Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : John Davies, 07-May-2003, 00:21am
Sarah,
No, in fact you can't just slap an O/drive on the back of a normal gearbox, even on the bench - the output shaft and some other bits are different.
J.Kipping - now Canley Classics - used to do a conversion kit. Can't say more than that.
John
No, in fact you can't just slap an O/drive on the back of a normal gearbox, even on the bench - the output shaft and some other bits are different.
J.Kipping - now Canley Classics - used to do a conversion kit. Can't say more than that.
John
-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : John Tabor, 08-May-2003, 08:42am
. . . and Canleys still do - I purchased an O/d conversion for my III from them. This included everything (loom, switch, mounting plate as well as re-con o/d, gearbox and shorter prop-shaft. I decided to go down this route as I'd not any previous knowledge of overdrives and my gearbox was on it's last legs. Not cheap, but I guess you get what you pay for. Hopefully I shall soon be in a position to advise how well it works - if I can ever get my clutch un-stuck!
Good luck, John-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : Ben Duckett, 08-May-2003, 10:21am
I was also thinking of converting an non overdrive 1500 to o/d. If I speak nicely to the lovely people at Canley would they sell me a kit with all the parts that I need? If so how much? I realise I could just ring them and ask, but if I took the easy way out of problems then I probably wouldn't own a Triumph in the first place!
Toot Toot
Ben-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : John Tabor, 08-May-2003, 01:56pm
Mine was GBP595 I think, and there is an exchange surcharge on both gearbox and propshaft. Being a III, mine was a D type and so a J Type may be a different price. Going on Canley's reputation I reckon this is the best (Lazy) option to convert your car. May be a waste if your gearbox is sound though, but you'd need to alter it to fit an o/d in any case.
Cheers, John-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : Colin Fretwell, 08-May-2003, 06:14pm
I e mailed Canley about an OD conversion for my 1500. They say the kit includes everything you need and would take a reasonable DIY person a week end. When they say everything does it include such things as I understand you need to cut away some metal around the gearbox and so on. JY Classics who recently did a shed load of work on my car reckon a good conversion would cost more like 1500 quid (thats for them to do it). My gearbox is currently working superbly. Might I end up converting and getting a poor gearbox and unreliable OD ? Do I definatelly get a higher fourth gear when in OD (ie lower engine revs) or might there be some difference in gear and final drive ratios that actually results in little improvement overall. Arrrrrrrrrgh... blinking complicated.-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : Ben Duckett, 09-May-2003, 09:34am
I've had an idea. Why don't you try doing it and make all the silly and expense mistakes and then the rest of us won't have to! Promise we won't laugh and make comments like "You spent all your money on THAT?!"-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : John Tabor, 09-May-2003, 12:10pm
Well I can only comment for the D-type Canley kit I fitted to my car but; In theory it should drop the cruising RPM by around 500RPM in o/d top. This assumes you replace like a gearboxe with like. Both the o/d and gearbox are reconditioned in the kit and look superb. I hope next week I can tell you if they work superbley too! I didn't need to cut anything in the bodywork (1500 J-type may be different?) and EVERYTHING I needed was there. The only thing that gave me a headache was the wiring. I got a new o/d loom (in the kit), but had to do some decoding of the haynes manual (Who's wiring diagrams are NOT correct) to wire it up. It's a bit long to describe here but I'll draw out what I did if anyone is having the same trouble I did with the wires.
John Yarnell comes highly recommended and therefore his time isn't cheap so much of the quote mentioned is probably labour.
As for time - if you're good at getting your engine out then 12 hours will comfortably do it and leave time for a couple of pints of fiddler's elbow to congratulate yourself on a job well done!
I umm'ed ad arr'ed for ages and then Canleys offered 10% off in January so I just couldn't refuse.
Cheers, John-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : Chris Herridge, 07-Mar-2004, 09:30pm
Hi John,
I'm halfway through installing an O/D box into my early spit. and, like you having realy issues with wires... could you point me in the right direction?
It seems the haynes manual describes the relay as switching when it gets a connection to negative (earth) i.e. when both the gearbox switch and gearknob switch are both 'on' it allow large amounts of power to the o/d solenoid..
but then in no way can i get the canley wiring loom to make any sense what so ever!
arg!
all help by anybody greatly apprechiated!
i promised a pretty gurl i'd take her for a drive next sunday!
i'm under a deadline here guys!
-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : Don Cook, 08-Mar-2004, 11:41pm
Chris
We're all here to help. I'll take the pretty girl out for a drive next Sunday for you - no, no its OK, only too pleased to help. She'd probably prefer a GT6 anyway!
Don (Knight in Shining Armour) Cook-
Fitting an overdrive - Now it's the oil!
Posted By : Chris Herridge, 09-Mar-2004, 10:31am
Hmm, nice try don!
i was in my garge till 11.30 last night,
things are looking good!
wiring is sorted,
bolts done up tight,
new rear mounting plate in place,
slot cut into curvey bit of metal to allow for the fact it's longer...
quite frankly i'm on a roll! and tomorrow night
(not tonight, it's cheap tickets at the cinema tonight)
i will be trying (probably single handedly) to put the thing in!
URG it's so much heavier with an O/D
anyway, yes
what i *really* need to know is what oil i should use?
Canley recomend 'Expensive (often synthetic) gear oils'...
*Can anyone point me in the right direction?
*Will Halfords have it?
*Does the O/D and gearbox take the same type of oil?
*Should i be doing anything special for the first couple of hundred miles?
--
gt6? pah!-
Fitting an overdrive - Now it's the oil!
Posted By : David Styles, 09-Mar-2004, 11:39am
Hi..
oil...
I just use Castrol gear oil in mine. I suppose thats a reputable oil gear oil, and i think thats whats important. i.e. I wouldn't use "Halfords own brand... special offer - only &163;2.99 a gallon"
The overdrive doesn't have a separate filler... it all goes in the same hole, and its the same to fill up as per usual.
One handy thing to know about a car with overdrive is that IF your overdrive stops working when the car gets hot.. (Say after an hours cruising on the motorway) Then this means that you haven't topped up your gear oil for a while... and it doesn't have enough to keep the overdrive in. If it stops working altogether for this reason, then your gear oil REALLY needs topping up
oh,... and third overdrive is practically the same as fourth... which means you get a formula one style 4th gear when around town !
(you can use that to impress that young lady)
as for running in a gearbox ? I honestly don't know...
-
Fitting an overdrive - Now it's the oil!
Posted By : Michael Davis, 09-Mar-2004, 12:42pm
I've read that EP oils (normal gearbox oil) shouldn't be used in an overdrive as they contain anti-friction additives which would be bad for the friction thingies in the overdrive unit.
I've also read that Triumph's original literature specifies EP90 gearbox oil for both overdrive and non-overdrive gearboxes.
So I'm confused.
For reference, I have "Penrite Gear Oil 30" (possibly 40, can't remember) in mine which is apparantly just like EP90 but without the "EP" part. Seems to be fine.
Mik (must remember to stop typing "Mik" at the end of posts now I have a signature)-
Fitting an overdrive - Now it's the oil!
Posted By : Nigel Gibbins, 09-Mar-2004, 02:25pm
I would take Canleys advice about oil - they know their stuff. One thing though, do not whatever you do put any additives in the gear box.
Additives and overdrives do not mix
I use Castrol Syntrax (semi-synthetic) in mine.
NiG-
Fitting an overdrive - More questions
Posted By : Chris Herridge, 09-Mar-2004, 04:22pm
right, i shall make a trip to Halford on my way back from work to get some posh sounding semi-synthetic gearbox oil
I take it this goes in both the gearbox and overdrive overdrive, or do (as prevoiusly mentioned) they share the same oil??
-
Fitting an overdrive - More questions
Posted By : David Styles, 09-Mar-2004, 04:30pm
yep... as I previously mentioned they share the same oil....
and it goes in the same place as it always did....
-
Fitting an overdrive - Differentail Ratios
Posted By : Chris Herridge, 09-Mar-2004, 05:07pm
thanks David,
sorry to repeat, i must admit i was convinced the overdrive unit had it's own oil drain plug, and thus it's own oil... but hey, i'm still learning!
Just out of interest, what ratio differentials have you guys got?
I may need to replace my UJ shafts reasonbly soon
(they clonk loudly when taking up power; i've check all the bolts are done up!)...
...and i was thinking possibly swapping my diff with a slightly lower ratio one as it feels my spit still has a fair bit more 'push' to give at 5000 rpm in 4th...
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : Philip Rosenberg, 09-Mar-2004, 00:12am
Don't know what Spit you've got but the wiring diagram in haynes for the 1500 is wrong.
On the 1500 you have a straight series circuit going through the inhibitor switch, then the in/out switch on the knob then to the solenoid then to earth. But i guess you're looking at the much more complicated mkIII diagram
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Fitting an overdrive
Posted By : William Davies, 08-May-2003, 01:02am
Hi Sarah,
Unfortunately, you will need to replace the mainshaft of the gearbox to fit an overdrive. This is anything but an in-situ job as it requires more-or-less total dismantling of the gearbox to change this component. The most straightforward option is to buy a complete gearbox and overdrive.
You have listed most of the necessary extras. Don't forget the actual metalastic mounting between the overdrive and fixing plate. You will also need an angle drive to turn the speedo drive through 90 degrees where it leaves the box. Theoretically you will need a different speedo cable - I'm not certain whether this is strictly necessary on a MkIV Spitfire.
Cheers,
Bill.
Unfortunately, you will need to replace the mainshaft of the gearbox to fit an overdrive. This is anything but an in-situ job as it requires more-or-less total dismantling of the gearbox to change this component. The most straightforward option is to buy a complete gearbox and overdrive.
You have listed most of the necessary extras. Don't forget the actual metalastic mounting between the overdrive and fixing plate. You will also need an angle drive to turn the speedo drive through 90 degrees where it leaves the box. Theoretically you will need a different speedo cable - I'm not certain whether this is strictly necessary on a MkIV Spitfire.
Cheers,
Bill.