Overdrive, What is it and whats it for? Options

[LewFX]

Does anyone use their overdrive button?? Is there any advantages? I hear its suppose to act like a 5th gear..any comments?

[Hanyo]

over drive also has to do with how your transmission reacts to throttle postion. With over drive on, it would be more tollerent to changes in throttle postion. When over drive is ON, a slightly less of a throttle depression will cause the transmission to down shift into a lower gear. With our smart trannys, you dont need to turn od on/off when passing cars.. just push down harder on the gas pedel will make the tranny down shift.

Another thing OD will do is help create some engine braking. With over drive off, it will help slow the car down when you completely released the throttle. Take a note of this when you are driving.. accelerate to 40 mph with OD on, and release the gas.. look at your RMP and notice how the car slows down. Try this experiment again with OD OFF, notice your rpm will be higher and you will decelerate quicker incomparison to OD on.

With od on in city driving. the tranny will shift sooner.. with over drive off the tranny will shift later.. (around 3-4k rpm).

Over drive should not make a car faster in a drag race, because the ecu will shift at redline when the throttle is wide open.