Overdrive in my 68 F100 Custom Cab

[68_Clark]

What is the proper way to place my 3 SPeed on the column F100 in overdrive. It has a factory overdrive lever left of the steering column.

[peanutman]

Welcome to the site. I have a 70 w/the 3 speed od tranny. Your lever down on the left with it pulled out will lock you out of overdrive which it will act just like a reg 3 speed. With the lever pushed in it will engage the over drive.I always have mine out of gear or in on the clutch when i engage or disengage

In overdrive the tranny will freewheel above 22-27 mph if you let off the gas. Get up to hwy speeds and quickly press your gas pedal and it should jump into overdrive. It helps to have a tach. mine is so subtle you can hardley tell it jumped into od. You can do this in 2nd or third gear.
I have not tried to engege or disengage while moving, i would stop to do that. I don't use my od in town.

It should all basically work this way providing your lever cable is hooked up to your tranny, your selonoids are working, kickdown switch and relay is working. Use the key word borg warner t85-n od transmission and you should be able to pull up all kinds of info on this setup. They were used in all kinds of cars and trucks but the tranny's and how they work are basically the same.

Helps also to order you a year specific shop manual on your truck on cd, it will tell you how to service the tranny how it works and also how to adjust all components related to your od tranny. These tranny's are rare, parts are hard to find so treat it with care and you will love it. The shop manual cd, i ordered from detroit iron.

Hope this is what you needed. Just holler if you have anymore questions on the tranny, i will try to help.

[68_Clark]

Peanutman,
Thanks very much for the info. Drove the truck to church tonight. OD worked like a champ with your advice. Thanks again.

[peanutman]

Glad i could help. There's only 3 or 4 of us on here thats got the od trannys as far as i know.
Robbie

[wareaglef100]

Count me in as one of us with this type tranny. Have an issue now where it appears that the overdrive has been disengaged. A few questions about the lever. Should it be difficult to pull out? Should I be able to track the line from the lever to the tranny?

I have some problems I previously posted about. It does not go into OD in 2nd, 3rd is hard to switch to, and it does not have the passing gear in 3rd. These were all working Saturday morning before me and a friend replaced the driver's side front cab mount.

[peanutman]

If the cable is hard to pull or push it is probably kinked. If so you will have to order or find you another, they are almost impossible to straighten. It is just like a choke or throttle cable for a carb or lawn mower but much thicker. Is it possible you crimped or pinched the cable between the cab and the mount. Sounds like it is not engaging the od gear box all the way. I would not use it until you get it fixed. It could screw up your gear box and they are rare. Even more rare is finding someone who knows how to work on them.

You should be able to trace it where it comes ot of the firewall down to the tranny. The cable is adjustable at the dash where it is attached and at the tranny where a bracket hold it in place and at the control lever on the tranny where the cable attaches.

You also have a relay with a fuse on top of it on the fire wall upper middle and a kick down relay switch on the fire wall directly behind the gas pedal linkage which is also adjustable.

If you don't have any info on how all this works order the detroit iron cd i mentioned above or google Borg Warner t-85n. They built these trannys w/the od for many different makes and models of cars and trucks, but they all have slightly different engaging mechanisms.

Hope this helps. Holler back if you need. I will check in from time to time over the holidays.

[wareaglef100]

If the cable is hard to pull or push it is probably kinked. If so you will have to order or find you another, they are almost impossible to straighten. It is just like a choke or throttle cable for a carb or lawn mower but much thicker. Is it possible you crimped or pinched the cable between the cab and the mount. Sounds like it is not engaging the od gear box all the way. I would not use it until you get it fixed. It could screw up your gear box and they are rare. Even more rare is finding someone who knows how to work on them.

You should be able to trace it where it comes ot of the firewall down to the tranny. The cable is adjustable at the dash where it is attached and at the tranny where a bracket hold it in place and at the control lever on the tranny where the cable attaches.

You also have a relay with a fuse on top of it on the fire wall upper middle and a kick down relay switch on the fire wall directly behind the gas pedal linkage which is also adjustable.

If you don't have any info on how all this works order the detroit iron cd i mentioned above or google Borg Warner t-85n. They built these trannys w/the od for many different makes and models of cars and trucks, but they all have slightly different engaging mechanisms.

Hope this helps. Holler back if you need. I will check in from time to time over the holidays.

Will check out your suggestions. I appreciate it. The overdrive lever was hard to pull out before we replaced the cab mount Saturday, but I will still trace it.

[Green23]

there's a great article on this right here on the site- you actually let off the gas over approx 28 mph to let the overdrive shift occur, and it only freewheels under 28 mph. I've got this transmission in my 68 Ranger, and it is great to drive when you understand how it works- the article here is a great explanation-

http://www.fordification.com/tech/overdrive.htm

[peanutman]

there's a great article on this right here on the site- you actually let off the gas over approx 28 mph to let the overdrive shift occur, and it only freewheels under 28 mph. I've got this transmission in my 68 Ranger, and it is great to drive when you understand how it works- the article here is a great explanation-

http://www.fordification.com/tech/overdrive.htm

I did not know that tech article was there, but thats a really great and through one. I actually learned several things i didn't know. I am pretty sure my selinoid is going out. It has been blowing the fuse due to being worn and pulling to much juice. I have to put a 30 amp in to prevent that.

I talked with the guy that orig rebuilt my unit and he said that the selinoid is a fairly common thing to go, and they are almost impossible to find a replacement. Hope mine holds out.

[Green23]

I've wondered about that solenoid as well and hope mine lasts- I do have some fluid leaking around mine on the OD unit but otherwise it seems to be holding out OK

[ScottT80]

How rare are these transmissions? I'm looking at a '68 Ranger with one of them.

[ScottT80]

Pretty rare I take it....