whats faster with/without overdrive

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hey guys i always wonderd whats faster with overdrive on or off?

whats the diffrence, do they shift diffrent and if they do which

one will help me take off on the green light the fastes.











1999 4.6 eddie bauer 2wd
 

monsta

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Originally posted by frank4.6EB992WD
hey guys i always wonderd whats faster with overdrive on or off?

whats the diffrence, do they shift diffrent and if they do which

one will help me take off on the green light the fastesT.

Think of Overdrive as a fourth gear. Having it on or off does nothing for off the line driving.

Here's some easy reading on the subject. :)

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/automatic-transmission.htm
 

EXMAN

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What's faster of the line.... just about everything on the road except an Excursion. Although, I've beaten a tuner wantabe s-10 and a newer Chevy 2wd fullsize v8. I was pretty impressed.
 
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So with overdrive on im using all four gears and with it off im using only 3, so whats the point of installing overdrive button on vehicles.

by the way i just took my friends 2003 dodge 4.7 4door 2wd easily




1999 4.6 eddie bauer 2wd
 

monsta

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So that it won't go into Overdrive. That button locks out overdrive.

FYI, Overdrive in cars/trucks TYPICALLY is NOT another gear. Now on motorcycles is not uncommon for 6th (and sometimes 5th) to be an overdrive gear.

You should really read that link I posted. It'll really give you a broader understanding on how "automagic " transmissions work.
 

smo0othride

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Without getting really techinical, when you have overdrive on it lets you rev higher (more hp in higher RPMS, to a limit), before shifiting into the next gear. So off the line OD doesn't do anything because you still have to accelerate up to the higher RPMS, but then OD will keep it in those higher RPMS so you have more instant power.
 

stang99x

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Overdrive simply give you another gear, which used to be fourth, then became fifth, and now on the newest cars is 6th (new navigator has a six speed automatic) You don't really hear it called overdrive in manuals, however generally its the last gear. 5th in the mustang, 6th in the vett, etc... All it realistically does is allow you to go faster at a lower RPM, conserving gas mileage. Can you think of any other reason to put six speeds in a 7200 pound lincoln? It also aids in emissions somehow, I don't remember exactly but the new mercedes S430 and S500 utilize a six speed, which has really ruined the cars performance, to meet emissions standards for 2006

One known use is for towing, especially in very steep grades. Notice how when you drive up a hill, slightly graded, that the car will shift up and down and up and down, never finding its happy place? Engauging the overide for autodrive drops it down a gear and "locks out" overdrive, allowing you to operate without constant shifting
 
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