I recently purchased a 1972 Series 1 XJ6, with 4 speed manual gearbox and overdrive.

On one of my first journeys I was diving down the motorway, I had engaged overdrive, which was working fine for 20-30 minutes. All of a sudden I could smell burning and looked down to see smoke coming from the overdrive button on the gear stick - not just from the transmission tunnel, but specifically from the button. I immediately disengaged overdrive, the smoke disappeared and I haven't used it since!

Does anybody know what might be causing this?

 

Ideas:


That is a clear sign of high resistance. Partial or complete short.
1. The switch itself.
2. Switch to solenoid wires.
3. The solenoid itself.
4. The connectors.


CArl

 

As Carl says sounds like a short.....maybe at the O/D switch cable?...just a guess.....enclosed copy of diagram as it may help..






Jim