To Overdrive or not to Overdrive?
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The reason I was asking is
I once had a 90 Toyota Camry (stolen) with automatic transmission and was told by the salesman to always keep the car in overdrive. I thought I would try to find a real answer so I don't mess up my new baby.
I once had a 90 Toyota Camry (stolen) with automatic transmission and was told by the salesman to always keep the car in overdrive. I thought I would try to find a real answer so I don't mess up my new baby.
The reason I was asking is
I once had a 90 Toyota Camry (stolen) with automatic transmission and was told by the salesman to always keep the car in overdrive. I thought I would try to find a real answer so I don't mess up my new baby.
I once had a 90 Toyota Camry (stolen) with automatic transmission and was told by the salesman to always keep the car in overdrive. I thought I would try to find a real answer so I don't mess up my new baby.
Exactly....
On the Silver Slug, I always keep the 4th Gear OD locked out on my A43D Automatic, unless I'm on the freeway, or doing at least 50mph. The 3rd gear 1:1 ratio works the same as our 4th gear on the W58, esp if I have to panic stop. The "engine braking" that 3rd gear provides helps allot. I've had to panic stop the Redpra in 5th gear at least 3 times in the last 13 years & it's not a whole lot of fun....
Plus on the Slug, if I keep it in 3rd gear @ medium cruising speed (35 - 40mph), then the tachometer is near 3K rpms & if I step on it, it will go up to 3,400 - 3,600 rpms, which is right at peak torque for the 5ME motor. Comes in handy for passing acceleration. Below 2K rpms, it's a little slow to accelerate.
If you at around 40 mph, just keep the OD locked out & let the powerband turn on at around 3K rpms on the 5MGE. Helps w/ acceleration. If you have the OD unlocked, then it's just going to take a tiny bit longer to start accelerating, because the tranny has to downshift from 4th to 3rd.
Then again, it also depends on your driving habits.. Your's may vary, I just listed mine.
On the Silver Slug, I always keep the 4th Gear OD locked out on my A43D Automatic, unless I'm on the freeway, or doing at least 50mph. The 3rd gear 1:1 ratio works the same as our 4th gear on the W58, esp if I have to panic stop. The "engine braking" that 3rd gear provides helps allot. I've had to panic stop the Redpra in 5th gear at least 3 times in the last 13 years & it's not a whole lot of fun....
Plus on the Slug, if I keep it in 3rd gear @ medium cruising speed (35 - 40mph), then the tachometer is near 3K rpms & if I step on it, it will go up to 3,400 - 3,600 rpms, which is right at peak torque for the 5ME motor. Comes in handy for passing acceleration. Below 2K rpms, it's a little slow to accelerate.
If you at around 40 mph, just keep the OD locked out & let the powerband turn on at around 3K rpms on the 5MGE. Helps w/ acceleration. If you have the OD unlocked, then it's just going to take a tiny bit longer to start accelerating, because the tranny has to downshift from 4th to 3rd.
Then again, it also depends on your driving habits.. Your's may vary, I just listed mine.
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Hey All,
I keep my O/D off like CJSREDPRA until it's around 60Km/h because i don't want to burn out the solinoid or burn out the clutch pack at low speeds. When I slow down with the O/D on to a complete stop i switch off the O/D to use the engine as a brake.
Cheers.
I keep my O/D off like CJSREDPRA until it's around 60Km/h because i don't want to burn out the solinoid or burn out the clutch pack at low speeds. When I slow down with the O/D on to a complete stop i switch off the O/D to use the engine as a brake.
Cheers.
Yea I leave mine on all the time. Have almost 200K miles on the tranny. It still shifts just fine. I think the thing is meant to be left on. Unless your racing or need low end power and torque. Leaving it on wil not hurt it at all. But it's your decision on what you want to do.
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733 Posts
FYI, new Toyota trans, and most others, default back into overdrive every time you start it. The quicker it drops into overdrive, the better the mileage. Only time I would not do overdrive in my Highlander is when towing at moderate speeds or up hills.
Overdrive is nothing more then one more gear, like having a manual Trans and either driving in 4th or 5th gear. If you are driving along at a slower then highway speed and your transmission its going back and forth between gears that will not be good for it so I would put her in drive but if that is not the case then run it in overdrive, it wont hurt a thing and you will get better mileage.
I've always kept the overdrive on. The overdrive is just another name for the 4th gear. If you keep it off, you'll never get into 4th gear and the engine just revs high when you go faster.
This is what it says in my owners manual...
Good driving practice
- Always turn the overdrive switch on to improve fuel economy and quiet drive. However, if engine braking is needed when going downhill in the 'D' gear or if the transmission is repeatedly upshifted and downshifted between the third and overdrive gears when climbing a gentle slope, it is suggested that the overdrive switch is turned off. Be sure to turn the switch on immediately afterward.
Since I rarely climb hills, I don't see the point in switching it off.
This is what it says in my owners manual...
Good driving practice
- Always turn the overdrive switch on to improve fuel economy and quiet drive. However, if engine braking is needed when going downhill in the 'D' gear or if the transmission is repeatedly upshifted and downshifted between the third and overdrive gears when climbing a gentle slope, it is suggested that the overdrive switch is turned off. Be sure to turn the switch on immediately afterward.
Since I rarely climb hills, I don't see the point in switching it off.
Good point.....
However, for those of us that always live in a hilly area... Not always possible...
To add what I posted earlier back in July....
When you're not on the freeway & if you have a 5-speed, how often are you driving around on city/residential streets in 5th gear??? Pretty rare?? This is roughly the equivelant of driving around w/ the Auto OD turned on, "assuming" that the tranny upshifts into 4th gear. If it does upshift into O/D & you have to accelerate (depending on how slow you're going), guess what happens, the tranny has to downshift into 3rd. And I have not floored the gas, I just gently stepped on it.
So for those of us w/ 5-speeds who are driving around in 4th gear in city/residential streets & you are are going less than 40mph or maybe 45mph.... How many of you upshift to 5th???? I usually don't (for reasons mentioned earlier (ie: panic stopping/lack of engine braking).
Basically my rational of thinking: 4th gear on our W58 5-speeds is the 1:1 gear ratio. Which is the same as 3rd gear on the A43DL/DE Automatic's (yes, this is correct). Yes, you're saving gas assuming that you don't have to accelerate, which makes the tranny downshift to 3rd (in which case to me, you're not really saving that much gas).
But hey, to each his own!!! :shock: Just my observance/opinion from having 2 Supra's, 1 5-speed, 1 Automatic.
However, for those of us that always live in a hilly area... Not always possible...
To add what I posted earlier back in July....
When you're not on the freeway & if you have a 5-speed, how often are you driving around on city/residential streets in 5th gear??? Pretty rare?? This is roughly the equivelant of driving around w/ the Auto OD turned on, "assuming" that the tranny upshifts into 4th gear. If it does upshift into O/D & you have to accelerate (depending on how slow you're going), guess what happens, the tranny has to downshift into 3rd. And I have not floored the gas, I just gently stepped on it.
So for those of us w/ 5-speeds who are driving around in 4th gear in city/residential streets & you are are going less than 40mph or maybe 45mph.... How many of you upshift to 5th???? I usually don't (for reasons mentioned earlier (ie: panic stopping/lack of engine braking).
Basically my rational of thinking: 4th gear on our W58 5-speeds is the 1:1 gear ratio. Which is the same as 3rd gear on the A43DL/DE Automatic's (yes, this is correct). Yes, you're saving gas assuming that you don't have to accelerate, which makes the tranny downshift to 3rd (in which case to me, you're not really saving that much gas).
But hey, to each his own!!! :shock: Just my observance/opinion from having 2 Supra's, 1 5-speed, 1 Automatic.
depends where im driving.... if im on the freeway, its always in fifth, but then again i speed like a mofo...
downtown/residentials, i usually go between 2nd and 3rd... rarely hit fourth, often skip straight to 5th if im on a fairly major secondary road.
downtown/residentials, i usually go between 2nd and 3rd... rarely hit fourth, often skip straight to 5th if im on a fairly major secondary road.
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1,089 Posts
Overdrive will not hurt the tranny. Times to turn it off were as listed above for 1. heavy loads 2. hilly areas 3. Any driving condition that is causing unwanted high load 4rd to 3th gear downshifts 4. Added acceleration.
Turning it off will not hurt the tranny either. it's a preferance thing and a safe gaurd for people overloading the tranny (weight, towing, ect...)
Personally, I leave it on most of the time because my car is so quiet I forget to turn it back on and drive at 4000RPM untill I notice. I realy need a new exhaust system.
A side note: If you just got your 82, get the tranny fluid changed. It's probably the origional stuff (sluge) and has about as much protection for ware and corrosion as cat piss. You will notice a performance increase if you do. :wink:
Turning it off will not hurt the tranny either. it's a preferance thing and a safe gaurd for people overloading the tranny (weight, towing, ect...)
Personally, I leave it on most of the time because my car is so quiet I forget to turn it back on and drive at 4000RPM untill I notice. I realy need a new exhaust system.
A side note: If you just got your 82, get the tranny fluid changed. It's probably the origional stuff (sluge) and has about as much protection for ware and corrosion as cat piss. You will notice a performance increase if you do. :wink:
very well said 82MKII. thats exactly what it is for and overdrive(on my a340E(5m)) kicks in at about 30-32 when the engine is nice and hot. my overdrive usually stays on til i'm done doing a 0-125 run then i turn it off once the car slows to about 115(about 6K).(i don't feel like warping my rotors again) overdrive is best left on at all times. lower rpm's means less engine wear and better mileage.
I haven't posted on here lately... but anyway...
I have the 4.30 rear end and the W58 in my supra... and 5th gear is very close to, if not 1:1. I use 5th gear a lot. Even on side streets. Basically, low rpm means better gas milage... as long as you make sure you don't lug the engine. Also, lower rpm means less wear on an engine. Overdrive = Good.
turning overdrive off only makes a difference in the situations where your car shifts to it. If it shifts to it, it needs it.
There is, however, a time when it doesn't need it... this is when you are climbing a hill in OD and you car looses speed and shifts back to 3rd, then you gain speed, and you car shifts to OD again, but begins lugging again, looses speed and shifts back to 3rd. at this point, you should turn OD off, use 3rd to climb the hill, then turn OD back on.
You can also use the OD switch to shift to third to engine break down hills.
I have the 4.30 rear end and the W58 in my supra... and 5th gear is very close to, if not 1:1. I use 5th gear a lot. Even on side streets. Basically, low rpm means better gas milage... as long as you make sure you don't lug the engine. Also, lower rpm means less wear on an engine. Overdrive = Good.
turning overdrive off only makes a difference in the situations where your car shifts to it. If it shifts to it, it needs it.
There is, however, a time when it doesn't need it... this is when you are climbing a hill in OD and you car looses speed and shifts back to 3rd, then you gain speed, and you car shifts to OD again, but begins lugging again, looses speed and shifts back to 3rd. at this point, you should turn OD off, use 3rd to climb the hill, then turn OD back on.
You can also use the OD switch to shift to third to engine break down hills.
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Overdrive is essentially telling the car to shift into 5th (or 4th or whatever the highest gear is) Turning off overdrive prevents the car from shifting into that final gear, thus making hilly roads easyer to drive. On some cars it will also change the shift points.
So.... leaving your OD turned on... which is default on cars that I know of will give you better milage by keeping to RPM lower and thus resulting in less wear to the engine and transmission.
Turn OD off when you are driving on hilly roads and need that extra umph...
Atleast this is MY understanding
So.... leaving your OD turned on... which is default on cars that I know of will give you better milage by keeping to RPM lower and thus resulting in less wear to the engine and transmission.
Turn OD off when you are driving on hilly roads and need that extra umph...
Atleast this is MY understanding
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