overdrive challenge- 1955 President 3 speed with OD.

[cwsimpson]

No fuse and no overdrive, so you know the solenoid is moving in and out OK.
No overdrive until you get over 28, but then it won't kick out of overdrive. I'd connect a test light to the BAT terminal on the relay and to the governor wire that connects at the overdrive relay. The test light should come on when the governor reaches about 30 MPH and go out when you drop below that speed. This will let you know if the governor is working OK.

Good idea. This should help logically narrow it down. The confusing part for me is that sometimes I hear the click when slowing down, but nothing happens. Just stays in overdrive.
Thanks

[TWChamp]

This sure has a strange set of symptoms, and since it started to mess up right after the engine R&R, I'd look for poor cable position or wiring installed wrong.

[cwsimpson]

This sure has a strange set of symptoms, and since it started to mess up right after the engine R&R, I'd look for poor cable position or wiring installed wrong.

Not so sure this really had much to do with the rebuild. Problem now appears to be intermittent. I suppose a wire could have busted somewhere in the process. Usually seems like intermittent problems are electrically related.
Ran the car this morning and everything worked, for awhile then suddenly not working. I see the manual has a pretty good write up and flow chart for analysis. One of the things they want you to do is put power out when the "points are open". How do I tell if my electronic ignition is open with a test light? If I hook it to the distributor should the light be off or on when open? Or should I just try to misalign magnets pr whatever in the distributor by turning the engine by hand.
Thanks, anyone for info. May not finish before "Back to the Fifties" but vehicle is still drivable and able to go into OD. I might have to pull the lever at the stop lights...

[TWChamp]

I'm not sure what you mean by having to pull the lever at stop lights?
When the lever is pushed in for overdrive, then you never have engine braking at speeds less than about 30 MPH.
Any time you pull the lever with the car in motion, the engine should be pulling and the tranny should be out of overdrive.

[cwsimpson]

I'm not sure what you mean by having to pull the lever at stop lights?
When the lever is pushed in for overdrive, then you never have engine braking at speeds less than about 30 MPH.
Any time you pull the lever with the car in motion, the engine should be pulling and the tranny should be out of overdrive.

But I should be able to pull it out if I stop at a light.

[cwsimpson]

Update-
All is well after about 2 weeks of "resetting" the overdrive manually. If I couldn't get the car into reverse, I would place the shifter in neutral, open the door and gently give car a little rock back and forth until until I heard a clunk. I probably repeated this about 5 or 6 times. Everything works great now. Kick down punches up, anytime I go below 23 or so, I'm back in the standard ratio. I think maybe it was just gunked up or something from sitting out in the shop for so long. Just happy everything is back and working the way it should. Magical??
Thanks all for the comments and advice.
cos