more RPM vs. Overdrive......

[Techie333]

I have a '96 camry and have the overdrive button on my gear.........is it better, for the engine/car, to let your rpm go higher or leave overdrive on all the time so rpm is lower????

 

[thelanx]

What is overdrive? What does it do exactly?

 

[Viperoni]

Overdrive is *like* another gear; by going into it, you lower your RPM and fuel consumption, but obviously your acceleration turns into crap because you're in low revs and far from the powerband.
Use it on the highway, not in the city (not saving anything, plus your tranny has to do too much shifting in and out of OD)

 

[GrumpyMan]

Gas wise, OD is better. I would think the higher the engine rpm runs the sooner parts will wear out? I could be wrong on that one though. Just keep good oil in it.

 

[Thegonagle]

OD is just another name 4th gear on this car. Do you want to use 4th gear? On the highway, the answer is probably yes. If you're cruising around in city traffic never going more than 30-40 or only hitting that speed for a few seconds at a time, and the extra shifting is annoying to you, or you're used to driving a stick and being in full control of the transmission, turn it off if you want to. The transmission really doesn't care one way or the other. It's all about you.

 

[Emulex]

only time you should turn off overdrive, is when your towing or climbing lots of hills. saves gas and the motor's life by spinning it slower..

 

[MustPost]

has anyone heard of the gearless cars, i think their new technology but im not sure. Apperently instead of using gears it has this thingamagig that acts like a gear exept theres only one and it can like change its size slowly.
Sorry I can't be any more specific, so you probobly won't know what im talking about

 

[Gunbuster]

You can also click the little OD off button to pop down a gear on the highway (good for passing)

 

[TRUMPHENT]

oh God, but your icon is depressing. I saw a gearless transmission at a car museum in Sarasota. It was one big wheel and a little one that was moved from the inner to outer track of the big wheel by a lever. It was from the early 20th century. It is is the only gearless transmission I have ever seen or heard of. But Gott, your Icon is severely depressed. I thought I had sad moments until I saw this thread and your Icon.

 

[Thegonagle]

The Honda Civic HX, The Honda Insight, and Toyota Prius all have them (gearless CVT) available. As of today, they?re not very good for high torque engines, so that?s why you only can get them on economy cars so far. They work similarly to the variable speed belt drive on some lawn tractors.

 

[Valafar]

You want low RPM's Less wear and tear, better mileage. When in town, turn it off, when on the freeways, turn it on.

 

[Pepsi90919]

My car goes like...

1st gear --> 2nd gear --> 3rd gear --> torque converter clutch lockup --> overdrive

the engine is spinning faster than the wheels in 1, 2 and 3. the ratio is 1:1 in TCC and the wheels spin faster than the engine in overdrive.

[IIRC] 😉