68 C10 electric OD issues

[robandmarilee]

I recently purchased a 68 C10 with a 307, and 3 on the tree with electric OD. The guy I got it from said that it was a faulty solenoid on the rear of the tranny. I have never dealt with anything like this before. I have been unable to find any parts, diagrams, manuals, or websites that address electric OD. Any ideas, opinions, or links would be a great help. I would love to have it running right before cruisin' season comes around.

[mrein3]

If nobody comes up with any wiring diagrams, I'd start with R&Ring the solenoid. If it works, check the wires. I would assume that the solenoid gets 12 volts after something happnes - I'd try to make that happen and see if 12 volts get to the solenoid. Perhaps there is something missing on the linkage that is causing it not to trigger the power to the solenoid.

Some ODs of this era were cable operated. If all else fails you can always rig up a cable to get it into overdrive when you want.

[Livrat]

Here are a few links to some info about the Borg warner R10 overdrives Many different car manfacturers used them over the years:

http://http://www.hydratech.com/pctc...s/bwwiring.pdf

http://http://www.hydratech.com/pctc/Public_Documents/bwrebuild.pdf


These guys might be a source for solenoids:
http://http://www.car-nection.com/yesteryear/

[robandmarilee]

thanks, I'll try the links when I get home, work computers block it.

[Botietruck]

Pull the solenoid off and pull the cover, they usually get rusted & corroded. Use some 320 grip paper & clean everything up good. If you ground the solenoid and put power to the #4 terminal ( that's the bigger of the 2) it should kick in and out. Solenoid & OD parts are on Ebay from time to time, but you need to make sure you get the right one. PM me if you need more information. I just went through this drill about 6 months ago.

[robandmarilee]

thanks, I'll try it

[jimmydiesel]

I just worked on mine last weekend. I hope you can make it work with what you've got because parts are hard to find for it. Here's some info.

[jimmydiesel]

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[68shortstep]

Find some (probably "older") car guys in your area who are into Studebakers. They ought to know how to fix 'em, and have a ready source for parts. Hands-on experienced help.

I've had several '53 - 58 Stude coupes/Hawks over the years, and most all of them had that type overdrives. Every one I had with the OD worked smooth as glass, but that was in the '60's, and I guess they hadn't started wearing out & failing yet.

Sure used to surprise a lot of drag race type muscle car guys (GTO's, Mustangs, Camaros, Vette's, SS 396's, etc). I used to beat 'em all on my favorite long-distance race (35-miles) in the mid 1960's with my stone-stock 259-V8 powered '56 Stude Silver Hawk.

They'd get clear out of sight within the first couple miles, & leave black-streak tire marks & smaoke down the road, like a drag strip. Then I'd blow past 'em at about 7-10 miles out, and be out of the car for a minute or more, finishing off a Budweiser & waiting patiently for them at the finish line.

Going 140 mph plus on bias ply tires............... how stupid can you get, but with an overdrive, very possible on a normally-geared car.

Didn't think anything about it as a dumb kid, though.

Amazing that some us old f*rts survived our youth.

[red71cheyenne]

Man, now that is cool! I've never seen a gizmo like that, but bet it would work wonders. Get some pics of it on the tranny if you would so we can see what it looks like.

[robandmarilee]

jimmydiesel thanks a million. You can always count on a soldier to scrounge up just what you need!

[Andy4639]

The cable on these over drives was just to lock it in or take it out of the picture if needed. It didn't activate the OD that was done eletrically with the selonoid.

[Botietruck]

Here's what mine looks like.

[red71cheyenne]

Huh! Thats all there is to it? Amazing.