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EFV-8 Club Forum / General Ford Discussion / 1951 Ford Freewheels

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Posted By Discussion Topic: 1951 Ford Freewheels -- page: 1 2     Kens 36 04-11-2017 @ 6:28 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 352 Joined: Oct 2009 DJ, Congratulations! That overdrive makes a big difference. Good luck with your car. Ken DJ 04-10-2017 @ 7:40 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 50 Joined: Mar 2017 Success! I've got overdrive! I did not have it wired correctly. The wires were incorrect at the kick switch. Guess I was in too big a hurry. Figured out my mistake by tracing each wire and really studying where each wire needed to start and end. I can't really hear the "click" when it activates, but when I let off the gas and accelerate, she just hums! Like a singer sewing machine, right! My Dad tried for 5 years to get it going. Wish I had lived closer to help him get it done. Thank you all for the help. On to the next project....got some rust in fuel pump bowl. Not good. That's for another string! deluxe40 04-10-2017 @ 10:42 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 413 Joined: Oct 2009 DJ, It sounds like your Solenoid is trying to engage when you ground the TH SW (Throttle Switch) terminal on the relay. Grounding that terminal causes the relay to provide power to both the "Solenoid Coil" which extends the pawl (plunger) to engage the overdrive and the "Holding Coil" which keeps the pawl extended while you are in overdrive. If the solenoid is stuck or it can't extend fully, the current will flow and your ammeter will show a discharge. (Perhaps that is why your car ran rough with the TH SW terminal grounded.) Once the pawl extends fully and engages the overdrive, a set of breaker points inside the solenoid opens, breaking the circuit through the Solenoid Coil to ground. The "Holding Coil" circuit remains in force, but doesn't cause a noticeable power drain. However, before you tear into the solenoid, you should make sure it is getting the full six volts. Disconnect the SOL wire (blue) to the solenoid from the relay and put your voltmeter on that terminal. Then ground the TH SW terminal and check the meter. It should read six volts, rather than the three volts you saw with the solenoid connected and trying to engage. If not, remove the relay and solder the terminals where they are riveted to the frame and try it again. Kens 36 04-09-2017 @ 7:45 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 352 Joined: Oct 2009 DJ, With the ignition on and the TH/SW terminal grounded, are you getting only 3 volts at the SOL terminal? If so, the problem is within the relay. I can walk you through disassembly and troubleshooting. Ken DJ 04-09-2017 @ 5:01 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 50 Joined: Mar 2017 Well test drive did not go so well. I grounded the TH SW terminal. It ran really rough, had to stay on the gas, to keep it from dying. Did make it back to the house. I removed the ground wire and took it out and it ran good but of course no OD. Did a few more checks. I'm getting 6.3 volts at the battery; 6.3 volts at the IGN, TH SW, and fuse terminals on the relay. But I'm only getting 3 volts at the Solenoid and 3 volts at the governor. My OD test sheet says if I ground the governor wire, I should hear the relay click. It does not. I'm going to retrace my wiring, and ensure its right. Any suggestions how to get to the governor wire? As I mentioned, all other wiring is new. Is it just a normal flat head screw terminal? Can I or should I remove the governor for easier access to the wiring? Do those voltages point to a particular problem. I'm an amateur diagnostician; professional parts changer. Thanks so much! BUCKAWHO 04-09-2017 @ 2:47 PM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 96 Joined: Feb 2016 Hi again DJ....On my '51, When the handle is in, the car is 'IN' overdrive. When the handle is out, the car is "OUT OF" overdrive. I never change the handle position when moving, only when the car is stopped. I don't know if that is necessary, but that's how I use it. The owners manual isn't very clear on how to use that feature. You just need to get used to how it works, and drive accordingly. My coupe isn't a hotrod, and I don't drive 80 mph down the interstates. 55 is fast enough for me these days. BT Kens 36 04-09-2017 @ 11:12 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 352 Joined: Oct 2009 DJ, Your wiring should work. Yes, the solenoid should be metal-to-metal - no gasket. Let us know how your test drive went. Ken carcrazy 04-09-2017 @ 7:26 AM reply profile send p.m. Senior Posts: 1682 Joined: Oct 2009 The overdrive function will engage at speeds above about 27 MPH when the car is accelerating once you let up on the gas pedal. When the car is decelerating with the car in overdrive and the speed drops below about 21 MPH the car will go into freewheeling mode and there will be no engine braking. DJ 04-09-2017 @ 5:29 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 50 Joined: Mar 2017 Hi Buckahoo, I sure will take care of the 51. It was my Dads so lots of good memories. Appreciate the feedback. i don't seem to have the option of disengaging the overdrive. It's always freewheeling. Are you pulling the handle to disengage? BUCKAWHO 04-09-2017 @ 4:38 AM reply profile send p.m. Member Posts: 96 Joined: Feb 2016 Hi DJ....I have a '51 Custom too, and it does the same thing. When coming to a stop sign or a redlight, it freewheels too. I've been told by several people that it's normal to do that. Just have to be aware, and use the brake more. When not in overdrive, the car engine helps slow the car down as you might expect. Around town, I don't use the overdrive; I just use it out on an open road where there aren't as many reasons to have to slow down or stop. It just takes a little getting used to. I live in Indiana where there are plenty of long stretches of open road ahead. These cars were built back when the traffic was much less, and stops were few and far between. I had a '50 two door back in the fifties, and driving was much different then. Be aware and be careful with your '51.... they don't make 'em any more! BT

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