1st Gen. Ram - All Topics Discussion for all Dodge Rams prior to 1994. This includes engine, drivetrain and non-drivetrain discussions. Anything prior to 1994 should go in here.

Overdrive the question.

Old Dec 18, 2006 | 05:08 PM
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IraPatterson's Avatar
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From: Ogden, Utah
Overdrive the question.

I was just wondering if there was a way to make the factory overdrive A518 transmission selectable rather than automatic. If possible, I would like to set it up so I have to push a button or something for it to go into overdrive, and it would not come out unless I manually took it out. I do not imagine would be hard except for trying to fool the computer. I am tired of my truck not being able to decide if it wants to be in overdrive or not from 50 to 80mph.

Thanks.
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Old Dec 18, 2006 | 05:26 PM
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Get a shift handle from a 94 that has the o/d button in the end and wire it up to control the solenoid in the tranny that engages o/d.

Don't remember which wire but there are directions in the sticky i'm sure.
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Old Dec 18, 2006 | 05:48 PM
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The OD switch isn't really an OD switch. It just tells the computer what you want, and the computer might do that, or it might not.

If you want manual control, rig a switch to ground the OD solenoid (the wire that's NOT blue is the one you want to ground).
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Old Dec 18, 2006 | 08:42 PM
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I just finished rigging up a switch like you mention. I spliced a wire to the orange wire coming off the od switch on the top drivers side of the tranny and brought it into the cab. Then mounted a dimmer switch down near where your left foot rests. The kind they used in the older vehicles . There is three prongs on the dimmer switch. I attached the wire from the tranny to one side and a ground wire to the centre one. This way when you drive down the road and want the tranny to shift into OD you just stomp on that di mmer switch and there it is. Shift out of od just step on it again. I think I will rig up a light or a led to the other side of the switch and that way when its out of overdrive the light will be on. Should work and will be able to tell where it is at a glance. I only did this because I worked and searched for a week and couldent manage to get the od to work like it was suposed to and finally gave up. Too cold on the hands this time of the year up here to work outside anyway...........
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Old Dec 18, 2006 | 10:44 PM
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To cold ? woosie, it was 75 here today and I worked outside all day.
Uhm oh wait I bet its a tad colder there huh ?
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Old Dec 19, 2006 | 01:29 PM
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75 huh? Must be nice. Up here we have two seasons, six months cold and six months hot. Just get used to one then it changes and have to start over again........
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Old Dec 19, 2006 | 04:02 PM
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Yeah... Here in Utah we have been lucky to get out of the low 30s. And if there is any kind of wind or breeze (which living not that far from the mouths of two canyons, there almost always is) we do not break mid to high 20s.

Thanks for the help, I will probably be doing that today or tomorrow.
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