Into Overdrive - then!

Last week I had fitted a new overdrive gearlever wiring harness but the overdrive didn't work  :-(

This week I patiently worked through the wiring with my digital analyser as most overdrive probelms are electrical.

First check - power to the switch - yes.

OK - now time to dismantle the gearlever gaiter so I could get to the top of the gearbox.

That allowed me to check if there was  power from the switch. Yes.

OK good so far. I could see wiring to the inhibitor but that wouldn't be easy to get to and I didn't feel like pulling the connectors off to check if power was there as it wouldn't be easy to get them back on.

No matter - I could check if there was power reaching the solenoid with the the ignition on and the car in 3rd or 4th by jacking the car up and getting it on to axle stands.

This accomplished when I got under the car I saw the earth lead to the solenoid wasn't connected. Putting that back on and then checking the power said everything should be OK.

Whilst under the car I noticed the clutch slave cylinder connection was weeping as was the sump plug so I tightened them up a tad. Note this for later reference.

With the car back on the ground I carefully reassembled the gear lever gaiter and associated trim, even replacing a missing clip and screw.

So, the moment of truth - would the overdrive work?

Out on a test drive and I can report yes it does - hurragh!

Which is just as well because the clutch failed but I managed to jam it in third and switch between third and overdrive third to limp back home.

The 2000 is now back under the car port in shame until next weekend. I think I will take a long hard look at the whole clutch hydraulics again and see if I can sort that one out next.

I am absolutely convinced there's a great car lurking behind all this grief and I'll get to it eventually.

Just a little bit more

So this weekend I fitted a new overdrive gearlever wiring harness.

The old one was completely shot at the gearknob end and I had bought a replacement some time ago but other things had got in the way - like getting the car to run, sort out a propshaft with a UJ that went AWOL and also clutch problems!

Anyway, I wondered how the fitting of the replacement would go and started off with taping the new one to the old and pulling through. That didn't work either way (from top or bottom) as there was too much of an obstruction.

So, with a sinking heart I pulled the old harness out completely. Now if I couldn't get the new one to co-operate there wouldn't be another one to guide it - gulp.

It wasn't a problem though and it went in from the bottom and up the gear lever shaft no problem. Then with unusual patience from me I refitted all the trim etc and went out on a test run.

No joy I am afraid as using the switch had no effect at all. I pulled over and found a blown fuse which I replaced but still no joy so I think I'll have to get my electric circuit tester out next week.

Meanwhile the car ran well apart from after about 15 miles it started to hesitate again - hmmm.  When it is running though I am using more of the revs, up to 4500 now and my goodness it sounds great with a real howl from the exhaust.

I also found out the heater doesn't work  which is no problem for the 10CR next September but is no good for use in the UK over winter.

So jobs to do now are

1. Get the overdrive working
2. See why the car is starting to hesitate again.
3. Fix the heater (maybe the control isn't attached so that's where I'll start)