overdrive or not to overdrive?

[whoad00d]

for all of you guys and gals out there when you drive do you drive in your overdrive or drive? i have a 4.0 the auto trans with a shift kit as well, im curious to hear what you all have to say.


Russ

 

[fordboi415]

Use drive around town, and overdrive on the highways and freeways, that's what I always do

 

[fastpakr]

The only time you should take it out of overdrive is when towing or in steep environments where it's putting a significant load on the trans and/or wandering between gears.

 

[reds61on]

I'm with fastpakr. I leave mine in OD but never for towing. When not towing, if it labors or starts to hunt on a hill then into drive I go.

 

[Bruce]

I leave mine in OD all the time, with 4.10 gears it very rarely bogs down and i live in a fairly hilly area. I have towed with it in OD with no problems but was mostly level ground.

 

[Uly The Hermit]

On my Explorer with 3.73 I always put it in D when going up steep hills, otherwise it will keep going in and out of O/D. I always use O/D when on highways or the freeway but I never noticed any increase in gas mileage. It does run the engine slower though.

 

[Airmaster]

Last time I left mine in Overdrive it stalled on me

Maybe I should take it out of fifth gear next time...

 

[Beanmachine7000]

I drive around in 4th all day mostly... 55 mph = 2500 rpm and 21mpg for me... 65 in 5th = 2500rpm... 45 in 3rd ~ 2500 rpm... I try and stay at 2500 rpm 90% of the time...

 

[Frank The Tank]

Last time I left mine in Overdrive it stalled on me

Maybe I should take it out of fifth gear next time...

I had the same thing happen to me, Crappy Ford transmissions!!!

in my bosses 2000 we haul annhydrous wagons........ put it in "D"
any other time, O-D and go, it's an auto for a reason, so you don't have to shift it yourself while wasting fuel.

Frank

 

[Bent Bolt]

For the A4LD , driving around town in D is a good idea. Reason is in D , the coast clutch comes on taking some stress off the O/D one way clutch which is weak to begin with.

It's a moot point on the 5R/4R series trans as the one way clutch is much more robust.