...I'd say your opinion is based on a sample size that is way too small (1) to support your contentions that: "The overdrive is unreliable." and "...these things crap out early in the useful life of the car."

That may have been true in your experience, but it certainly doesn't agree with my 20 years of contact with many friends and family 240s. Nor have I seen it reflected in nearly 7 years of almost daily scans here on the BrickBoard.

I've actually experienced only 1 OD problem (at about 130,000 miles) on a poorly maintained '86 with worn piston o-ring seals. With Duane's guidance (see his post above above), I refurbished a JY unit for about $50 that was still working when he car was junked some 100,000 miles later. The swap took about 2.5 hours as I recall.

--
Bruce Young, '93 940-NA (current), 240s (one V8), 140s, 122s, since '63.