I've got an '88 240 Wagon, automatic. For some reason, lately, the OD stays on all the time. The little orange arrow is illuminated on the dash, and the button on the shifter does nothing. It doesn't seem to be too big of a deal, even on the highway. But, I am worried about a relatively long trip I have planned. It revs a little high at 65! The only thing I thought to check out was fuses, which are all good. Any ideas?
I don't understand! If the overdrive is always *on*, surely the revs will be
*lower*?I just mean that the light is always on.......
The overdrive lockout is always on.
Your overdrive relay has cracked solder joints in it. If you remove the glove box, it's clipped behind the dash to the left. You can buy replacements, but it's easier to pop the cover off and flow a bit of fresh rosin core solder into the cracked joints if you have a soldering iron.
No, with the relay out the light will be off, but the overdrive still will not engage. You can jumper two of the pins in the relay socket to bypass the relay but I forget which ones.
Is there a TV repair shop in your neighborhood? Ham radio club? Maybe even a geeky 16 year old with a soldering iron? Any one of those ought to be able to fix your relay in less than 5 minutes.
Soldering irons are inexpensive. here is a basic introduction to soldering:
Here's an article and picture touching up a circuit board. Same concept. Re-melting the solder around the pins...
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