'56 o/d

T

tsanborn

Member
I recently rewired my '56 Country Sedan with a 3 speed manual with O/D. The loom did not include a wiring circuit for the O/D so I didn't touch it. It had been working well although the kickdown feature did not function. While I was out driving last week, the O/D kicked out. The fuse on the relay was blown so I took a look at it's wiring. Pretty sketchy. I dug out my '55 Ford Shop Manual and replaced most of the old wiring. But I still have one wire that I don't know where it is suppose to go. It's the white wire from the "D" contact on the kickdown switch. On the shop manual, it shows the white wire running to what I believe is another relay. The manual doesn't call it out but it does indicate that it has two coils and a pair of points with power drawn from the ignition switch circuit. I don't know what that part is or what it looks like. Hope someone can help.
 
I should note that the "Classic Car"wiring diagram does not show a second relay. It runs the mystery white wire to the negative post on the coil. I have found their diagrams to sometimes contain errors but if that's the answer, easy peasy.
 
dmsfrr said:
Here's a wiring diagram for a '57, it shows the OD wiring.
The White wire on the kickdown switch runs down to the Overdrive Governor.

The White/red wire on the negative terminal of the ignition coil could be for a momentary ignition cutout. It makes the engine hesitate so the OD can shift safely with no load on the gears.

http://www.oldcarmanualproject.com/tOCMP/wiring/5765wiring diagrams/Ford/MWire5765-195.jpg
Click to expand...



That's great that you reply with an answer, but also clarify the reason
why the white/red wire goes to the ignition side of the coil. ;):)




.
 
Lanny said:
That's great that you reply with an answer, but also clarify the reason .... ;):)
Click to expand...
Couldn't help it. I've got a '57 with OD and discovered the wiring to the transmission was damaged.
To top it off everything under the hood had been spray-bombed black, including the wiring.
So I have an ulterior motive for learning about the setup. ;)
 
Thank you everyone. I think that running the white wire from the D post on the kickdown switch to the negative post on the coil is the right answer. I don't understand what they were referring to in the wiring diagram on page 242 of the 1955 Ford Car Shop Manual. It shows the white wire with red tracer connecting to two coils and a set of points that I assume is a second relay. Since I don't have a second relay, I'll rely on your good advice and connect it to the neg on the coil.
 
tsanborn said:
Thank you everyone. I think that running the white wire from the D post on the kickdown switch to the negative post on the coil is the right answer. ...
Click to expand...
Look at the wiring diagram again. The plain White wire on the kickdown switch is shown going to the overdrive governor.

The OD cutout wire, white with a red stripe, is the one that attaches to the negative terminal of the coil.
 
tsanborn said:
Thank you everyone. I think that running the white wire from the D post on the kickdown switch to the negative post on the coil is the right answer. I don't understand what they were referring to in the wiring diagram on page 242 of the 1955 Ford Car Shop Manual. It shows the white wire with red tracer connecting to two coils and a set of points that I assume is a second relay. Since I don't have a second relay, I'll rely on your good advice and connect it to the neg on the coil.
Click to expand...


The 2 coils you're referring to represent the primary and secondary windings of the ignition coil.
 
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