Hey Everyone,

I have had some transmission fluid leaking and I have finally found the culprit. It is my OD solenoid. After doing some research I assumed it was probably my O-Rings, so I ordered them. Well today I went to do the job and after further investigation it appears the fluid is leaking from inside the top of the solenoid. Above where the screws are there is this dome like structure and wires going into it. The fluid is leaking from inside this dome structure. At this point my solution is just pulling one off at the junkyard but I cant find any research on the topic. Where exactly do these wires lead coming off of the OD Solenoid? I know it goes to the OD inside the gearbox but how do I disconnect the connections to remove the OD solenoid and then install the "new" one? Any help would be appreciated! Thanks!

 

the wires on the solenoid go to a coil in the main body of the solenoid. when they are energized, they retract the tip of the solenoid, which acts as a hydraulic fluid valve.

if you follow the wires along the outside of the transmission, you should find a connector, somewhere in the general vicinity of the shifter, or maybe slightly forward

when the solenoid is ENERGIZED (power applied), the OD light on the dash is OUT, and the automatic overdrive 4th gear is enabled. when the solenoid is DEENERGIZED, the OD light is ON, and the OD is disabled.

IPDUSA sells a kit to replace the solenoid with a simple seal plate, with this installed, your OD is always in automatic mode, you can't disable it with the button.

 

Well my OD works wonderfully and my car kicks down as necessary every time although the dash light comes on. It could possibly be because of this leak. It has always done that though since I have had the car. Almost 2 years now. I will look into finding this connection, thanks.

 

ah, the 1992 240 electrical greenbook shows the cable snaking up near the shifter, and that connector is combined with the connector for the OD button on the shifter, and is on the right side of the transmission hump forward of the shifter, and just about equal to the bottom of the center console, probably under the carpet. the connector has 3 pins, the white wire on pin 1 is the OD solenoid, while the two green wires on pins 2,3 are the pushbutton.

 

So is the connection of the inside of the car or the outside?

 

according to this schematic, its inside, unless there's some way to disconnect it right at the solenoid. hmmm, here's a picture of a replacement part...




maybe there is an inline 1-pin connector not shown in the schematics.

 

Oh, I know exactly where that is. Its on the side of the shifter inside the gear box. Not the side the neutral safety switch is on but the other. It plugs into the shifter with the "bulb" end sticking up. My manual is calling it the light that illuminates where your shifter is located. So I assume the D or R or N would illuminate. Anywho, well its inside the gearbox for sure. But the question is how is it fed through the car? Will I have to take the gearbox off from the outside or can iIwork from within the gearbox? Thanks.

 

no, the bulb that illuminates the gear selector is on a completely different circuit. the shift bulb is on the same harness as the rear seatbelt/ashtray lights, this goes along the LEFT side of the tranny hump.

again, the diagram shows the overdrive solenoid wire going up a hole thats under hte plastic bezel around the shifter, and going to a connector thats just forward of that on the RIGHT side of the tranny hump

 

Ok, so it is connected on the right side where the neutral safety switch is?

 

different harness, different connectors.

 

Yea I know its different from the NSS but its on that same side?

 

the drawings show the park/neutral switch connector is up behind the center console on the right. they show the OD solenoid and OD switch connector as behind the carpet below the center console on the right. I haven't been into either of those on my 240 in a long time so I can't honestly say where it might be in a real car.

 

Well I just worked on my NSS a few weeks ago and it sits in the right "pocket" in the gearbox. And then the other end of the OD solenoid that bulb looking figure attaches to the gear shifter on the left side of it. It looks identical.

 

NSS? whazzat?

 

Neutral Safety Switch.