Transmission / Overdrive: wiring a Borg warner od Transmission

[bill matwijec]

My car (1965 commander) now has a hei electronic distributor with the coil in the cap. Where should the wire that goes from the kickdown which to the coil go? Thanks for your help.

[StudeRich]

You will probably need to put the Original Delco Window Distributor and Coil back in, to get Overdrive working.
There are Pertronix Electronic Ignition Systems available for them to get your Electronic Ignition System back.

[rstrasser]

The wire from the kick down switch originally went to the points side of the coil terminal. I don't believe there is a terminal on the HEI ignition that can be accessed.
What I would do is leave the wire disconnected.
Then take the wire that goes to the Governor on the transmission and run it to a toggle switch located in a place convenient to reach. Ground the other terminal on the toggle switch. You now are able to select at what speed the OD on the transmission engages and you can also disengage the OD at any time by flipping the switch( OFF ) and releasing the throttle to allow the OD to shift. Step on the gas and you are out of OD. At that time you are also able to pull the overdrive lever out and you will not free wheel when you let up on the gas.
Or return the switch to its former status ( ON )and let up on the gas to switch back into overdrive.
One of the first things I did when I acquired a 55 back in 1960.
Ron

[bill matwijec]

Thanks that sounds reasonable and easy

[bensherb]

The wire from the kick down switch originally went to the points side of the coil terminal. I don't believe there is a terminal on the HEI ignition that can be accessed.
What I would do is leave the wire disconnected.
Then take the wire that goes to the Governor on the transmission and run it to a toggle switch located in a place convenient to reach. Ground the other terminal on the toggle switch. You now are able to select at what speed the OD on the transmission engages and you can also disengage the OD at any time by flipping the switch( OFF ) and releasing the throttle to allow the OD to shift. Step on the gas and you are out of OD. At that time you are also able to pull the overdrive lever out and you will not free wheel when you let up on the gas.
Or return the switch to its former status ( ON )and let up on the gas to switch back into overdrive.
One of the first things I did when I acquired a 55 back in 1960.
Ron

Interesting, all the overdrive literature specifically says NOT to do this.

I also have a GM HEI distributer, the basic problem is that you need to make it missfire in order to drop out the overdrive. The part of the stock kickdown switch that does this when you have points works backward to what you need to happen with the HEI.

This is the diagram of the stock OD in my '62.

This is what I came up with to change the operation of the stock switch. You just need a simple 5 pin relay, the type commonly used for fog lights, electric fans or whatever like this: http://www.ebay.com/itm/QTY1-CAR-REL...pTojGa&vxp=mtr

Here's my diagram:



By "opening" one of the wires between the HEI pickup coil and the control module it will drop ignition pulses just like grounding out the points. A set of points within the OD solenoid will drop power to the relay and reconnect the ignition immediately upon the release of the OD solenoid, even if the throttle remains depressed and the kickdown switch, "switched", just as it did with the points.

Beware, if power is cut to the OD solenoid holding coil and engine load is not cut by killing the ignition at the same time, the OD will not dissengage properly. It will eventually dissengage when the engine/drive train load decreases to the nessisary level. It will dissengage with a BANG and JOLT potentially damaging things. Ask me how I know.

For now, simply adjust the kickdown switch beyond opperational limits, so the throttle linkage doesn't hit it. It won't drop out of OD when you floor it, but how often do you floor it anyway?

[bill matwijec]

Thank you, I am going to get relay. Just two quick questions. By using the relay it makes the system work as designed? Also can I private message you if I have any questions?