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Coincidence or What?

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bdcvg

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So my bizarre tale starts as simple as waxing the car. I have a lift so I raise the car 2 feet or so and sit on a creeper seat to wax the sides. Rolling around the front of the car with hubs at eye level I notice it looks like the toe-in is out of whack. I break out the jack stands and fishing line and line everything up. Sure enough it's off....way off. Not sure how, but easy enough to fix. Get it back to 1/16-1/8" and go for test drive. It's obvious the rolling resistance is greatly reduced and maybe some steering resistance too. Yay Me. Now for the weird part. My O/D hasn't worked for 3 years. I live in mountainous terrain so don't really need it. My restorer suggested the oil pump in the O/D was likely the problem and I figured I would get to it this year. Almost every time I drive the car, however, I throw the O/D switch just because. Today it works. Four times perfect engagement. So am I just lucky?
 
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Oil pumps don't generally fix themselves if they are not pressurizing properly. It is possible that there has been a bit of debris holding the small spring loaded pressure relief ball bearing off its seat for all that time and it got cleared. This is unlikely. More likely is that you have a wiring or switch problem and something that wasn't making contact is now functioning. My guess is that your OD system will disappoint you again at some point, but you never know. You may have a self-healing Healey. Boosts the selling price in my book.
 
For years, my OD wasn't working properly whereby if switch was on, and you are in 5th gear, then accelerate hard, it would down shift to 4th (dangerous to engine if at high rpm's).

Then, I detailed engine last year including OD switch in engine compartment. Now works flawlessly to this day. Still don't know what I did to fix that. Frustrating, but "somewhat" relieved.
 
Think I’ll go wash the car!
 
Scientific explanation--you are just at the edge of required oil pressure needed to accentuate the overdrive, the decreased rolling resistance from the straightened out tires was just enough to move you from the bad side of the margin, to the good side.

Real Explanation--Shrugs shoulders, "British Cars"
 
I wonder if I go in the shop and clean wax and buff while talking to my in pieces 62 Tri carb it will miraculously assemble itself by tomorrow morning and be ready for the road by the weekend?
 
Careful what you wish for. I'm sure you remember that didn't end well. I wonder if Stephen King would have ever written Christine if he had had his near death experience at the hands of an out of control Dodge minivan before he wrote it.
 
Update, driven the car probably 10-12 times and O/D still works plus gas mileage went from 18 mpg to 20 mpg. The toe-in was WAY off.
 
Your engine/transmission/overdrive has no idea how your front wheels are aligned or misaligned. The OD only knows how fast everything is turning and it doesn't care how much fuel the engine demands to get there, just that it sees the rpm it needs to build pressure and activate. As long as you can get to 3rd or 4th gear and not be lugging the engine, a working OD would engage. Shouldn't make a difference if your car is severely pigeon toed. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth...enjoy it while you got it :encouragement:.
 
I think it all boils down to bein' good lookin'...
Me - we've got a Toyota 5 speed.
Doug
 
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