Morning all Have a problem .. yesterday everything worked as it should.. This morning I try to back my wagon ( 55 wagon 272 overdrive) out of the garage and have no reverse , other gears work . linkage appears to go into place but no rear movement when releasing clutch ... I took the linkage off at the trany to be sure it is engaging properly and it seams to.. In regards to reverse lockout does it keep the linkage on the sideplate from moving or will it move but not move internally thanks FRED
“Everything worked as it should”. So all 3 gears worked in direct, and the o/d properly engaged and disengaged at around 27 mph. That right? Or you’ve had it locked out and haven’t used it for years. There’s a reason I’m asking. And also, it’s a side plate on the trans, it’s not the BW T-86 toploader.
When I was a kid we had a 58 Chevy that had a overdrive three speed. It wouldn't back up if the transmission was in overdrive because there was a one-way clutch/sprag in it to allow free wheeling in overdrive. My dad didn't know that and although he was a mild-mannered gentleman he was really ticked after he got in a spot and couldn't back up. He ended up calling mechanic who pointed out the tiny error he had made. This may or may not be the case with your transmission. Lynn
Miker yes the transmission droppedin always as it should has worked properly all 3 forward and reverse overdrive always dropped in as it should after about 27 when let off on throttle and yes it has side plate not top thanks Fred
I have not tried pulling the cable out for fear it might be seized and get into another problem but thats probably what I will do I pushed it out of the garage and drove around the yard but no joy
Every Ford/BW OD trans I've ever owned automatically locked the OD out when shifted into reverse. There's an internal rod that's moved by reverse gear to do this. If that rod or some part of that mechanism is broken, that would be the problem. Try manually locking the OD out with the cable and verify that it's locked out. If reverse now works, the problem is that rod has failed somehow. The trans will have to come out...
Side plate is the Ford transmission, or the larger T-85. First used in 56 behind the 312, so, probably not that. There should be an interlock between the shift levers in the side plate, so you can’t get 2 gears at the same time. But I don’t see how that could affect only reverse. Inside the T-86 there’s a rod on the reverse gear. When you shift into reverse it takes the o/d out. I think. But don’t know, that the Ford unit also had that. What I’m suspecting is that’s hung up, and you’re not actually engaging reverse. edit Steve’s post just popped up, and he said it better than I was doing.
thanks boys Ill try pulling the cable out manually lock out overdrive ... will let you know what happens thanks Fred
tried with cable out no joy I think theres a reverse slider gear thats not engaging for some reason Thanks Fred
Reverse and first are the same lever on the trans. Get up under the car and work the lever for first and reverse and the OD lever
bad internet pic. There is an internal mechanism that disengages the OD unit (tail shaft) when placed in reverse.
Heres an update, took the cable completely off the lever and moved the lever to the forward stop while moving the reverse arm manually found that i sometimes had to rotate the driveshaft slightly , but think thats normal Im kinda confused (easily done) when i have the lever in reverse i cannot turn the driveshaft which tells me the reverse tranny gear must be engaged but when I leave it like that and start the car , no movement when i release the clutch ... I dosent matter which position the overdrive lever is in the result is the same
today i remove the solenoid thinking it might be stuck in the extended position which I think would stop reverse but no joy but when i re installed it .. I didnt have to extend it to get it attached ,to the plunger i thought that you had to ... but took for a drive couple miles overdrive worked good but no reverse,
When you engage the clutch in reverse, does it pull the engine down as if the trans is locked or does it just feel like there is no drive like in neutral?
there is no drag on the engine ,but it sounds like the gears are turning in the tranny ,, not loud though
The r10 will freewheel when engaged in other gears. The circled part is the reverse lever that disengages the OD when put in reverse. the Ford unit should also have a switch at the back or the trans, mine does (51 merc) that electrically disengages the OD. It cuts power off to the solenoid. So 2 safety features. When I place my trans in reverse (bench test) the OD lever loses tension. Goes limp This prevents reverse from killing the OD by disengaging the OD unit. Reverse will kill it. Sound like either the internal sadety is preventing reverse or there’s an issue with the reverse in the trans. Shifter fork or slide gear.
I think the sun gear isn’t locked. In forward drive that would mean that the engine will drive the wheels but the the wheels won’t drive the engine hence the freewheel effect when the overdrive is not in use. If my assumption is right the opposite will happen in reverse so the wheels can drive the engine but the engine can’t drive the wheels.
The OD unit does not share lubricant with the trans. Both are filled separately might want to check that as well
Reverse may be fried. Before I opened the thread, I knew it was a Ford 3 speed. This is not an uncommon problem.... A friend of mine back in '64, parked his '55 Ford nose to nose in front of a '61 Galaxie. He came out of the store and the guy in the Galaxie was waiting for him to move. The guy in the Galaxie told his reverse gear was out. My friend said, well we'll have to push our cars around, my reverse gear is out too.
I’m having a hard time figuring out how 1-2-3 operate normally, and the o/d locks out or engages and disengages properly. But reverse won’t work. All the stories I’ve heard about the o/d failing (broken mechanically) there’s a a lot of noise, or it just freewheeled all the time. That keeps bringing me back to the interlock rod. I don’t understand how it could be stuck and causing this. I’ve never looked at one that way. But I keep thinking you’re not engaging reverse (or just barely, enough to lock it when turning the shaft by hand). In gear, it kicks it loose and no reverse. I think it’s going to have to come out and apart. I did my first one in 1967, I was 17, and it was the first transmissions I had apart. Changed the first gear because it was chipped. But it’s not rocket science. You’ll need the Ford manual for the gearbox, here’s the link to the overdrive manual. Original cost 50 cents https://www.oldwillysforum.com/forum/TechData/BWOverdriveManual.pdf
Some cars had electrically engaged Borg Warner OD and others manual. The manual you had take it out of OD before backing. The electric was wired to automatically do it. If the solenoid wiring or switch is bad it's staying in OD and won't back up.
Somewhat true. But his is going in and out on the governor and solenoid, and driving normally. In reverse, he’s not moving. A locked overdrive would stall the engine, or break if you forced it.
Thanks guys for all your input , this is a head scratcher and will pull the side cover off for a look , but not till first of weak thanks again for all the idea Fred
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