I've considered myself pretty familiar with my cars and their AW70 tranny, but I just discovered something today I didn't expect (nor welcome):

Background: First, when I drive around I used the shift a lot -- I use the OD-lockout a lot, and even often switch down in 2nd (in traffic, in slow speed-limit areas to keep the car going slow, etc.). And often, expecting to need some extended vigorous acceleration (e.g., entering a highway's on-ramp), I'll put it in second and also lockout the OD -- thus, I can keep the rpms up as I go through 2nd gear's range, and then manually shift up into 3rd and continue through its range without concern that the tranny will shift up into 4th (OD) before I want it to.

The problem: But I also have a (late VIN) '93 240 that I recently acquired and have been fixing up. So today I took it out for a long ride, and as I was doing my usual "shifting", I discovered that I cannot get it into "OD-lockout" mode -- i.e., the light won't go on with the pushbutton -- when the shift is positioned for 2nd gear! But as soon as I move the shift into "D", it then lets me go in "lockout" as normal. And once in "lockout" in "D", it stays as I put it back into 2nd. Only going into "lockout" is blocked with the shift in 2nd.

I have never seen this behavior in my other cars. And I never expected any "connection" between the shift position and the operation of the relay (if indeed that's the reason). Is there a microswitch that blocks the pushbutton's signal in anything but "D", for instance? I don't see anything in my "green" wiring diagram ('93, late edition) book.

What gives? Is this normal for the late-VIN '93s, is it a defect. I'd like it to go into "lockout" whenever I want it to, as it is in my other cars.

It's a real puzzle to me.

Thanks, in advance, to all.

[P.S. - My reference to "early VIN" and "late VIN" is from my discoveries that there are some changes between '93 cars made early and those made later in that model year's run: e.g., the positive battery cable. So I thought that I should at least note the time frame of it's build time.]

Test for an open wire or high resistance to the shifter button when in 2nd?

There is a lot of #^&$* that falls past the brushes around the tube and who knows what somebody has done in the past to "fix" something in that box.

Duane

First time I've ever heard of it.

You're a pretty savvy 240 owner so I'm confident you've tested this to death to rule out a flukey coincidence. Nothing on any 240 I've ever had could tell the relay that lights the OD-off light any difference between D and 2 selected. Ya never know tho - your green manual was probably printed before that car was built. Does it show the late fusible links and battery terminal config?

Yes, I'm agreeing that a bad wire is most likely -- just haven't had time to pull the shift quadrant cover yet or get underneath -- I just noticed this quirk yesterday. But I thought I'd ask in case anyone ever had the same problem and can point me right to the exact solution.
I'll whip out my VOM and check it all this weekend.

But yes, my green manual is marked "late" edition, and it does show the unusual later positive battery clamp with the fuses attached! Already owning an early '93 without this arrangement, I was surprised when I first saw it on this car when I was car-shopping. Now the diagrams in the book (which I already had) made more sense! :-).

Thanks again.

Best regards,