Drive Or Overdrive
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,228
Likes: 0
From: Brown Deer Wi
Drive Or Overdrive
Ok I know I'am going to be labeled a Dummy , But here it is. While in town should I be driving in drive or is it ok to just leave it in OD. 1992 Automatic.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 0
From: Sebastian Florida
St. Jude Donor '06
The jury is out on this one. Some say drive in town and only OD on highway and others say OD all the time. Personally I drive in OD all the time in both my cars. I have a Volvo T5R with 213k miles and never rebuilt and my vette has 150k miles and just rebuilt. Pump gave out on the vette, nothing caused by what gear I was in. So do what you want, just remember your tranny is pretty good about being in the right gear, you only hurt it if you drive at low RPM's and that is not much.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 1,438
Likes: 3
From: Florissant MO
Personally I drive in OD all the time in both my car and my Dodge Dakota Quad Cab. 60k on the Vette and 65k on the Dodge, neither with any problems.
Sometimes, when I want to, I will switch them both down to Drive, but only when I feel there is a need for instant punch.
Sometimes, when I want to, I will switch them both down to Drive, but only when I feel there is a need for instant punch.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,130
Likes: 2
From: seattle WA
I only put or leave my tranny in OD if I can sustain 39 plus MPH, in town where most of our speed limits are 35 MPH, of course I exceed it by 5 MPH, but I was told by a tranny guy it was harder on it to have it constantly going back and forth.Works for me 
Team Owner
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 45,085
Likes: 1
From: I was a young troubadour when I rode in on a song, and I'll be an old troubadour when I'm gone.
St. Jude Donor '08
As long as speed as less than about 40 mph, I stay in 3rd.
If speed limit goes above that, I kick it into overdrive.
If speed limit goes above that, I kick it into overdrive.
Team Owner
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 24,460
Likes: 7
From: sw Ohio
You know, of all the vehicles i've driven, i've never noticed a difference between driving in either one. No performance or gas mileage difference either. Although i'm sure it'd make a difference on the highway.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
What rear end ratio do you have? if its a 2.59:1 id stay in D til about 40mph, if its a 3.07:1 id just leave it in OD unless you want to hold 3rd longer. Also depends what speeds the TCC locks on a 92 around town(id imagine this would also depend on rear end ratio), and wheather you would rather be in 3rd with it locked or OD without it locked. Its really all up to how you want to drive the car!! 
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 861
Likes: 1
From: Hyde Park NY
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by JBB
It is fine to leave it in OD. It will shift as programed. For snappier performance, many people run them in D. No harm done either way.
D gearing is 1.0
OD gearing is .70
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 6,130
Likes: 2
From: seattle WA
I have 307s in my 87, and I do notice a big difference in instant average (miles per gallon) when I'm in OD, much better, but I won't bog my engine for anything.
Last edited by rick lambert; May 23, 2006 at 10:33 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,214
Likes: 65
From: Queensland, AUSTRALIA
Originally Posted by rick lambert
I have 307s in my 87, and I do notice a big difference in instant average (miles per gallon) when I'm in OD, much better, but I won't bog my engine for anything.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,228
Likes: 0
From: Brown Deer Wi
Just checking back today...Thanks for your replys. Sounds just like any other car I have had with this option in the past. Just wonder what the forum thoughts were. Just going to Drive in OD. Well unless I want play alittle or alot. This vette thing just to much fun. 
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 26,598
Likes: 0
From: Hampton, VA Yea, i'm a redneck... but you love it
Cruise-In 8-9 Veteran
aka/Trunk Monkey/Banned For Life/Corvette For Life
Originally Posted by jctoy
Just checking back today...Thanks for your replys. Sounds just like any other car I have had with this option in the past. Just wonder what the forum thoughts were. Just going to Drive in OD. Well unless I want play alittle or alot. This vette thing just to much fun.
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 25
Likes: 1
I Live In Australia.
I Got mine imported and when i bought it I got told several rules.
You know... Just like in gremlins.
RULE 1 - Don't EVER Drive around on reserve fuel... It will make the car surge.
RULE 2 - Dont ever Stick normal unleaded (92 Octane here) in the car or it will Ping, Knock or whatever you wanna call it. (but at work I used to get 38L a week for free of 92 octane - But the car pinged badly under normal acceleration and performed like crap - 98 Octane is all I use now and not a single knock).
RULE 3 - Don't drive in OD unless you are on an open road above 40Mph sustained, or You'll damage the tranny from all the start stop driving and tranny shifts.
I go through a bit of fuel and today, after reading this thread I started driving in OD and my average fuel is considerably less.
But at the end of the day I dont like driving around and my poor 350 V8 is only doing 900RPm at the speed limit in our urban areas. So i reckon im gonna go D over OD until im over 40mph sustained.
Now I just wanna cut off my mufflers and weld straight pipe from the cat back (After reading another thread)
Is this a good Idea or should i go with a cat back exhaust...
At the end of the day - I LOVE my vette the way it is.
Thankyou Corvette Forum - VETtES for LIFE
I Got mine imported and when i bought it I got told several rules.
You know... Just like in gremlins.
RULE 1 - Don't EVER Drive around on reserve fuel... It will make the car surge.
RULE 2 - Dont ever Stick normal unleaded (92 Octane here) in the car or it will Ping, Knock or whatever you wanna call it. (but at work I used to get 38L a week for free of 92 octane - But the car pinged badly under normal acceleration and performed like crap - 98 Octane is all I use now and not a single knock).
RULE 3 - Don't drive in OD unless you are on an open road above 40Mph sustained, or You'll damage the tranny from all the start stop driving and tranny shifts.
I go through a bit of fuel and today, after reading this thread I started driving in OD and my average fuel is considerably less.
But at the end of the day I dont like driving around and my poor 350 V8 is only doing 900RPm at the speed limit in our urban areas. So i reckon im gonna go D over OD until im over 40mph sustained.
Now I just wanna cut off my mufflers and weld straight pipe from the cat back (After reading another thread)
Is this a good Idea or should i go with a cat back exhaust...
At the end of the day - I LOVE my vette the way it is.
Thankyou Corvette Forum - VETtES for LIFE
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 12,518
Likes: 19
RULE 3 - Don't drive in OD unless you are on an open road above 40Mph sustained, or You'll damage the tranny from all the start stop driving and tranny shifts.
That is something I did not know. What damage occurs?
That is something I did not know. What damage occurs?