Third lever..

In article , Molesworth writes

As memory serves, overdrive levers either emerged from the front of the seat base or the side of the transmission tunnel (half way along), depending on the manufacturer (Bearmach or Fairey). I've fitted both in the past, but I forget which went where.

Take the middle seat out, and have a look to see if there is something bolted onto the back of the gear box (at the top). It should have a linkage coming out leading to your lever.

Adrian

Possibly a PTO control. Crawl underneath or lift the centre box out of the seat, and you may see it attached to the gearbox casing. Three positions for front, rear and none. The overdrive levers I've seen only have two positions.

If it is a PTO, the possibilities for fun are greatly increased. Compressors, jetwashes, welders, winches........

I've used Fairey and Bearmach overdrive units, and both have been 3 position units (normal-neutral-overdrive).

Adrian

I've had overdrives, rear PTO, bottom PTO & hydraulic bottom PTO in years gone by. None had a lever on the floor; the Fairey overdrive had a lever on the side of the gearbox tunnel, all others came out forwards from the vertical part of the seatbase.

If you can't be a good example, then you'll just have to be a horrible warning.' Catherine Aird

Thanks everyone! It's a Fairey O/D!

Mmmm... Fairy OverDrives, fond memories....

Remember to de-clutch when using that, just like changing other gears, it's all mechanical, just like a manual box, not electro-hydraulic similar to an auto' like some others..

Keep an eye on the oil (EP90) level, and condition, they cook the stuff! If it gone dark brown, change it, it only takes 1 pint (From memory.)

You also now have 16 forward gears, 4 reverse's, and 7 different ways to get Neutral!

Just put everything in Neutral, and it confuses the heck out of non LR drivers! And many who've never driven a Series with an OD.

Depending on who you talk to, some say that the "Overdrive" facility should only be used in top and 3rd gear. However, many of us have used it extensivley when towing up steep hills (Porlock in Devon for one!) or pulling stuff out of muddy fields, in all gears, both high and low range, just to keep going, or to get the "just right" gear for the old 2

It's also extremely useful, to get just the right gearing in low range, when laning, or recovering on a "long pull"...

It's relatively easy cleanly "splitting" gears going up the box without loosing momentum, if you can also do it successfully going down with no crunching noises (or killing yourself!) even better...

I've blown the (S3) main box on two ocasions in the past (stripped the teeth off third gear on the layshaft, but still drove over 50 miles home one time!) but I never broke an overdrive. All that with a heavily laden 109 with another 2 tonne of trailer on the back... Not exactly the quickest accelerating thing on tarmac! It used to be good sport carving up buses and taxis in central London with that combination. I think Plod would object these days...

The overdrive from my old 109 is now living in a friends S1, he call's it the "Secret weapon", as the thing will cruse hapily at 60 with that in, and it's one of the early 1600 long stroke engines too. An easy retirement life for it, compared to the overloaded 109 it was abused with at my hands for at least 10 years and 100,000 miles.

(My 109 mutated into the Series 4 & 1/2 hybrid)

They are good bit's of kit, keep that oil fresh and up to level, and it'll take all sorts of abuse... Remember, EP90, not 80/90 and definately not EP80.

Regards.

Dave B.

Dave, thanks for that! I'm keepiong your post for future unforgettery.

I discovered the O/D neutral whilst waiting at the traffic lights... (my dog had climbed in and knocked it not-quite-out-of drive when we set off) ... Lights changed, I revved up and... nothing!

Speed merchants behind were quite upset.

Which is when I discovered the extra lever (I hadn't noticed it before)!