerdriversclub.c...h-Can-you-help
Thanks again to all who have offered to help me. And thanks again to those who posted here and led me on the right track.Comment
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