Overdrive controller

[cosmicwheels]

Hi, has anyone fitted a overdrive logic controller thats for sale on ebay ,asi am tempted as it seems a good idea, John

[Andy Rundell]

imported post

Nope, never tried one myself - i like the human element

...............Andy

[dasadrew]

imported post

I'm still struggling with the logic of overdrive anyway and the stroke of genius that gave us two gearboxes to span effectively 5 forward gears - how does this box of tricks do its stuff?

Seems like you'll be in 3 O/D, then it goes to 4 without O/D, but the gear knob switch is still showing O/D engaged. You then get 4 O/D by some new different switch or what?

[cosmicwheels]

imported post

When you change from 2nd up to 3rd and have not switched the o/d out you go into o/d 3rd [change up 2 gears] and the little s**t in the pug gets away.John

[Andy Rundell]

imported post

dasadrew wrote:

I'm still struggling with the logic of overdrive anyway and the stroke of genius that gave us two gearboxes to span effectively 5 forward gears - how does this box of tricks do its stuff?

i think you need to consider what was on offer in the 40's and 50's. The Laycock OD represented a way of adding a true extra gear for cruising (not a high ratio top gear) to many existing gearboxes with minimal modification, no need for a high ratio rear axle to kill your acceleration, and all without the expense of designing a brand new gearbox.

There is very interesting article in this weeks CCW that goes into lots more detail for anyone who may be interested

................Andy

[dasadrew]

imported post

cosmicwheels wrote:

When you change from 2nd up to 3rd and have not switched the o/d out you go into o/d 3rd [change up 2 gears] and the little s**t in the pug gets away.John

I thought that controller was supposed to prevent exactly that :?:?

[Kevin Garrod]

imported post

dasadrew wrote:

Seems like you'll be in 3 O/D, then it goes to 4 without O/D, but the gear knob switch is still showing O/D engaged. You then get 4 O/D by some new different switch or what?

I assume you switch it off and on again?

Reading the listing further there is an advanced version which prevents the OD from disengaging when switching from one OD gear to another OD gear......er isn't that what happens without the controller?

I'm glad I've got a special needs 'box!

[cosmicwheels]

imported post

dasadrew wrote:

cosmicwheels wrote:

When you change from 2nd up to 3rd and have not switched the o/d out you go into o/d 3rd [change up 2 gears] and the little s**t in the pug gets away.John

I thought that controller was supposed to prevent exactly that :?:?

Its to stop this happening.John

[Westfaling]

imported post

Reading the ad it looks like it retains the gearknob switch and it's just illuminating a lamp to warn you that the switch is still on and the controller has turned off the O/D because you've changed gear -with the clutch.
After many years of O/D driving I don't think I'd find it that useful. I've found that I only use O/D on 4th. (3rd O/D not being much different to 4th direct) and the first part of slowing down it's to flick it out of O/D before changing down. In a panic stop I'm sometimes in O/D when accelerating again.
Others may use O/D differently. My wife says she uses O/D 3rd in town.
Nick

[DJT]

imported post

Westfaling wrote:

My wife says she uses O/D 3rd in town.

That's about the only time I used it, other than on a B-road so I could be ready to flick the switch and drop into 3rd to overtake traffic at about 40-50.

Dave

[Stagdad]

imported post

Westfaling wrote:

Others may use O/D differently. My wife says she uses O/D 3rd in town.
Nick

I only use 3rd od to get ready for an overtake so you can flick out for a kick down.

Steve

[redstag]

imported post

I love this one. You achieve the impossible by making an on / off switch complicated and then apply the term 'logic' to it



Pete

[dasadrew]

imported post

redstag wrote:

I love this one. You achieve the impossible by making an on / off switch complicated and then apply the term 'logic' to it



Pete

Sounds familiar.....