When driving in town do you keep the OD off?

[Steeda90GT]

Ive always done this with my automatic equipped vehicles. Generally if Im driving in town (under 45-50mph) I keep the OD off. When I hit the highway, I turn it on obviously.

What do you guys do?

 

[dr_starcraft]

Only ever touch it when I'm off-road or towing. Other than that, its always on.

 

[LBarr2002]

Only ever touch it when I'm off-road or towing. Other than that, its always on.

Same here.

 

[chrisis]

knowing that i have the 4r55e tranny with 135000 miles YES i keep the overdrive off in town driving.

 

[Lil98Sport4X4]

Only ever touch it when I'm off-road or towing. Other than that, its always on.

Me too.

 

[slpdave]

towing or climbing hills or accellerating (anything that puts a heavy load on the tranny) - O/D off

O/D on at any other time.

David

 

[kert0307]

same as the rest, only turn it off when towing or if it's hilly. Off-roading doesn't matter because you're not gunna be going 45-50mph to have to worry about o/d in my unexpert opinion....

 

[410Fortune]

I turn it off alot of times, there is no need for the trans to be going in and out of overdrive when my max speed is 45-50 mph around town or in stop and go....

Just wears out the OD a little bit more.
Its also handy if your speed limit is around 45 it helps keep you under it.

 

[BrooklynBay]

The computer won't engage overdrive until it gets to a high enough speed. I guess it must be at least 25 MPH or over depending upon the load, speed, RPMs, etc. It could cycle a lot with stop, and go driving, so I could understand the concern for excessive wear. Since I mostly drive in stop, and go traffic (sometimes stopping more than going) I just leave it in overdrive, but I'm sure that it never engages anyway since my speed is too low. I guess it is mainly intended for highway driving at constant speeds where the RPMs, and speed don't vary too much.

 

[ma96782]

I think that the mfn (FORD) says to leave it in OD....for (regular) most driving situations.

But, you guys are talking about a switch?? OD........On/Off?? ............humm.

On OD auto transmissions I've seen............it's just, select the gear, "OD".............not a sparate switch, to be selected. Or, am I reading this wrong.

Aloha, Mark

 

[410Fortune]

I dont think OD will kick in until after 45 MPH, at least thats how it was with the 93 4.0L computer and A4LD

 

[aldive]

Never turn OD off in town. Why would one do that?

Sometimes turn it off when towing the Jeep.

 

['97 V8]

at 41-45 my overdrive would kick in. Drops my rpms to about 1300 at that speed. Thats when im cruising at 45 mph.

 

[410Fortune]

well Aldive as you know on the A4LD based automatics when engaging OD it wears out the aluminum overdrive drum. So turning it off, especially on higher mileage transmissions can save just that bit of wear.
I know on my A4LD the 3-4 shift (OD) was not exactly smooth as silk...especially when the truck was hunting from 3-4 up hills, etc

But I know you dont see this logic, maybe Glacier can explain it better?

Also because there is a button there to do it with, why not?

 

[aldive]

Sorry, I do not understand your logic.

I have never nor will I ever, turn OD off in town. Further, I have never had any tranny problems.

If one feels better turning the OD off in town, by all means do it.

 

[vrytired]

i don't use OD around town in my 92. i don't want it shifting in and out of OD everytime i speed up to 45 mph then slow back down. seems pointless to put wear on the tranny when it would be in 4th gear for less than a minute anyway.

 

[ma96782]

I know on my A4LD the 3-4 shift (OD) was not exactly smooth as silk...especially when the truck was hunting from 3-4 up hills, etc

I don't know exactly what is happening with your vehicle......though, I can say (for me) that on certain grades and elevation (hill or mountains).......yes, the transmission will hunt.

Solution: IF you're in OD and going up hills/mountains and your trans starts hunting...........then put it into 3rd gear. Not to mention, that I wish I had more HP.

I believe that this is one of those situations, when FORD says to NOT drive it in OD. Along w/ towing. And, some other situations.

As for, "Will driving it in 3rd while in town (not going over 45 MPH) help it last longer than, if you just left it in OD all the time (except for those exceptional times)? I don't know for sure.

Bottom Line: It's your transmission........do what you like.

Aloha, Mark

 

[410Fortune]

Is also helps maintain a slower speed on some downhill grades here in the moutains of colorado so you dont use th ebrakes so much, and sometimes 2nd gear is too slow

 

[ma96782]

Good one

Aloha, Mark

 

[jp450]

I rarely shut mine off. If I remember when towing then I will but otherwise OD is always on. Does the trany shift into OD? Thats a diffrent story. I have noticed that it will only go into OD, as noted above by another poster, if I am going 45 MPH or higher.