H8R Proof Posted July 20, 2003 Share Posted July 20, 2003 Much debate between my friends and I regarding the Overdrive - am I supposed to drive with it ON (light off) or OFF (light on) during around-town/neighborhood driving? I hardly ever take the freeway anywhere. Thanks! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted July 20, 2003 Share Posted July 20, 2003 Just leave it in overdrive all the time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKperformance Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 yup leave it on the ecu in the tranny can decided quite well on what to do it will aslo help save gas as well since the wheels are in direct mechanical link to the engien rather than a fluid one when the torque convertor is off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lex3486 Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 so are you sayin 4th gear is basically a 1:1 ratio, or direct drive? i've always wondered what overdrive meant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeta Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 wow it's been a while since i've been postin'... anyone wonder where i've been? lol. i think of overdrive sort of like a 5th gear. but i'm probably wrong. i don't get the whole tranny thin'. skp? wanna help me understand betta too? lol :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbsal Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 i think it is sort of like a fith gear but what it does is just lowers the rpms after fourth gear so its kind of like fith gear.but it also allows the wheels to free spin when you take your foot of the gas instead of still reving when its not in overdrive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeiLtYmE Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 No.... the car only stays in 3rd gear when overdrive is off...- light ON... when put in overdrive... then the car is allowed to go to 4th gear... these cars are 4 speed... there are only 4 gears continuos traffic under 35 mph ... the tranny is going back and fourth between 3rd and 4th... turning overdrive off just prevents that.... as sk said... unless your in hard core traffic that is really really slow moving with constant traffic lights.... dont bother to turn overdrive off... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKperformance Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 quite true nelly sorry bbsal , but that was a way off guess i know you are trying to help but some people will take it to heart , as i heard it on a lexus site so it must be true and would fight with there friends saying O/D is a gear lmao but that is there problem so any way the tranny has 4 gears[ except the newer 02-03 with a 5 sp tranny) i think the new bmw 745i has a 6 speed auto and so will the new 5 series] in 3rd and 4th the torque convertor can be allowed to lock up causing a mechanical coupling rather than a fluid one turning off the od usually only helps if you are on a 50 miles road with lots of stops now when the car gets to a cruising speed it will say i no longer am going to be changing gears and the load is light on the engine it will the use the TC to lock the 2 seperate halves of itself together now the fliud that used to be pushed by the spline connected to the engines crankshaft witll physically connect and remove the fliud power loss now some people may say "yah i always knew autos were crappy for power loss , manual all the way, it rocks" well they must also like winsheild washer blue lights as they do nothing for you the fluid connection is perfect for any high rev engine with 800-1000 hp easy, just ask a 300zx or a supra why? it creates a perfect base to launch and shift it lets the engine get up to speed ( stall speed,when you have a foot on the brake and one on the gas) and stay there for max torque for the launch this helps kep the tires on the track not in one spot it also is that an auto tranny can shift much quicker than a man can so this saves drivetrain losses and turns it into speed oh yah the 4th gear is not a one to one ratio the 3rd is usally close to a 1 -1 the 4th overdrive gear is usually 1.25-1 so the wheels turn 1.25 revolutions to one of the engine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeiLtYmE Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 B) Good Explainin SK... naw nothing taken to heart here... bbsal is awesome ... always so helpful...!!! also... torque converters are the first to go if you misuse the over drive button ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8R Proof Posted July 21, 2003 Author Share Posted July 21, 2003 So the final word is to keep the O/D ON during neighborhood driving? (Light OFF) Forgive my confusion, but that li'l light confuses me. IMO, if the O/D is OFF the light should be OFF (no visible dash light) If it's ON the light should be ON ...but for some reason it was designed exactly opposite! :( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skeemer Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 It was designed that way because 95% of the time you want O/D ON. If the light worked the other way around, that would be like having a light on telling you you had enough gas, or that all your doors were shut :D or that your oil pressure was OK. It would be silly that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SW03ES Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 Good way of looking at it ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKperformance Posted July 21, 2003 Share Posted July 21, 2003 true skeemer lol i never thought o fi tthat way either did seem odd to have an off light rather than an on light lol oh yah zeta where the hell were you there is a thread looking for you in the mod section was wondering what has been keeping you so busy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
H8R Proof Posted July 21, 2003 Author Share Posted July 21, 2003 Perfect analogy skeemer - I get it now (finally) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeta Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 lol oh yeah that's right... all earlier gen's were 4-spd auto and 5-spd stick. forgot. oops :) y`ah sk, i saw the thread. i replied in there. i haven't been too busy, but i guess i've been skipping clicking the LOC link on my IE. i come back... click the view new posts button. and guess what i see... 29 pages of new threads. scared the crap outta me. :D oh yeah sk - what's this custom body kit you got on? i don't think i've seen a pic of it. :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SKperformance Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 OMG you didn't see the pics or the ones from the car show i won first place with it go to the gallery it has a ton later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeiLtYmE Posted July 22, 2003 Share Posted July 22, 2003 LOL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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