Simple Stupid Question about Over Drive
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Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2011
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Simple Stupid Question about Over Drive
Ok...I see my overdrive. I should keep it in the OFF mode when i dont need it right? If i leave it on when I dont need it what effect will that have. Somtimes i forget to push it off cuz its on ON when i start the truck up. This is my first Ford..first truck...and first V8 (351). be gentle.
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,123
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From: Baltimore
By default, the OD is 'on', when you start the vehicle, meaning you have the 'extra gear'. It's your choice to turn it off or not.
Take off OD when in city traffic. By the time you get up to speed, and the od kicks in, you need to stop for a light, intersection, etc. It kicks back out. It's hard on the system.
Same for towing. (Except for level long stretches of road.)
As far as a manual trans is concerned, the same instance applies.
M5OD, (mine) I don't put it up into 5th until I'm on open hiway and only drop gears when I'm passing or going up grades. Same for towing.
I always said they should have designed an automatic to Not toss OD in, unless you choose to use it. So many automatics would live longer...
Hope this helps.
Take off OD when in city traffic. By the time you get up to speed, and the od kicks in, you need to stop for a light, intersection, etc. It kicks back out. It's hard on the system.
Same for towing. (Except for level long stretches of road.)
As far as a manual trans is concerned, the same instance applies.
M5OD, (mine) I don't put it up into 5th until I'm on open hiway and only drop gears when I'm passing or going up grades. Same for towing.
I always said they should have designed an automatic to Not toss OD in, unless you choose to use it. So many automatics would live longer...
Hope this helps.
Thread Starter
|
Freshman User
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 34
Likes: 0
By default, the OD is 'on', when you start the vehicle, meaning you have the 'extra gear'. It's your choice to turn it off or not.
Take off OD when in city traffic. By the time you get up to speed, and the od kicks in, you need to stop for a light, intersection, etc. It kicks back out. It's hard on the system.
Same for towing. (Except for level long stretches of road.)
As far as a manual trans is concerned, the same instance applies.
M5OD, (mine) I don't put it up into 5th until I'm on open hiway and only drop gears when I'm passing or going up grades. Same for towing.
I always said they should have designed an automatic to Not toss OD in, unless you choose to use it. So many automatics would live longer...
Hope this helps.
Take off OD when in city traffic. By the time you get up to speed, and the od kicks in, you need to stop for a light, intersection, etc. It kicks back out. It's hard on the system.
Same for towing. (Except for level long stretches of road.)
As far as a manual trans is concerned, the same instance applies.
M5OD, (mine) I don't put it up into 5th until I'm on open hiway and only drop gears when I'm passing or going up grades. Same for towing.
I always said they should have designed an automatic to Not toss OD in, unless you choose to use it. So many automatics would live longer...
Hope this helps.
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Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 31,930
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From: Ottawa, Ontario
How you use OD depends how your truck is equipped(gearing and tire sizes), and of course how you use it. If you're lucky and got a truck with sensible gearing(3.55-4.10) and have close to stock sized tires, then you can almost forget about what drive setting is selected unless you do a lot of stop and go driving between 0 and 40mph, and if you do then turn it off. If you got a truck with Lincoln towncar gearing(3.08-3.31) then you may as well get used to turning OD off every time you start it, because it's useless until you exceed 70mph.
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Freshman User
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Ok, yeah cuz i mostly drive on Post (Army) its like like 35mph MAX here. Yea I have a '95 F150 XLT with a 351w, 2wd.
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From: Laramie, WY
If you pay attention to when the transmission shifts you should be able to know when you're going into overdrive. Once you know how often it goes into overdrive you can decide if it needs turned off or not.
I drove a Suburban once that had both D and OD as options for driving. I would just use OD because I would drive a couple miles of highway before I got into town. Once I got into town the speed limit was 30 so it wouldn't even shift into overdrive so I just left it in the OD selection.
On the other hand, I have no idea when my F-150 kicks into overdrive. I do notice when it kicks out though.
I drove a Suburban once that had both D and OD as options for driving. I would just use OD because I would drive a couple miles of highway before I got into town. Once I got into town the speed limit was 30 so it wouldn't even shift into overdrive so I just left it in the OD selection.
On the other hand, I have no idea when my F-150 kicks into overdrive. I do notice when it kicks out though.
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Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,123
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From: Baltimore
All responses here are legit, and it all comes down to driving by ear, feel and experience of the vehicle. I turn my missus' Windstar OD off, until I am on the hiway. She leaves it on all the time, and wonders why the engine hunts and searches, etc. Then, tells me something is wrong with the van...