Is it safe to switch from Drive to Overdrive (vise-versa)while driving???

Could it cause any problems???

I always get different answers to this question!

Thanks
f-bOmb!:smoker2:

I believe the FSM says it's O.K., but you're supposed to let off the gas pedal first. I never did in my first G. Then again, I don't have it anymore so I couldn't tell you of any long term wear. I imagine downshifting from OD to 3 at high speeds can't be very good.

I've driven more of my fair share of rental cars and I would treat them like two bit whores. :D Anyway I used to flick the OD back and forth while driving down the freeway when I was bored. Never seemed to hurt anything...while I was driving them. ;)

I think it'd be fine, as long as you're not exceeding the speed of the lower gear, and even if you were, i'm not sure the car would shift, as i'm not sure if it's possible to over-rev an automatic? I used to on my old G20, but not all the time, usually only when going up hills or something like that, where i'd rather be in 3rd than od. also... in traffic where i was in between 3rd and od, i'd just leave od off, so it wouldn't keep shifting...

i do it all the time, with a little blip throttle. i even blip throttle and downshift into 2nd while I brake to take the turns. the best part about this AT is VERY smooth shifting. i even blip it into 1st or even torque brake while I do it to launch into speeding traffic. there was a silver P11 AT on the way to work yesterday that was trying to keep up with my p11...he couldn't because he was letting the AT take care of his shifting. on these p11 AT's you gotta hold the gears (even more so than other AT trannys) because it will quickly try to shift up..and you don't want that when you're trying to fly through some traffic.

no problems when I'm driving it. hehehe. :D use your tranny to the max, but don't abuse it.

Originally posted by kenchan
he couldn't because he was letting the AT take care of his shifting. on these p11 AT's you gotta hold the gears (even more so than other AT trannys) because it will quickly try to shift up..

That's weird... with my old P10, it had a switch that would allow you to swtich between shift points, either touring (low shift points), power (higher shift point), or auto. I used to just leave it on power, as it would then shift a little higher, under light throttle conditions. However, even in touring, if i got on it, it'd go all the way to redline. Then again.. my rommates 94 Sentra XE does shift way before redline too, that may be due to his driving style though as before he had the tach he would just let the auto do it's thing, and never thought about it just assuming it went up high in the rpms. After I installed a tach for him, we were both pretty suprised at how long the gears are, and how early it shifts.
Edit: Oh yeah, i forgot to mention... my dad's 91 300zxtt goes all the way to redline when left in drive. maybe even a tad past redline in first and possibly second. I'm not really sure, if i drive that car quickly, i just look at the boost gauge, oil pressure gauge, and the road.

Nice! Mostly, I drive my baby in OD 'cause it's easier on the engine(and gas milage). It's ALOT more powerful in Drive (obviously), feels good, real good!

When headz try to race me and I'm doin' 55-70 M.P.H, I wanna put it in Drive (turn off OD), but I'm afraid I might damage my tranny, engine, or sumpin' else!:(

I might do it at a lower speed now, but I'm still "shifty" about it so to say.

Thanks Again!
f-bomb!:smoker2:

Well....if it makes you feel better, the FSM says to drive in the city with the OD off and then switch into OD when going on freeways. It does say to let off the gas when switching though. *SHHH* I never did in my old '91.

Originally posted by kenchan
i even blip it into 1st or even torque brake while I do it to launch into speeding traffic. there was a silver P11 AT on the way to work yesterday that was trying to keep up with my p11...he couldn't because he was letting the AT take care of his shifting. on these p11 AT's you gotta hold the gears (even more so than other AT trannys) because it will quickly try to shift up..and you don't want that when you're trying to fly through some traffic.


did you mean you put when you are stopped, you put it in the 1st gear, than once you start to accelerate and hit the redline you move it to the 2nd gear and let it hit the readline again, and change it to D, wait for it to hit the redline, and then push the OD button?

I have alot of fun shifting the AT tranny while driving. But it's usualy only upshifting, not downshifting. I like to launch in first, wait till about 6000 RPM, push it into second, then drive and then od. Seems like the car launches faster. Simply setting the button to power (I have a P10) helps acceleration alot too, but shifting the tranny is more fun :D
I usually let up on the gas a little or not at all... if I let up on the gas alot while shifting, u really feel the shift, otherwise it's pretty smooth.

I overreved once, I forgot I was in second, and I was flooring it. I think The auto took over and shifted for me, I'm not sure... cuz I felt what seemed like a shift, and I look at the tach, it's at like 7900 RPM and dropping. I promptly poped it into drive, lol.

hp on a P10 peaks at 6000 RPM, right?

koojo- naw, i let the AT shift up on its own, i just hold the gear in 2nd or 1st while I am going through traffic. the thing is, if you are going any faster than 32mph in 2nd or 3rd, it wont let you down shift to 1st when you punch the gas (my previous altima did)...that's what everyone is complaining about 'slow, sluggish, boggin AT' on this p11.

so you wanna hold 1st gear when you know you will be punching out from traffic. you have to think ahead like you would do in a MT car. so yah, sometimes I go about 40-50yards at about 5500rpms in 1st before I punch out of 1st and into 2nd. but thats the trick with these 'lazy' AT's. you let it ride on 2nd, it wont let you downshift at the critical moment at about 33-34mph even though its not red-line yet in 1st.

infiniti should have geared 1st and 2nd much(!) lower.

Originally posted by kenchan
infiniti should have geared 1st and 2nd much(!) lower.
Come on now, it's a entry-level luxury car that's equipped with an AT. If you wanted a performance AT, something like a '96 Impala is what you look for.

come on now, they marketed this thing as a high performance touring car that was born in jpn and educated in europe... they shouldve educated this car in jpn...