Series 3: Overdrive?? Your views/opinions

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Well u've helped before, so looking for your views again.

Ive got a SWB Series 3 (2.25 Petrol) and am contemplating fitting an Overdrive to assist with the normal everyday driving. 45mph seems suitable for the car at present, 50mph getting just too noisey, stressful, and can tell engines working hard. So just asking for any advice or guidance with regard to:

1. Is overdrive worth it? Benefits? Does it make that much difference?
2. Ive seen them on Ebay for £100-150, does this sound about right?
3. How easy are they to fit? (I'm kinda at a lego/meccano level of mechanical knowledge)
4. Fairey or Bearmarch (or whatever it is)? Whats the difference other than manufacturer?
Click to expand...


1. I can only talk from experience of owning one series land rover SWB (2.25 petrol) and fitting a Fairey overdrive. The amount of difference it makes is huge IMHO. At 55/60 without an overdrive you can pretty much forget talking to the passenger. At 55/60 with an overdrive it is more of a loud talk than a shout! You really notice it when you come out of overdrive at speed, shows a big increase in revs.

2. If you find one on ebay, working well and complete, for £100-£150 then you will be doing very well!

3. It is very easy to fit. Remove the cover from the back of the gearbox and remove final gear. Be careful not to drop the retaining washer and the locknut, especially of you don't have a new one (anyway I think its a good idea to keep the old gear etc as a spare incase the overdrive fails) Slip the overdrive gear in and the retaining washer and locknut in the correct order (dont forget to lock the retaining washer off) and you are done. Well, apart from the gear linkage, which is basically just a hole in the right place of the gearbox tunnel. When you slip the overdrive in it will do one of 2 things...go in home easily or the casing will pertrude because the gear hasn't slipped in fully. The manual suggests first gear in low box and turn engine over a couple of times will slip the over drive in. I found that didnt work and a rew turns in reverse worked well.

4. No idea
 
Hmm well my series speedo has always been out by quite a lot, as I am guessing many are. Get a sat nav and compare to speedo when in overdrive, you never know, might have corrected it in the right direction!
 
Exchange rate very very crap at the moment, its about £340. Which (all IMHO of course) is a bit expensive, esp if it is going to cost a bit in shipping.
 
on the diesel it fills a gap between 3rd and 4th nicely in that 3rd overdrive will accelerate up the hill but 4th will die,

quieter and better for fuel and lower revs mean not thrashing the engine
 
aihenderson said:
Well u've helped before, so looking for your views again.

Ive got a SWB Series 3 (2.25 Petrol) and am contemplating fitting an Overdrive to assist with the normal everyday driving. 45mph seems suitable for the car at present, 50mph getting just too noisey, stressful, and can tell engines working hard. So just asking for any advice or guidance with regard to:

1. Is overdrive worth it? Benefits? Does it make that much difference?
2. Ive seen them on Ebay for £100-150, does this sound about right?
3. How easy are they to fit? (I'm kinda at a lego/meccano level of mechanical knowledge)
4. Fairey or Bearmarch (or whatever it is)? Whats the difference other than manufacturer?

Any other views/opinions/advice on the matter would be much appreciated:)

Cheers
Click to expand...

I fitted one. No regrets and a piece of **** to fit. Buyer beware! Lots of crap out there. Expect to pay £250-300 for a good un!
 
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