Over Drive Question

[TheDeal526]

First let me wish everyone a happy and safe new year, and thank everyone for all the tremendous help i've gotten....

I just have a general question about my 89 TBird. It's a standard V6, 3.8. I usually don't drive with my Bird in over drive unless i'm on the highway. But sometimes on certain backroads i'm doing speeds around 45-55 mph. I was just wondering "when" should I use the over drive? and should i use it if i'm doing 55 mph for 3/4 miles or so? One more question, will driving in city traffic while in over drive have a negative affect on the transmission????

Thanks all....

[intrcptrbird]

with overdrive on it just makes the car shift more. I dont drive mine around town with over drive on either. Usually Ill turn it on (I have a '95 4.6L with the electronic overdrive) about 55 or so but only if Im going to be at that speed for a sustained period of time. There have been times when I forget to turn it off and I cought the car trying to dhift into overdrive at 35mph with my foot on the gas. I hate the trans in these cars. Im waiting to save up my money and put in a mustang manual trans.

[TheDeal526]

i've had similar occurrences when i forget my car is in OD after coming off the highway into the city and i feel the trans tryin to go into OD. i wasnt sure if that would actually hurt the transmission. i havent heard to many positive reviews about the transmissions on the 3.8s. and my car doesnt have a tachometer, so i never know what my rpms are. i wasnt sure if im doing 45-50 mph for a minute of so, if that could harm the transmission as well. and if im only doing that speed for about a minute, i didnt want to put my Bird into OD because like intrcptrbird said, i was told to only put it in OD if i'm driving at high speeds for a sustained period of time. i just wanted to be sure what was best for the tranny...

[overl0rd]

In both my 86 and 96 (both V8 cars) I've always left overdrive on. Fuel economy and parts will benefit from the motor not turning so many revs. The only time I would shut it off would be going through mountainous terrain where the tranny keeps shifting to hold speed.

[Mike75]

I always keep mine in OD.

[TheDeal526]

overl0rd, do you keep your over drive on while drivin in city traffic as well??? i was told from dealers and mechanics that i should only use over drive while highway driving. but everytime i see other people drive, they always have their cars in over drive.....

[intrcptrbird]

its just when you keep it in OD it shifts A LOT more and causes the trans to get A LOT hotter thus causing parts in the trans to wear out faster. My uncle never puts his work trucks in OD around town and has been able to keep a transmission in good shape for 200,000+ miles. The RPM's are a bit higher without the OD on but if you just leave it off around town then the RPM's never really get up high enough to were it would cause a problem. obviously you get a little worse milage but really the difference ist that great. I know if I was leaving my car in OD around town then I would be on my second trans already.

[forcfed93]

Originally Posted by TheDeal526

........ I was just wondering "when" should I use the over drive? and should i use it if i'm doing 55 mph for 3/4 miles or so? One more question, will driving in city traffic while in over drive have a negative affect on the transmission????

Thanks all....

Running in OD wont hurt the car or the tranny. You'll get better mileage and the engine will last longer b/c it wont turn as many RPM's.