Borg-Warner overdrive help needed

pdora

pdora

Senior Member
I have recently acquired a 1930 Tudor with a Borg-warner overdrive unit installed. It came with no operating instructions and the former owner cannot help me.

Everything I have read about the unit, including here on the Barn, describes an installation with a mechanically-linked control knob and one or two electrical switches connected to solenoids in the unit.

Mine is set up with the control knob and a short lever on the floor near the gearshift. It is obviously a mechanical link as well.

The control knob is red with instructions on its surface telling which way to move for it overdrive and for reverse.

Can anyone tell me how to employ the floor lever in conjunction with the control knob?

Thanks.
 
you ALWAYS DISENGAGE the unit before reverse by pulling the knob UP. Push the knob down to engage. as for the electrical switches i do not know how to do that.
 
The switch is to send power to the solenoid to pull it in for overdrive, so turning the switch OFF would allow the car to freewheel unless the short lever is moved to lock it out of overdrive. Only move the lever to lock it out of ovedrive while stopped or if the engine is pulling while out of overdrive. In other words don't be freewheeling and pull the lever. The original car with the B/W installation has a rod which locks out the O/D when the ****** is shifted into reverse. Your Model A installation doesn't have that rod, but uses the lever and cable instead.

When backing up have the switch off and the lever pulled to lock the gears out of overdrive/freewheeling.

The original B/W installed on an original car had a governor that would connect the ground to energize the relay to engage the O/D solenoid once the car got above about 28 MPH, UNLESS the lockout knob was pulled. Your installation doesn't have that governor, but has the switch instead.

So, if you are driving along at 45 MPH and decide to shift into O/D, have the engine lightly pulling and then move the lever and switch to overdrive positions. You can leave it in O/D and shift to second if you need more power to pass or climb a hill.

If you coast down to 40 MPH and decide to get out of O/D but only move the lever, you will be in regular high gear, but will be freewheeling. Freewheeling is illegal in many states and is harder on the brakes.

Wouldn't it have been SO NICE if Henry had a 4th (higher) gear!:)
 
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I have a Borg Warner T-5 and I don't understand anything anyone is talking
about! I just shift mine like any four speed and use the fifth gear only when I want
to go over 45. Are some BW T-5 trannies different than others? Splain this to me
Lucille!

Jack
 
heres the instructions that come with mine...the cable should be pushed in for overdrive and out for reverse or to be out of o/d.
see pull for" reverse on cable"." overdrive-in " means that the cable is pushed in and the o/d can be shifted with the lever on the floor. with o/d cable in and the lever fwd your in freewheeling position. to go into o/d pull the lever back fully and let up on the gas. when the engine slows, it automatically shift to o/d. to go out of o/d pull lever fwd and step on the gas. the car will not shift in or out of o/d unless the car is in a coasting position. never try to back up with the lever in the back postion. whenever shifting into o/d be coasting the engine will be turning slower while the car maintains same road speed., when shifting out of o/d firmly step on the gas to gain engine speed (matching engine and road speed). hope this helps...
 
you t5 is a differnt animal than the b-w overdrive in the torque tube
Jack '29 Sport Coupe said:
I have a Borg Warner T-5 and I don't understand anything anyone is talking
about! I just shift mine like any four speed and use the fifth gear only when I want
to go over 45. Are some BW T-5 trannies different than others? Splain this to me
Lucille!

Jack
Click to expand...
 
It sounds as if somebody had eliminated the electric solenoids and converted it to a mechanical shift.That would be the lever on the floor.I had one like that,it ran on two cables instead of a switch.I liked it all right,but I felt it was too high of an overdrive for me.Mine was 33%.It is important to remember to have the OD locked out to back up.Part of the unit can grenade if you attempt to back up with the OD engaged.I have heard of it happening,but if you just stick it in reverse and try to back up normally,the car will just sit there like the brake is on.You will feel it.I think the ones that get broken are ones where people toss it in reverse,nail the throttle,and snap out the clutch.One little thing to remember,if you drive up against a curb and shut it off when in OD,you might be stuck there.It won't want to release,and you can break something trying to force it.The safest way to release it is to jack one rear wheel up,as soon as it clears the ground you will be able to shift it out of OD.You will only do it once before you learn.They are easy to operate,once you have it figured out you will do it automaticly.
 
Jack: Your T-5 is a replacement transmission for the original Model A and feeds it's torque directly into a shortened drive shaft. The Borg-Warner that Peter has installed in his car is a much earlier overdrive transmission. It was a common addition to fifties era cars such as my 1950 Ford. In the Model A, the earlier B-W is installed in the drive shaft and the unit replaces a section of the drive shaft. Maybe someone could post a picture to further explain the unit. Gar Williams
 
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