notsobigkahuna Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Just picked up an 86 Slumber Queen, low mileage, very nice condition. So far the only thing that doesn't work is the o/d switch. Is this a common glitch? Any ideas where i should start? Kahuna in Kanada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 Are you in the mountains? They don't work above 4000 feet and some kick off before that. I never use my overdrive. Your engine will run just fine with it off and your 86 probably doesn't have an extra external tranny cooler. Tranny gets too hot when overdrive is on and can kill your transmission. Most who do use it use it only on very flat or slight downhill roads and hopefully with a tail wind. I haven't turned mine on in almost 10 years. Doesn't hurt the mileage either cause the torque converter slip can actually make your MPG worse. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted December 2, 2013 Share Posted December 2, 2013 ^^ everything Linda said. Normally the automatic disable kicks in around 3000 ft altitude, so if you live at a higher elevation, it won't work. ALSO - If someone accidentally left the switch or indicator unplugged on the dash board, it will not work (I did this by accident one time when I was working on the radio, and forgot to plug the OD indicator back in. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto (SOLD) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted December 2, 2013 Author Share Posted December 2, 2013 I'd didn't explain very well. The o/d is working just fine, the switch isn't. I can't turn the o/d off. The dash light isn't working either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Check to see if the O/D dash light is unplugged, (you'll need to pull the panel out) I know it sounds wierd, but if the dash light is unplugged, you cannot control the O/D (turn it off)John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 Great tip. Is the light meant to come on only when od is engaged, or when switch is on? A cb has been removed and the 12v outlet doesn't work so things may be unplugged behind there. Kahuna in Kanada Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted December 3, 2013 Share Posted December 3, 2013 Heres a diagram, as you can see, if the plug to the light is unplugged, the switch cannot control the OD relay. The light comes on when the O/D is disabled. John Mc 88 Dolphin 4 Auto (SOLD) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted December 3, 2013 Author Share Posted December 3, 2013 light on with o/d disabled. interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
notsobigkahuna Posted December 13, 2013 Author Share Posted December 13, 2013 good call, very cold here but managed to get the old girl inside, took the centre console out and the o/d light was unplugged. light is now working, assuming switch is as well. someone did a hack job installing the stereo. looks like they hijacked the thick red wire for the 12v plug. it has a yellow battery sticker on it... Kahuna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted December 13, 2013 Share Posted December 13, 2013 It's a Toyota thing lights on O/D is off. I have a 2011 Tacoma with all kinds of traction controls it's the same way when the light is on the controls are off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrel Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 On my 94 Warrior v-6 the overdrive still works a 5,135 feet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waiter Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 I think the V6 is different than the 4 banger -the 4 banger has a true 4th gear but no torque converter lockout.. I believe the 6 banger has an Torque converter lockout, but no 4th gear John Mc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 A340e is a 4 speed transmission and it doesn't have an altitude lock out on the overdrive. The locking torque converter and ECI to reduce shift points compensate for the power loss at high altitudes. I have still seen posts where the lugging of a heavily loaded v6 vehicle can cause the torque converter to not lock properly and can result in overheating of the tranny. Lugging is more likely to happen at high altitudes and turning off the overdrive might be the best possible solution. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
darrel Posted December 14, 2013 Share Posted December 14, 2013 Pretty much what my mechanic said. Do not lug the engine while in OD. It will heat-up the trans fluid. If you back off on the throttle and slow down a bit on the hills while in OD the possibility of overheating is minimal. When I'm driving with cruise on and come to a hill I turn off the cruise and back off the throttle so it won't continually up and down shift. When the hill is too steep I manually turn off the OD. He also said Dexron VI is good in my trans, its synthetic or part synthetic don't remember which. Also he is seeing 30,000 mile trans change to 50,000 mile oil change. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 A340e is a 4 speed transmission and it doesn't have an altitude lock out on the overdrive. The locking torque converter and ECI to reduce shift points compensate for the power loss at high altitudes. I have still seen posts where the lugging of a heavily loaded v6 vehicle can cause the torque converter to not lock properly and can result in overheating of the tranny. Lugging is more likely to happen at high altitudes and turning off the overdrive might be the best possible solution. Linda S The converter is designed to lockup when the load is low. When the transmissions load increases first the converter unlocks at that point it becomes a torque converter again not a locked shaft and it begins to slip then if the load is great enough the trans down shifts out of O/D reliving some of the load on the slipping converter. The slip produces the heat. The 4 cylinder does not have enough power to use a lockup converter and it's power loss at altitude is great enough that O/D should not be used that's why the ECU locks out O/D. If one has a 4 cylinder it should be locked out of O/D as soon as one feels it slow down at speed or starts to "hunt" down shift up shift.once the load is not as great then you can allow O/D to re-engage. The slip in some thing as heavy as a truck caring about twice the weight it was designed for is going to happen in both a lockup and non lockup converter obviously it will be worse over all with the non lockup. They are very tough little transmissions and should last 150K or more with proper service and maintenance an external oil cooler is your friend lockup or not the bigger the better. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maineah Posted December 15, 2013 Share Posted December 15, 2013 Pretty much what my mechanic said. Do not lug the engine while in OD. It will heat-up the trans fluid. If you back off on the throttle and slow down a bit on the hills while in OD the possibility of overheating is minimal. When I'm driving with cruise on and come to a hill I turn off the cruise and back off the throttle so it won't continually up and down shift. When the hill is too steep I manually turn off the OD. He also said Dexron VI is good in my trans, its synthetic or part synthetic don't remember which. Also he is seeing 30,000 mile trans change to 50,000 mile oil change. Dextron 6 can be used in any Toyota trans prior to 2002. All though the syn blend holds up better under heat I still would go for 30K changes for most people that's about every 6 years or so with a MH so it's not going to break the bank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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