ok so today I got the chance to crawl under my brick to inspect the wiring for the OD. (I still need to pull the relay and check for solder breaks, but it clicks, telling me it works)....anyway, from as much wiring as I can see it looks ok, especially since it is incased in a protective plastic harness.

Here is my question:
I have a tranny pan gasket leak, it has caused dirt to stick to the bottom of the tranny. The OD solinoid is near it and am thinking the large o-ring may have attracted some dirt, getting into the solinoid, hence causing my problem. does this sound reasonable?

On a side not, I remembered that I rarely ever switch the OD on/off, like 1 time a year rarely, so today during city driving I clicked the button a few times over about 5 min of driving. My hope is that perhaps the solinoid has become stuck from not being switched, and to maybe give it some 'shock therapy', but who knows.

Anyway, since my wiring looks ok (as I will need to check more, when I drop the tranny), should I just get the 2 O-rings and clean up the solinoid, then re-install and all should be good? OR do I need to spend the $80 and get a new one?

Thanks and sorry for the long post,
chuck
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'88 244 172K, '87 BMW 325e 174K (used to feed a '84 245, '84 244, '85 744)

On a side not, I remembered that I rarely ever switch the OD on/off, like 1 time a year rarely, so today during city driving I clicked the button a few times over about 5 min of driving.

I don't think you can tell much about the OD blocking or drop-out (which is what the so-called OD switch is for) in city driving.

You need to be up around 40mph or better. If it works, the switch (dash light ON) means the tranny will not shift up into 4th gear. Or if it is already up in 4th, it will drop down to 3rd.

The "up Arrow" light is suppsed to indicate that the higher 4th gear is locked out (till you switch the light off with the button).

Another way to look at it is that you can't switch the OD on. It will always go into OD 4th gear automatically. All you can do is prevent it (by clicking the light ON before you start to move), or take it OUT of OD later, when you need to shift down for any reason—like on a steep winding road.
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Bruce Young
'93 940-NA (current) — 240s (one V8) — 140s — 122s — since '63.

with the car not running and the ignition sw on, make the relay click and listen for the solenoid to click. don't hear it-hook up a test light to the wire at the solenoid and try again. get a light, it needs a solenoid. no light, check the wiring and/or replace the relay. just 'cuz you hear the relay and the light comes on, doesn't mean the relay is also turning the od solenoid on. good luck, chuck.

since you never use the o.d. lockout. you could do the permanent fix that was described on the board where you cut a groove from one fluid port to the other and remove the o ring in the center. well that is not the instructions but im sure its in the archives. good luck.