Can overdrive be utilized in any way during a race?

Hey guys, it's me again... lol I just wanted to know if you can use overdrive in any way during a race. Please don't hurt me if this is one of those really retarded questions that I just don't know about... :p lol

Hey guys, it's me again... lol I just wanted to know if you can use overdrive in any way during a race. Please don't hurt me if this is one of those really retarded questions that I just don't know about... :p lol
lol

There's a lot of variables for your question. AT or MT?

IMO... I wouldn't go into overdrive unless I was highway racing @ higher speeds... Even then, I'd still want to downshift.

the O/D button on your auto trans does not turn Overdrive on, it turns it off, overdrive is just your 4th gear.

its not a bad idea to turn it off, but it probably wouldn't be shifting into 4th anyway.

if your throttle is wide open it wont shift into overdrive. it only shifts into overdrive when its just cruising at part throttle. as soon as you punch the gas it downshifts into 3rd

OD doesnt matter if you have it on or off. It gives you no sort of extra HP. Its just your fourth gear. If you dont have it on it wont shift to 4th. And if you drive with it off Youll juss lose gas milage(sp?)

I heard that the AT DSM trannys shift at a lower RPM when the OD is activated. HAving never owned a AT DSM though I cant verify this. EIther way, with the gear ratio being taller I cant see any need for that gear when racing unless you are at high speed. IF you arent at redline in third, you dont need 4th ;) OF course on the T25 though you tend to be out of steam around 6500 based on my personal experience, but you get the idea.

o/d is your fourth gear, that's it. Your "money" gear is an automatic would be 3rd, because of the 1:1 gear ratio.

over drive is for going up steep or long hills

actually, you turn your overdrive OFF on steep hills

Yes. You can stay in OD if there is enough torque. My turbo diesel (450 ft-lbs) for example will pull 13,000 gross up a nice hill in OD. But if the motor is lugging turn it off/downshift.

Yeah, I kinda figured it was useless when I raced... :p