OD off and 4WD?

[amalik]

Today we had some ice/slush/snow on the ground in Denver. I was driving in 4-High with OD off majority of the Highway... when I reached above 45mph though I know that is too fast for OD off so I turned it back on still in 4WD.

On below 45MPH -- is OD Off + 4WD an OK setup in bad weather? It felt pretty good especially on steep up and downhills.

I know OD off saves some gas but does 4WD use more gas and they off-set each other?

I have a 3rd gen - V6 automatic.

 

[Srabai]

Today we had some ice/slush/snow on the ground in Denver. I was driving in 4-High with OD off majority of the Highway... when I reached above 45mph though I know that is too fast for OD off so I turned it back on still in 4WD.

On below 45MPH -- is OD Off + 4WD an OK setup in bad weather? It felt pretty good especially on steep up and downhills.

I know OD off saves some gas but does 4WD use more gas and they off-set each other?

I have a 3rd gen - V6 automatic.

OD off uses more fuel at highway speeds. 4WD uses more fuel. Doing both together uses even more fuel.

I don't think you'll have any issues running no overdrive with 4WD at <45mph.

 

[thor999]

I'm in Denver too and rarely use OD; I think it is best to switch it off when your auto trans starts to shift a lot on its own.

 

[nevada]

you can go as fast as road conditions will allow with OD off.

 

[amalik]

I thought it's designed for lower RMP but higher torque? Kind of like 4-Low?

At least that's what OD off feels like to me... I struggle hard to go above 45MPH on it.

you can go as fast as road conditions will allow with OD off.

 

[nevada]

I thought it's designed for lower RMP but higher torque? Kind of like 4-Low?

At least that's what OD off feels like to me... I struggle hard to go above 45MPH on it.

its only purpose is to lower engine rpms while cruising to conserve fuel.

OD off puts the transmission in a 1:1 ratio. overdrive will be something like .80:1

 

[Bucket81]

The over drive is just the 4th gear, with it off it won't shift I to 4th. I always thought it was for toeing.

 

[SeattleCyclist]

OD off only on downhill

I do turn off the OD only when I need more engine braking when going down a long steep hill. I think turning off the OD on a fast freeway speed and snowy condition has a very little advantage (and probably to almost none). Am I wrong on my assumption?

 

[amalik]

Think of it this way.

Since OD is basically a '4th' gear as was stated above, if you are going down a hill and there might be some ice... hitting brakes might engage ABS and i hate that. Instead I turn OD off and i'm automatically shifted to a lower gear. To me, it's like the benefit of braking on a down-hill with ice/snow without ABS.

I'm not recommending what I do to anyone else, just relaying information.

I do turn off the OD only when I need more engine braking when going down a long steep hill. I think turning off the OD on a fast freeway speed and snowy condition has a very little advantage (and probably to almost none). Am I wrong on my assumption?

 

[Schargedtaco]

Not sure what the point of turning OD off under 45 is? other than to get worse gas mileage? Unless your going up a very steep grade it shouldn't be excessively shifting from OD to drive anyway. Also why stay under 45 mph other than for safety depending on road conditions, I've been upward of 65 mph in 4wd during the winter in over 100k with no probs. it takes more powe/fuel to turn both axles with driveline loss, by taking OD off your killing your mileage even more for no gain.

 

[TNRunner99]

I would run OD like normal. 4WD is ok. It will use more fuel but you will get better grip, obviously. And using a little more fuel for safety sake is worth it to me. I wouldn't go over 45mph in 4 High though. 4Runner manual says to say below 50mph.

 

[HiluxSurf SSR-G]

Is the OD switch a temporary switch or is it a permanent switch? On mine, it's a temporary switch, meaning, I have to continue pressing the OD switch to keep it off. Otherwise, after I stop pressing the switch, OD is on again.
<img id="ums_img_tooltip" class="UMSRatingIcon">

 

[Schargedtaco]

I think the reason the manual states 50mph in 4wd is to protect toyota from liability/ensure customer safety and I'm sure reduce warranty claims. Going over 50 will not hurt anything especially in 4runner. Now a jeep or other make I can't say the same