[Healeys] Overdrive problem

[Grotenhuis]

Steve,

I had the same problem and same symptoms.  I eliminated the electrical
causes and made the same checks of the operating valve orifices, and also
found them unplugged.  Rapping the OD housing from underneath at the seam
behind the drain plug usually released the brake ring, but the car wouldn't
roll backwards in neutral until it disengaged.  During the overhaul, I found
several weakened brake ring return springs that were 1-5 mm shorter than the
new ones I had ordered.  After replacing all of them, it disengaged
perfectly.

Neal
"61 BT7

-----Original Message-----
From: healeys-bounces+61bt7=comcast.net at autox.team.net
[mailto:healeys-bounces+61bt7=comcast.net at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of
sbyers at ec.rr.com
Sent: Tuesday, September 18, 2007 10:52 AM
To: healeys at autox.team.net
Subject: [Healeys] Overdrive problem

Hello, Healeyphiles -

My BJ8 has developed a problem in the overdrive, and I would like to survey
the wisdom of the list before getting too deeply into troubleshooting.

The overdrive is failing to disengage SOMETIMES when I turn it off, although
when stuck it will disengage itself after some delay (minutes, hours, or
days) after I switch off the engine.   Overdrive engagement is normal and
immediate whenever I turn on the dash switch in 3rd or 4th gear.  The
complete history of this intermittent problem is too long to relate here,
but when it occurs the car cannot be pushed backwards in neutral, and it
will eventually clear itself.  With the Lempert diff and stuck in overdrive,
the car becomes very sluggish to move away from a stop in first gear.

Any ideas, or anyone else had this problem?

Thanks,
Steve Byers
HBJ8L/36666
BJ8 Registry
Havelock, NC  USA
Healeys at autox.team.net
http://autox.team.net/mailman/listinfo/healeys