Overdrive or four speed?

[gold swinger]

Is there an easy way to tell the difference between a four speed and a three speed overdrive. Someone told me you can tell by the linkage formation whether the connectors going into the transmission were up or down. Also any difference in the shift kit for one or the other.

 

[abodyjoe]

http://www.slantsix.org/articles/4-speeds/ODA833fourspeed1.htm

 

[toolmanmike]

Good link Joe.

 

[cawley]

bearing retainer diameter

 

[ValiantOne]

bearing retainer diameter

What he said. Bearing retainer on all o/d trans's is 5.125.

All non O/D (4 sp) are 4 inches and change.

Edit: I should qualify that by saying "stock trans's". The was an aftermarket bearing retainer to change the 5.125 to a 4.8 something. I don't know if it is still available tho.

 

[BlueDream]

x3 on the bearing retainer.

You could also put it in gear and see how much the output shaft turns. Put it in 3rd gear and turn the input shaft all the way around once, see how many times the output shaft turns. Do the same with 4th. If it's an overdrive, In third the output shaft should turn more than once and in 4th gear it should turn exactly once. 4th is 1:1 (Direct drive) and 3rd is .73:1 (Overdrive).

That link Joe posted is definitely a good read. Lots of helpful info there!

 

[RPMagoo]

http://www.slantsix.org/articles/4-speeds/ODA833fourspeed1.htm

-- My "A" Body doesn't look like that. --

--

 

[67Dart273]

I cannot tell by the retainer because I don't always have a tape, and cannot always remember. EG how much difference is there between an 18 spline retainer and an OD? Answer: Hell, I don't know, "when I'm there" "in the field" so to speak

I always put the box into "4 speed" type 3rd gear. That is rotate the front shift shaft CW. Now turn the input shaft 1 turn, and watch what the tail shaft does

Less than 1 turn = straight 4 speed

More than 1 turn = OD box.

I would not depend on shift linkage. If it's been apart someone may have put the front lever on wrong.

 

[trapster]

There are no gears in a standard 833 where the output turns faster than the input.

Also most "except for one year" 833od's are aluminum cased.

The lower linkage is longer an bent more on the OD

 

[nm9stheham]

Someone told me you can tell by the linkage formation whether the connectors going into the transmission were up or down.

The 3-4 lever points down in the OD, and in the normal up direction in the non-OD. Assumes the levers are there and on right as 67Dart273 states.....

Pix of OD trans here: http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,11581.0.html