Re: O/D on or off?

From: Ken Allgood (kenallgood@cox.net)
Date: Tue Apr 30 2002 - 17:25:34 EDT


I'm gonna have to go out on a limb here and disagree with the responses
here.

1 - OD off DOES make a difference under 40mph... the OD changes 2 main
things that i'm aware of.. Your shift points at Part Throttle, and shift
point for OD gear. Try this.. with your OD on, drive at 35 mph.. now, give
it about 1/2 throttle, and it'll kick down and come alive pretty good.. with
the OD off, you'll already be sitting at the higher revs and normally won't
have to kick down.

2 - I normally turn it off for city driving. Here's the reason why - speed
limit around here in town is 45mph, and I do a lot of stop and go, fluctuate
from 30 to 50mph, etc, and I like to give it about 1/2 throttle... does a
LOT of shifting with OD on (hint hint.. transmission wear!!!), with OD off,
it doesn't do nearly the amount of shifting.. Especially around 45mph.. if
i'm holding it at 45-50mph, I leave OD on.. but if I give it just a little
gas, it downshift, speeds up, and then shifts back up... quite annoying and
lots of wear on transmission

3 - Highway - Leave it off until reach highway speeds, put it back on once
on highway.

4 - Towing - Leave OD off while doing any towing in town, but on highway, I
often tow 2000lb's plus with a 10' trailer with the OD on with no prob (97
5.2L CC)

So essentially, any time you're doing a lot of speeding up and slowing down
under 45-50mph, I would leave it off... will do less shifting.. once you're
at a speed that you're going to hold, put it ON.
Another thing, and I'm not real sure about this, but with OD on, at 70mph
(or so) it will automatically switch to your OD gear... with OD off, I
think it waits longer

> Date: Mon, 29 Apr 2002 14:06:36 -0500
> From: "Jim Miller WB5OXQ" <wb5oxq@clearsource.net>
> Subject: DML: Re: O/D on or off?
>
> The overdrive does little to nothing at speeds under 40. It should not be
> used for towing or heavy loads, in mountains or icy conditions. If you do
> not leave it on at high speeds you will limit your top speed considerably
if
> you have the 3.92 ratio rear end. On my 99 R/T the truck redlines at
about
> 95 with the od off and with it on it will run all the way to the 115 mph
> governor easily. It should have no effect on acceleration at speeds below
> 80.
> Jim in Waco.
> - ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dave" <ded74@yahoo.com>
> To: <dakota-truck-moderator@bent.twistedbits.net>
> Sent: Monday, April 29, 2002 1:21 PM
> Subject: DML: O/D on or off?
>
>
> >
> > I know I need to sit down and check out the owner's manual, but I'm at
> work,
> > and it's out in my truck, so I'll ask you guys :) This is the first
> > automatic I've ever owned (took a 360 to get me to buy an automatic
lol),
> so
> > I'm new to the whole overdrive on and off thing. I've played with it
some
> > over the weekend, and I get that it's for highway driving, cause when I
> turn
> > it off I can feel the change in the shifting, it'll light 'em up in a
> > heartbeat with the o/d off :) I'm just wondering if there are any
things
> I
> > should be careful about, like not using it too much, or is it ok to
switch
> > back and forth regularly? I'm also guessing that having it off is gonna
> > kill what little gas mileage I get, right? Thanks.
> >
> > --
> > Dave
> > Bensalem, PA
> > '02 R/T RC Flame Red



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