The governor is there to prevent engaging the OD below about 30 MPH, depending on rear end ratio. It's possible to run fast enough in 2nd. gear to use the OD, but it's mainly useful as a 4th. speed after you shift the normal 3-speed pattern. If you use it as intended instead of bypassing all the automatic functions, all that's necessary to engage the OD gear is to let off the gas in 3rd. gear, listen for a click, and reapply power. When road speed drops below governor speed and you let off the gas, it downshifts back to direct drive automatically. Ditto on a full stop. Going to full throttle and tripping a kickdown switch in the throttle linkage downshifts out of OD for passing power or hill climbing. The car will "free-wheel" at times, so get into the habit of using Reverse as a parking gear. It can roll away even when parked in one of the forward gears. OD is locked our in Reverse. There's also a cable-operated lockout for preventing OD engagement while compression braking on a downgrade, trailer towing, etc.
Most people either don't understand how to make one work right, or are too lazy to set it up properly, so they install a toggle switch and bypass the governor and the automatic downshift. Done right, it's almost idiot-proof.
Jerry
Last edited by Hotrod Lincoln; 09/26/2008 6:11 PM.
