Overdrive

I don't understand! If the overdrive is always *on*, surely the revs will be

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.

Ok. I found it. Now, I do not have a soldering iron nor can I solder. If I just leave the relay off, will the car shift normally, and then I simply won't be able to drop it down into OD? Once I get the replacement I will put it back on, but would it be ok just to leave it off right now?

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...