To buy a O/D, or "NOT"

I have found an O/D, for my Daughter's 77MGB.
Price $500, need to drive 309 Miles to pick it up, if I buy it..

Data: Because she lives in the vast state of Texas, where you drive 5Miles to go to a grocery store / Six Miles to go to the Library and no mass transit system to speak of..
23 Mile to go to Houston/21 to go to Galviston.

Question: Does she really need a O/D?
Will it save her engine?

O/D will save her engine in that she will be cutting the revolutions turned to go the same distance. That is partly why my wife has a Toyota with 246,000 miles on an untouched engine (yes, there are other reasons too), she has that fifth gear.

It is an economic decision - the engine wear is a "tomorrow" issue, the cost of the O/D is a "today" expense. So the cost+hastle must be worth it to you or don't do it.

The other factor is the fun of having an O/D in the car. I love the toy.

I've just bought a parts car with O/D that I plan to install, but I'm wating until the current gearbox shows wear, befor I do the swap.

My final thought is ask yourself what is the best way to spend $1000 on this car. Your answer may be shocks, tires or simply gasoline. The formula is to maximize your enjoyment.

I read somewhere that an OD will not signifigantly improve mileage, but will lessen engine wear. Any truth to this statement?

I do not know, Waiting on Harlen J., Tom B, JDW, John B., and the "Our Gang Comedy Hour".
A good PROS: & CON:

Would be welcomed:

I want to make up my mind, by 12/17/99

It is for $500 USDollars
Is that a good price, for a used O/D???

$500 is a bargain(unless its trashed). open it up and get a decent look at the inards before you stab it in the car. I don't see a huge fuel economy difference. Its nice to have the engine not scream at 3000+ rpm to do 55 mph. You'll have to pull the engine, so if ya got the money, ya might freshen up the motor, if it hasn't been done in the past 60,000 miles.

It has been done in the last 12,000 Miles
All up-front refreashed/replaced

Engine ran well, but sound like a "Screaming Banshee", going down I10. Oil-Pressure (Dropping as the Temperature was rising)..

Car did not overhead or change color of oil( 20W50 Castroil)

$US500 is about right if you get the tranny & shifter with the O/D including driveshaft. Check wiring & switches & details on nuts/bolts & mounting hardware (hopefully included).

If you want it & have the cash - go for it. It is part of the MGB Experience!

If you need justification - the eventual sales value of the car will increase with the O/D.

If you are afraid that you paid too much - I just paid $CDN2500 for my parts car incl O/D & hardtop - so I have to make good use of the bumpers, engine, interior etc to get my $ out of the parts car. I figure I paid about $CDN500 - $700 for the O/D.

Labour becomes a factor - who is removing & how much to swap out.

Good luck

$500 for an OD is a steal. I get at least $750 for them and as soon as I get one it is gone with one phone call. Don't sweat the small stuff like inhibitor switch lord they only cost $13 new. I would check and make sure they worked before I put it in the car. Chances are if anything is wrong with it it would be the solenoid and brand new that's $150. you are still ahead of the game. Would I buy one? I have one in a roaster but not my GT. I like it and it does lower the RPM's about 500. Is it going to make a BIG difference in gas milage and the life of your engine? Not much. Changing the oil every 2500 miles would do a better job of that. As far as it giving you 250k Miles on one engine not going to happen on an old pushrod 4 banger. As far as the drive shaft difference. The difference is the way it is set up,and your D/S will work fine. I know MG's that did the OD switch 10 years ago and used the D/S they already had and it hasn't caused any problems. You could ask the guy if he will throw in the D/s,but how are you going to know if it was an O/D driveshaft.

Clarification: I never said a B would get 250k miles. I said the extra gear was one reason a Toyo can get it.
I'm getting an o/d unit for $250, but it is a rare, one time only deal. They are out there. If I wanted another one, I'd pay $500 for it.

I doubt the fifth gear did much to increase the life of your engine. Being a car buff I'm sure you took care of the matinance. That's what kept her alive. I know of more than one jap car that has over 2oo on them. The Toy is a good vehicle. I've never seen a B get much over 100K on the factory engine.

Steve,
Jump on it. It won't give you significantly better mileage, and as Tom say's, your engine won't last all that much longer, but it's worth every penny.
I have two of them sitting on my garage floor at the moment waiting to be installed, and for me, the B needs the O/D just for driver comfort. Drive the LRR for a couple of minutes at 55, then kick it up to 70 for a while. The engine noise you heard/felt at 55 is about what you'll see at 70 with the O/D kicked in. With all the distance cruising at freeway speeds we do around here .... you decide.
H.

Tom, you're probably right. But, we bought it with 200K already on it so it wasn't my maintenance.
I refuse to work on it, and she doesn't know how. It is a well designed engine (except for the head gasket leak that has been there since before we bought it) that will be so shot when it goes that rebuilding would be pointless.

I'd jump on it too, but I'd jump off of I-10, drop down on 87, and take the ferry to Galviston unless I'm on the wrong side from where she is. Any way, I'm going to jump of the 10 slab near Lafayette and take the coast road all the way to Galveston next summer then take 35 to Corpus Christi.

You should go ahead and "steal" that tranny, if for no other reason than bragging rights.

Bob Gilmore
Labour becomes a factor - who is removing & how much to swap out.

Thanx, for your response - Labor is not a factor. I am buying the O/D, by it's self.
(Already taken out of the car…)

JDW
Take I10 to HW146(Take a left under I10(Going south on HW146)).
In about 10Min you should see the biggest suspension bridge in Texas, Louisiana and most states.
Go over it and stay to the right(Going to HW225), this will take you to 610 west then to I45 South.
This is not the way I would goto I35, but this is the easiest.

Any exit off I45 South, from (Almedia Genoa-to- HW517(That is 10Miles of I45South)), going west(Left off of I45), willl take you to I35..

I live off of HW528(Going west on NASA Rd1(Changes to 528)), free Room and Board, must warn you!! My neighbors and I are krutz. We cannot talk unless we have a beer in our hands.

You are welcome, to stay…

Chris, B. Gilmore, Vern, Thomas, Tom B. JDW and my friend Harlan.
I hope all is well in your "realm".
I hope that "Sandy Drawers", gives you something good, for Christmas / Honikia

Because you took the time to come to my rescue, I will be able to ask the correct questions.
Before driving to 'NE' Baton Rouge, to procure an O/D…

If he has not sold it already…

Steven, have a great holiday season!

Sounds like you won't get your hands too dirty if the O/D is already removed from the car!

Let us know how the project goes!

OK, so you're a little west of Webster. I've been probably about ten miles from your place. Thanks, but not thanks on your routing. I don't like interstates and have been all over Louisiana from Port Authur to Grand Isle and love that country down there. All I use interstates for is to get to hell out of here fast and my vacation doesn't start 'till I jump off the slab. After that I just kick back and truck'um easy. I'm going to get me and my grandson a belly full of beaches this trip, plan on staying at Port Mansfield a few days and running down to Mexico a few times. Love Nuevo Progresso, it's a neat little town. Sipping Taquila Sunrrises and watching the world go by at Garcias in Matamoros ain't bad either.