OD off or on?

[Mustang_GT_02]

What exactly does OD OFF do? i have an automatic, is it better to put it off? when wanting to accelerate faster?

 

[okc2KGT]

keeps the tranny from going into 4th gear. yes it will help in acceleration past 1st and 2nd gears.

 

[6Stang7]

It disables over drive, which is a gear ratio were you will have more turns on the driveshaft then from the engine. You only really want to use OD when you're on the freeway and gas mileage is important.

 

[Mustang_GT_02]

so let me see if i get this right, so i should put the OD Off?, so get faster accelration? am i right?

 

[NiteRydaGT]

I believe general consensus is O/D off when racing, on for everyday driving.

 

[merc123]

Umm, I don't understand why people think that O/D off improves racing. Think about it, O/D just locks out 4th gear. This means, your transmission stays in 3rd. It does not help the actual changing of 1-3rd gears. Think about the logic.

 

[Mustang_GT_02]

Umm, I don't understand why people think that O/D off improves racing. Think about it, O/D just locks out 4th gear. This means, your transmission stays in 3rd. It does not help the actual changing of 1-3rd gears. Think about the logic.

thats why i was asking?

 

[hognutz]

o/d off at the track. you do not want it shifing into o/d through the 1/4mile. as far as accelerating faster it has nothing to do with that.

 

[Brisk281GT]

I thought that it also changed shift points on the trans? Like which RPM and what not. I guess I learn something new every day...

 

[BlackenedSVT]

Umm, I don't understand why people think that O/D off improves racing. Think about it, O/D just locks out 4th gear. This means, your transmission stays in 3rd. It does not help the actual changing of 1-3rd gears. Think about the logic.

Wrong. OD OFF holds back the engine. The RPMs will be higher and if you want to race, keep the OD OFF. OD ON is used for the free way. Having it on will drop your RPMS so you can cruise in 4th. Take it to the track, do one run with OD OFF and one with OD ON. I bet the run with OD OFF is faster. Hell you dont even need to go to the track, cruise with OD on and then off...you can feel the difference. And if you CANT feel it, you can SEE it with your RPMs.

Race = OD OFF
Highway = OD on

You can cruise around town with OD on too if you want, it will just lower your RPMS and let you cruise. With OD OFF the trans holds back the engine, and you will notice once you let off the gas, the speed will drop and rpms will kick up to slow the car down. It helps for stop and go driving. Cruising (or od on) will not hold back the engine at all, and will keep you cruising at whatever speed, and -slowly- lower your engine speed.

 

[tarch]

i do better when tc is on and overdrive is on

 

[merc123]

Wrong. OD OFF holds back the engine. The RPMs will be higher and if you want to race, keep the OD OFF. OD ON is used for the free way. Having it on will drop your RPMS so you can cruise in 4th. Take it to the track, do one run with OD OFF and one with OD ON. I bet the run with OD OFF is faster. Hell you dont even need to go to the track, cruise with OD on and then off...you can feel the difference. And if you CANT feel it, you can SEE it with your RPMs.

Race = OD OFF
Highway = OD on

You can cruise around town with OD on too if you want, it will just lower your RPMS and let you cruise. With OD OFF the trans holds back the engine, and you will notice once you let off the gas, the speed will drop and rpms will kick up to slow the car down. It helps for stop and go driving. Cruising (or od on) will not hold back the engine at all, and will keep you cruising at whatever speed, and -slowly- lower your engine speed.

I'm sorry, I don't see it. I've raced both ways and see no difference. My gears still tach out at 6570 RPMs no matter what. Sure, it will shift into 4th but 3rd is topped out before it shifts. SO, by the end of the 1/4 mile it will not shift into 4th because I'm not at a high enough RPM/speed. Keep in mind the only times the RPMs will be low is when you LET OFF of the gas. If you keep it floored (which you do in a race) you will not shift into 4th (OD) until all 3 gears have been topped out.

Trust me, I live in the mountains so I live with O/D off. I cruise home @ 60 MPH in 3rd gear with it off at a calm 3k RPMs. If I need the extra boost up a hill it's in the power band. Turning O/D on will let me cruise at 2k RPMs @ 60 in 4th (OD) gear. When I want to go up a hill I give it more gas and it down shifts.

To break it down sesame street style:

O/D OFF:
Crusing @ 20 MPH = 1400 RPM in 3rd gear
Cruising @ 30 MPH = 1600 RPM in 3rd gera
Flooring it until @ top of 3rd gear: 6570 RPM @ 95 MPH. Will not shift to 4th and stays tached.

O/D ON:
Cruising @ 20 MPH = 1200 RPM in 4th gear
Crusing @ 30 MPH = 1400 RPM in 4th gear
Flooring it until @ top of 3rd gear: 6570 RPM @ 95MPH. Will shift into 4th gear dropping RPMs to 3k.


Racing your car with O/D on or off does not matter.

 

[1of3901SpringGT]

Don't have an answer for you but I can tell you it feels alot faster with the OD off.

 

[sjrtx]

O/D on while everday driving will cause it to go into 4th prematurely-putting more stress on the tranny. id keep it off until you get on the highways-better for the transmission that way.

 

[00GTblkvert]

With gas pushing $2.00 a gallon your better to leave it on for everyday driving. I am at about 1100 rpm at 35-40 mph, good for gas mileage. If you want to get on it a bit - turn it off. It keeps rpm's a bit higher for more power.

 

[Mustang_GT_02]

n oh also, should i start out in 1st?, n then 2nd n then D
thx guys for all the answers

 

[Islander03GT]

when racing let the trans shift itself.

i do O/D off myself, but it honestly doesnt matter. the computer takes O/D out of the loop at WOT anyway.

Those that say its a noticeable time difference on the track are forgetting that its next to impossible to run every run identically. Comparisons of a tenth or less are negligable, and can be attributed to air temp, driver error, or if someone in the stands farts during your run.