When to use Overdrive / Drive - first time automatic driver
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: N. Gwinnett Co. Georgia
I run the transmission in OD all the time, except when towing or loaded. I them select the OD off on the shift lever and use direct drive. I have never noticed any "hunting gears" and have 240,600 + on the transmission. The AOD is another issue and has D as a selection and is 3rd gear or direct drive. It may be that the torque from the 460 in it's operating range really compliments the E4OD, I don't know, I just know it works for me.
Junior User
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 70
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From: South east detroit
I tried this OD trick on my 351 93EB and it seemed like it was in 4x4 like the way when I let off the gas I kinda got lunged out of my seat a little like it was down shifting. It did it every time at speeds around 30 to 40 mph. I am all for better performance and gas mileage but this didnt seem right.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,000
Likes: 39
From: North Dakota
Originally Posted by JetBlackBronco
i have a 91 with a AOD, and i use the overdrive button and the lower gears to slow down. i also use the od button to turn the od off on back roads, but i mostly just leave it on.....personally....i the automatic tranny. i sold my f150 with a 5 speed, cause i needed a 4x4, and go the bronco....and im still looking for the shifter sometimes.
Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 460
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From: Edmonton, Alberta
I'm with RRobben and JBronco. The only time that I don't use OD is when pulling a heavy load. As for tranny lifespan, we had an 85 F150 w/ AOD and 302 and that truck has gone through 2 motors and is still pulling strong today with the original transmission. I can not remember many times when my Dad manually shifted it to Drive and I know my mom never took it out of OD. The truck has 247,000 kms on it.
My 2 cents.
Don
My 2 cents.
Don
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,809
Likes: 3
From: Loveland, CO.
The more that I think about it, the more absurd that I find this thread to be. You are supposed to put your truck in "D" and drive it. With the OD on. That is how it was designed. It's ridiculous to keep turning the OD off for all sorts of imagined reasons. The only reason to turn it off is when pulling a trailer, and I hardly even do that. I pulled trailers for thousands of miles with the OD on. The only time I have turned the OD off, with or without a trailer, is when going up an incline and I needed a lower gear; or when going down a long decline with a trailer, to keep the trailer from "pushing" the truck.
My transmission is 15 years old and works fine. Even if it were to break tomorrow, I still would not change the way that I use it. I can handle a rebuild every fifteen years; but I am sure that my tranny will last quite a bit longer anyway.
My transmission is 15 years old and works fine. Even if it were to break tomorrow, I still would not change the way that I use it. I can handle a rebuild every fifteen years; but I am sure that my tranny will last quite a bit longer anyway.
Posting Guru
Joined: Nov 2004
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From: N. Gwinnett Co. Georgia
Overdriven to frustration?
JBronco, I understand your frustration. The only reason I lock out the overdrive when towing the gooseneck is that I started doing it that way and loaded it maxes out my capacity. I pull nearly every weekend. Occasionally I have to get cement blocks to a customer and we don't have a flatbed going that way. I load her to the helpers and generally take it out of overdrive then also. Other than that I put the E4OD in Drive (overdrive also) and let her roll. Never had a problem.
Cargo Master
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,000
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From: North Dakota
Originally Posted by JBronco
The more that I think about it, the more absurd that I find this thread to be. You are supposed to put your truck in "D" and drive it. With the OD on. That is how it was designed. It's ridiculous to keep turning the OD off for all sorts of imagined reasons. The only reason to turn it off is when pulling a trailer, and I hardly even do that. I pulled trailers for thousands of miles with the OD on. The only time I have turned the OD off, with or without a trailer, is when going up an incline and I needed a lower gear; or when going down a long decline with a trailer, to keep the trailer from "pushing" the truck.
My transmission is 15 years old and works fine. Even if it were to break tomorrow, I still would not change the way that I use it. I can handle a rebuild every fifteen years; but I am sure that my tranny will last quite a bit longer anyway.
My transmission is 15 years old and works fine. Even if it were to break tomorrow, I still would not change the way that I use it. I can handle a rebuild every fifteen years; but I am sure that my tranny will last quite a bit longer anyway.
Last edited by kameronth; Feb 10, 2005 at 06:29 PM.
Postmaster
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,809
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From: Loveland, CO.
Originally Posted by kameronth
No need to get upset over it.
As far as the trailer issue, I am well aware about the recommendations for towing. However, if I am towing on the freeway for a long distance, and the truck is doing 65-75, I still have it in OD because it is far removed from the speed where it would hunt between D and OD. In that case, though, I still switch the OD off when going up even the slightest incline.
Last edited by JBronco; Feb 10, 2005 at 08:00 PM.
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Senior User
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 460
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From: Edmonton, Alberta
I agree with you JBronco. I was chatting with a buddy at work about this issue and he says to me...isn't that what the auto transmission is supposed to do? Shift for you so that you don't have to like in a manual. The truck decides when it needs to drop a gear and when it wants to go up a gear. That's the whole point of *Automatic* transmissions....
Don
Don
Cargo Master
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,899
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From: Lynnwood, WA
For some other reassons I did some research on auto trannies, and some of the earlier units had narrower OD bands, and that can explain why those trannies were prone to failure in OD under load, and at the same time it can also explain their bad reputation. I think it was with the AOD that one change by Ford was to replace 1.5" OD band with 2.0" from one year to the next.
In any case, I think under normal use there's hardly ever a need to turn off the OD. Towing, and gear hunting on very steep terrain are the two main exceptions I can think of right now that could necessitate turning off OD. I can go up to Snoqualmie pass (western WA, I-90) in OD all the way, but can't do the same on the hill at Washtucna. (eastern WA, SR26)
In any case, I think under normal use there's hardly ever a need to turn off the OD. Towing, and gear hunting on very steep terrain are the two main exceptions I can think of right now that could necessitate turning off OD. I can go up to Snoqualmie pass (western WA, I-90) in OD all the way, but can't do the same on the hill at Washtucna. (eastern WA, SR26)
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