Don Foster wrote:

> John, I'm not sure I got clear answers.

> Your car is a manual transmission?

yes.

> Do you mean that you've measured the viscosity? Or do you mean that

> when cold, it shifts hard?

the latter, but for the most part I don't see much difference.

> Please explain this more. Do you mean that you push the button and

> nothing happens (with either the OD or the light), or do you mean

> that the indicator light comes on but the OD doesn't engage?

nothing happens.. here's the sequence of events:

start car in cold.

get on interstate.

drive car, helpless in fourth gear.

wait, drive on, and hope that the temp gauge hits warm before the cops pull me over for driving too slow.

(the temp gauge hits the middle point)

now, finally, pushing the OD button actually engages the overdrive (and

the light)

as an added note, if the car is still warm the next time I start

it the OD switch operates as noraml.

> If the light remains off in the cold (when you push the button), then

> I'd say the relay is balky. But you could also have a bad push button

> or wire from button to relay. Howeverm I've never heard of

> temperature-sensitive push buttons (whereas I have seen relays

> respond to temp).

are you sure that this could be caused by the relay?

I had to resolder the fule pump relay in another volvo, but it

didn't have a tempature related failure.

any tips&tricks for dealing with the OD relay?

> Whatever, resolder the relay.

easy for you to say; it's cold outside.