when do you use overdrive in your car?

vital

Platinum Member
Sep 28, 2000
2,534
1
81
i'd like to know when do you usually turn on/off your overdrive? what is it really used for?
 

PsychoAndy

Lifer
Dec 31, 2000
10,735
0
0
Originally posted by: vital
i'd like to know when do you usually turn on/off your overdrive? what is it really used for?

On- Damn near 99.9% of the time.
Off- Engine braking for descending downgrades or towing a trailer so you use the wider part of the powerband

-PAB
 

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
what exactly is overdrive? is it like another gear that's really tall, or does it change the effective ratios of all the gears?
 

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
and it's still doing it! i'm commandeering this thread! which brings me to another question. how do you spell commandeer?
 

bolido2000

Diamond Member
Dec 3, 2001
3,720
1
0
Overdrive is like 5th in manual transmission. IE, when is off you are locking out the 4th gear in a 4 speed transmission.
Just leave it on and forget about it. brake pads are not so expensive anyways ;)
 

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
Originally posted by: prodigy69
I don't know but vital has the same question as you.


no i had a similar question to vital. he started this thread, not me.

which leads me to the next order of buisness. i figured out this threads screwing up thing. the clocks got set back on the AT server and now my posts show up "before" the first two before the switch.
 

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
Originally posted by: bolido2000
Overdrive is like 5th in manual transmission. IE, when is off you are locking out the 4th gear in a 4 speed transmission.
Just leave it on and forget about it. brake pads are not so expensive anyways ;)

so basically "overdrive" is just a fancy way to say the top gear is tall enough to make the engine spin slower than the wheels?

 

HappyPuppy

Lifer
Apr 5, 2001
16,997
2
71
On-only when I'm on the freeway or highway doing 60mph or faster.
Off-on city streets or on the fwy or hwy under 60mph.
 

MiataGirl

Banned
Sep 2, 2002
309
0
0
overdrive is the gear in which the gear ratio is less than 1:1. In a 4 spd auto it'd be 4th gear, and in a 5 spd manual it's usually 5th gear. Some 6 speeds have both 5th and 6th gears in overdrive.

For example the Z28 with the 6-sp, has 5th gear at 0.74:1, and 6th at 0.50:1..this decreases the amount of power at that given gear, but improves gas milage.

BMW's tend to not have any overdrive gears in their 5-spds, which increases power in the highest gear, but decreases gas milage.

Usually you should leave od on to get better gas milage. If you leave it off though, and say you have a 4-sp automatic, your car will never shift into 4th, giving you better accelerating and braking abilities. Even if it is on though, flooring the gas in 4th will usually downshift for you anyways..
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: MiataGirl
overdrive is the gear in which the gear ratio is less than 1:1. In a 4 spd auto it'd be 4th gear, and in a 5 spd manual it's usually 5th gear. Some 6 speeds have both 5th and 6th gears in overdrive.

For example the Z28 with the 6-sp, has 5th gear at 0.74:1, and 6th at 0.50:1..this decreases the amount of power at that given gear, but improves gas milage.

BMW's tend to not have any overdrive gears in their 5-spds, which increases power in the highest gear, but decreases gas milage.

Usually you should leave od on to get better gas milage. If you leave it off though, and say you have a 4-sp automatic, your car will never shift into 4th. Even if is on though, flooring the gas in 4th will usually downshift for you anyways..

Being that overdrive is the weakest gear in your transmission, if you have a fairly powerful vehicle you should never floor it in overdrive nor switch overdrive on until you are at a steady speed.
 

prodigy

Lifer
Oct 9, 1999
14,822
1
0
Originally posted by: thomsbrain
Originally posted by: prodigy69
I don't know but vital has the same question as you.


no i had a similar question to vital. he started this thread, not me.

which leads me to the next order of buisness. i figured out this threads screwing up thing. the clocks got set back on the AT server and now my posts show up "before" the first two before the switch.

Holy thread hijack batman! :confused:
 

MiataGirl

Banned
Sep 2, 2002
309
0
0
Originally posted by: Millenium


Being that overdrive is the weakest gear in your transmission, if you have a fairly powerful vehicle you should never floor it in overdrive nor switch overdrive on until you are at a steady speed.

well yeah, on a manual you're not going to shift into 5th gear if you're at 20mph. and in an automatic it's pretty much impossible.

i don't get what you're saying about flooring it in overdrive though. why shouldn't you ever floor it?
 

thomsbrain

Lifer
Dec 4, 2001
18,148
1
0
Originally posted by: Millenium
Originally posted by: MiataGirl
overdrive is the gear in which the gear ratio is less than 1:1. In a 4 spd auto it'd be 4th gear, and in a 5 spd manual it's usually 5th gear. Some 6 speeds have both 5th and 6th gears in overdrive.

For example the Z28 with the 6-sp, has 5th gear at 0.74:1, and 6th at 0.50:1..this decreases the amount of power at that given gear, but improves gas milage.

BMW's tend to not have any overdrive gears in their 5-spds, which increases power in the highest gear, but decreases gas milage.

Usually you should leave od on to get better gas milage. If you leave it off though, and say you have a 4-sp automatic, your car will never shift into 4th. Even if is on though, flooring the gas in 4th will usually downshift for you anyways..

Being that overdrive is the weakest gear in your transmission, if you have a fairly powerful vehicle you should never floor it in overdrive nor switch overdrive on until you are at a steady speed.

that would only be for manuals though. i assume autos can take care of themselves in terms of waiting to shift and kickdowns. since that's like what they do.

 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: MiataGirl
Originally posted by: Millenium


Being that overdrive is the weakest gear in your transmission, if you have a fairly powerful vehicle you should never floor it in overdrive nor switch overdrive on until you are at a steady speed.

well yeah, on a manual you're not going to shift into 5th gear if you're at 20mph. and in an automatic it's pretty much impossible.

i don't get what you're saying about flooring it in overdrive though. why shouldn't you ever floor it?

no, an automatic can be in fourth gear at 20 MPH but it depends on your gear ratio. Overdrive is a very weak band even when it is built with aftermarket parts. If you have a fairly powerful car, you should not be in the habit of flooring it in overdrive and wanting it to downshift. Now mind you I am talking about cars with over 300HP or ft lbs of torque. Not only is this supported by Peformance Automatic, Lentech, and Jerry W.(chief engineer of several ford auto trannys), but you have my word that I know what I am talking about.
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: thomsbrain
Originally posted by: Millenium
Originally posted by: MiataGirl
overdrive is the gear in which the gear ratio is less than 1:1. In a 4 spd auto it'd be 4th gear, and in a 5 spd manual it's usually 5th gear. Some 6 speeds have both 5th and 6th gears in overdrive.

For example the Z28 with the 6-sp, has 5th gear at 0.74:1, and 6th at 0.50:1..this decreases the amount of power at that given gear, but improves gas milage.

BMW's tend to not have any overdrive gears in their 5-spds, which increases power in the highest gear, but decreases gas milage.

Usually you should leave od on to get better gas milage. If you leave it off though, and say you have a 4-sp automatic, your car will never shift into 4th. Even if is on though, flooring the gas in 4th will usually downshift for you anyways..

Being that overdrive is the weakest gear in your transmission, if you have a fairly powerful vehicle you should never floor it in overdrive nor switch overdrive on until you are at a steady speed.

that would only be for manuals though. i assume autos can take care of themselves in terms of waiting to shift and kickdowns. since that's like what they do.

Key term is fairly powerful vehicle. I am speaking of vehicles that have over 300/300 hp/ft lbs. Any less than that and you have no worries with keep OD off until a constant speed or OD downshifting. The easiest thing to mess up in an automatic tranny is OD.
 

Dragnov

Diamond Member
Apr 24, 2001
6,878
0
0
Yup, on pretty much the entire time since it saves me lots of gas. Only time its off is if its struggling, or I feel like I need more power.
 

MiataGirl

Banned
Sep 2, 2002
309
0
0
Originally posted by: Millenium
Originally posted by: MiataGirl
Originally posted by: Millenium


Being that overdrive is the weakest gear in your transmission, if you have a fairly powerful vehicle you should never floor it in overdrive nor switch overdrive on until you are at a steady speed.

well yeah, on a manual you're not going to shift into 5th gear if you're at 20mph. and in an automatic it's pretty much impossible.

i don't get what you're saying about flooring it in overdrive though. why shouldn't you ever floor it?

no, an automatic can be in fourth gear at 20 MPH but it depends on your gear ratio. Overdrive is a very weak band even when it is built with aftermarket parts. If you have a fairly powerful car, you should not be in the habit of flooring it in overdrive and wanting it to downshift. Now mind you I am talking about cars with over 300HP or ft lbs of torque. Not only is this supported by Peformance Automatic, Lentech, and Jerry W.(chief engineer of several ford auto trannys), but you have my word that I know what I am talking about.

Missed that powerful vehicle part in your post..missed it in the first post of the thread too, and for that reason I didn't think the poster was asking specifically about vehicles with 300hp/ft-lb torque, nor did he mention only automatics, and I really don't think he said anything about performance shifters. So what does your post have anything to do with the thread?
 

Mill

Lifer
Oct 10, 1999
28,558
3
81
Originally posted by: MiataGirl
Originally posted by: Millenium
Originally posted by: MiataGirl
Originally posted by: Millenium


Being that overdrive is the weakest gear in your transmission, if you have a fairly powerful vehicle you should never floor it in overdrive nor switch overdrive on until you are at a steady speed.

well yeah, on a manual you're not going to shift into 5th gear if you're at 20mph. and in an automatic it's pretty much impossible.

i don't get what you're saying about flooring it in overdrive though. why shouldn't you ever floor it?

no, an automatic can be in fourth gear at 20 MPH but it depends on your gear ratio. Overdrive is a very weak band even when it is built with aftermarket parts. If you have a fairly powerful car, you should not be in the habit of flooring it in overdrive and wanting it to downshift. Now mind you I am talking about cars with over 300HP or ft lbs of torque. Not only is this supported by Peformance Automatic, Lentech, and Jerry W.(chief engineer of several ford auto trannys), but you have my word that I know what I am talking about.

Missed that powerful vehicle part in your post..missed it in the first post of the thread too, and for that reason I didn't think the poster was asking specifically about vehicles with 300hp/ft-lb torque, nor did he mention only automatics, and I really don't think he said anything about performance shifters. So what does your post have anything to do with the thread?


Lets see where to begin. First of all I mentioned nothing about "Peformance Shifters". Did you not mention a Z28? I am not sure(I am but since you seem to know more about cars than me I will humor you) that it has more than 300/300. So... lets see that is why I posted first off. Second off you should never floor a car in overdrive if you don't have to!!! You have demonstrated you lacking knowledge of automatic transmissions in several thread. Several people have corrected you including me.

"and for that reason I didn't think the poster was asking specifically about vehicles with 300hp/ft-lb torque"

Then why did you post about a Z28?

All your post does is give people bad information. I suggest you LISTEN occasionally and maybe you could learn something. YOU mentioned automatics and gave bad information on how to drive one. Sure Joe Six pack is going to floor his car in overdrive and that is the reason that auto trannies always break overdrive. If you don't know what the fvck you are talking about then why do you always post. After I give you proof and debate your points you disappear to post inaccurate drivel in another thread.

"i'd like to know when do you usually turn on/off your overdrive? what is it really used for?"

That is what the original poster posted and that is talking about an AUTOMATIC transmission. Since you seem to know something I don't, please explain which manuals exist that you can turn OD on or OFF? I believe you just shift into the gear.

Have a nice day.
 

MiataGirl

Banned
Sep 2, 2002
309
0
0
Okay so, my original points were, leave it on to get better gas milage, and I stated that in a 4sp auto turning off overdrive will leave the car in 3rd gear.

I mentioned the Z28 simply because it has 6 spds with two OD's, and wanted to make the point that it's not always just the last gear.

My suggestion that if you need to downshift to go faster by flooring it while in OD, was not specific to powerful cars or anything, and I don't see how you can misinterpret it to be..