Drive or Over Drive?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 183
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From: Omaha NE
Drive or Over Drive?
I have a 1996 Corvette with an automatic transmission. I have an aftermarket exhaust system. For in town driving what gear is recommended, drive or over drive.
My vette sounds better and performs better when I drive it in drive, is it Ok to drive in drive at 60 to 70 MPH?
Thanks,
JJ
My vette sounds better and performs better when I drive it in drive, is it Ok to drive in drive at 60 to 70 MPH?
Thanks,
JJ
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 62,160
Likes: 1,733
From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
its not going to hurt it to leave it in D at high speed
Its not going to help it if you drive around in town with the car in OD. Leave it in D. The 3-4 shift is quick to wear out.
Its not going to help it if you drive around in town with the car in OD. Leave it in D. The 3-4 shift is quick to wear out.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,024
Likes: 0
From: Long Island New York
Originally Posted by vader86
its not going to hurt it to leave it in D at high speed
Its not going to help it if you drive around in town with the car in OD. Leave it in D. The 3-4 shift is quick to wear out.
Its not going to help it if you drive around in town with the car in OD. Leave it in D. The 3-4 shift is quick to wear out.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 174
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From: NWI IN
the onlything you'll hurt leaving it in drive is your gas milage. OD keeps the RPM's lower to increase fuel efficiency. By keeping it in drive you will also be able to accelertate faster since you are already in gear as opposed to being in OD and then the trans having to kick down to get you moving
3rd Gear
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
From: sorrento florida
D or OD
hi folks! my name is Kevin and i just got activated today. nice forum. well, i have had my '85 for a year and only shifted to drive a couple times. most of my driving is in town. i did have a trannie service last week no problems yet..just routine along with a tune-up. i do like the fact that the car does not have to kick out of OD but i thought i was just being easy on my engine. did not realize it was not healthy for the trannie. thanks for the info.
i have a pic of my car i'd like to add to my posts but the file-size is too big. i use an msntv unit and can't shrink it to the acceptable size. any help is welcome and appreciated. my homepage provider(Tripod) will not let me remote link so if any one wants me to email it to you that would be so cool
email it to:
krgoodman@webtv.net
my power brake booster is on the fritz so if anyone knows of an online tutorial, i'd like to change it out myself.
thanks again,
Kevin
i have a pic of my car i'd like to add to my posts but the file-size is too big. i use an msntv unit and can't shrink it to the acceptable size. any help is welcome and appreciated. my homepage provider(Tripod) will not let me remote link so if any one wants me to email it to you that would be so cool
email it to:
krgoodman@webtv.net
my power brake booster is on the fritz so if anyone knows of an online tutorial, i'd like to change it out myself.
thanks again,
Kevin
Last edited by krgoodman; Aug 22, 2004 at 11:52 PM. Reason: tripod will not let me remote-link
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Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by vader86
its not going to hurt it to leave it in D at high speed
Its not going to help it if you drive around in town with the car in OD. Leave it in D. The 3-4 shift is quick to wear out.
Its not going to help it if you drive around in town with the car in OD. Leave it in D. The 3-4 shift is quick to wear out.
I generally don't put mine in OD unless I'm going steadily over 45 MPH. I don't want to find out how much fun it is to rebuild a 4L60E any sooner than I have to!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,287
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From: n/a SC
So it's actually better to have it in Drive if you're staying under 50ish mph?
I usually drive in OD all the time and only put it in D if I know a car that might want to race will line up with me at the light but if it's better on the tranny to be in Drive I'll stay out of OD so much.
I usually drive in OD all the time and only put it in D if I know a car that might want to race will line up with me at the light but if it's better on the tranny to be in Drive I'll stay out of OD so much.
Large Impressive Member
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by wildman378
So it's actually better to have it in Drive if you're staying under 50ish mph?
I usually drive in OD all the time and only put it in D if I know a car that might want to race will line up with me at the light but if it's better on the tranny to be in Drive I'll stay out of OD so much.
I usually drive in OD all the time and only put it in D if I know a car that might want to race will line up with me at the light but if it's better on the tranny to be in Drive I'll stay out of OD so much.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2001
Posts: 2,512
Likes: 5
From: ZR1 Gathering '04, '05 Northlake Texas
Originally Posted by wildman378
So it's actually better to have it in Drive if you're staying under 50ish mph?
I usually drive in OD all the time and only put it in D if I know a car that might want to race will line up with me at the light but if it's better on the tranny to be in Drive I'll stay out of OD so much.
I usually drive in OD all the time and only put it in D if I know a car that might want to race will line up with me at the light but if it's better on the tranny to be in Drive I'll stay out of OD so much.
The only recommend time you should use [D] is when driving on hilly, winding roads, or when going down step hills. And when it comes to racing if you want more power then you use [D].
You wil not hurt your trans by leaving it in [OD] under normal driving condition!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 3,287
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From: n/a SC
Originally Posted by Mikez40
You guys should really read your owners manual sometime. Overdrive is for NORMAL driving, that means all the time, doesn't matter if your going slow in town or out on the freeway doing 80.
The only recommend time you should use [D] is when driving on hilly, winding roads, or when going down step hills. And when it comes to racing if you want more power then you use [D].
You wil not hurt your trans by leaving it in [OD] under normal driving condition!
The only recommend time you should use [D] is when driving on hilly, winding roads, or when going down step hills. And when it comes to racing if you want more power then you use [D].
You wil not hurt your trans by leaving it in [OD] under normal driving condition!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2004
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From: The last place on earth to get cable... Sacramento
For the GM autotranny's for C4 vette's...
If you drive less than 40mph most of the time... you do not need the OD mode... but you should use it every once in a while just to keep it lubed and running properly.
If you drive more than 45 then you can use OD and the auto will adjust to whatever speed you're going at the time.
If you drive less than 40mph most of the time... you do not need the OD mode... but you should use it every once in a while just to keep it lubed and running properly.
If you drive more than 45 then you can use OD and the auto will adjust to whatever speed you're going at the time.
Large Impressive Member
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: Good health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die
St. Jude Donor '04-'05-'06-'07
Originally Posted by Mikez40
You guys should really read your owners manual sometime. Overdrive is for NORMAL driving, that means all the time, doesn't matter if your going slow in town or out on the freeway doing 80.
The only recommend time you should use [D] is when driving on hilly, winding roads, or when going down step hills. And when it comes to racing if you want more power then you use [D].
You wil not hurt your trans by leaving it in [OD] under normal driving condition!
The only recommend time you should use [D] is when driving on hilly, winding roads, or when going down step hills. And when it comes to racing if you want more power then you use [D].
You wil not hurt your trans by leaving it in [OD] under normal driving condition!
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 2,496
Likes: 1
From: alaska
you should be able to run it in od all the time .if its shifting into od to soon it needs the shift points calibrated.
i use d in town and od at highway speeds but im geared down which alters the shift points and lets it go to od at 30 mph with minimum throttle.
i also avoid w.o.t. 3-4 shifts (rare occurance anyway since thats about 115 mph with the 373 gears)
i use d in town and od at highway speeds but im geared down which alters the shift points and lets it go to od at 30 mph with minimum throttle.
i also avoid w.o.t. 3-4 shifts (rare occurance anyway since thats about 115 mph with the 373 gears)
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2004
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From: Bremerton Wa
St. Jude Donor '04 &'05
My 91 S-10 (700R4 not quite as good as a vette tranny) I left it in overdrive every time I drove it and it went 270,000 miles without any problems. I drive in OD all the time.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
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From: Athens AL
C7 of the Year - Unmodified Finalist 2021
C4 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
I do read the GM Manual, and I have had to pay to have enough transmissions rebuilt before to know that the 1-2 and 3-4 clutch packs are the first sets to wear out in the 700.
If you leave it in OD all the time, and it is constantly shifting back and forth between 3 and 4, you will lose your 700/4l60 before its time. Period.
You disagree, be my guest.
What GM means by 'normal' operation is a engineer's term for very casual driving and low tranny temperatures, things they get in the lab but rarely in real-life testing.
If you leave it in OD all the time, and it is constantly shifting back and forth between 3 and 4, you will lose your 700/4l60 before its time. Period.
You disagree, be my guest.
What GM means by 'normal' operation is a engineer's term for very casual driving and low tranny temperatures, things they get in the lab but rarely in real-life testing.
Last edited by vader86; Aug 23, 2004 at 09:20 AM.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,593
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From: Mobile AL
St. Jude Donor '05
Originally Posted by vader86
I do read the GM Manual, and I have had to pay to have enough transmissions rebuilt before to know that the 1-2 and 3-4 clutch packs are the first sets to wear out in the 700.
If you leave it in OD all the time, and it is constantly shifting back and forth between 3 and 4, you will lose your 700/4l60 before its time. Period.
You disagree, be my guest.
What GM means by 'normal' operation is a engineer's term for very casual driving and low tranny temperatures, things they get in the lab but rarely in real-life testing.
If you leave it in OD all the time, and it is constantly shifting back and forth between 3 and 4, you will lose your 700/4l60 before its time. Period.
You disagree, be my guest.
What GM means by 'normal' operation is a engineer's term for very casual driving and low tranny temperatures, things they get in the lab but rarely in real-life testing.
It's called automatic for a reason. It only shifts when the computer tells it to. In reality it's a personal decision and has nothing to do with mechanics. I leave my beast in OD most of the time, service it regularly and have 91K miles on it. With gas prices where they are, and most of my cruising (even in town) around 45, it seems to save gas and keeps RPMs down too, so should save wear and tear on the engine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 6,715
Likes: 2
From: Santa Teresa New Mexico
Originally Posted by JJ77
I have a 1996 Corvette with an automatic transmission. I have an aftermarket exhaust system. For in town driving what gear is recommended, drive or over drive.
My vette sounds better and performs better when I drive it in drive, is it Ok to drive in drive at 60 to 70 MPH?
Thanks,
JJ
My vette sounds better and performs better when I drive it in drive, is it Ok to drive in drive at 60 to 70 MPH?
Thanks,
JJ
I live in a hilly area so on the hills its drive and on the flat its od.
Anything over 45 its OD for my car.
The Corvette has enough torque to run OD all the time without any ill effects on the trans.
The only time its suggested to drop down to Drive is when the trans is constantly cycling between OD and Drive it causes the trans to run hotter and wears the OD, Drive clutch pack and band out.
Trans failures are a maintenance issue as well as an abuse issue.
Snow is also an issue with reans failures.