Over drive (more than just a gear?)

[prodigy2k7]

People say taking overdrive off (removing the last gear) helps you with higher rpms by not going into the last gear right?

Is there more electronically to it?

My friend automatic '91 Nissan Maxima (automatic) has overdrive.
He takes it off when he likes to race people, he said it it shifts at higher RPMs than when overdrive is on.

So it overdrive just the last gear, or does the computer shift it differently when disabled, when you floor it?

 

[TRBenj]

People say taking overdrive off (removing the last gear) helps you with higher rpms by not going into the last gear right?

Is there more electronically to it?

My friend automatic '91 Nissan Maxima (automatic) has overdrive.
He takes it off when he likes to race people, he said it it shifts at higher RPMs than when overdrive is on.

So it overdrive just the last gear, or does the computer shift it differently when disabled, when you floor it?

Overdrive is just a gear (5th). Turning overdrive off simply keeps the transmission from selecting 5th gear- it has no effect on the shift points in any of the other gears. This holds true for both the 4Runner and Maxima (I had a '93 and '87).

 

[prodigy2k7]

Thanks

 

[Jaebster]

To add to TRBenj's post...
Toyota once had an "overdrive" button and a "ETC (or ECT or something like that)" power button. Overdrive is exactly what TRBenj said. The ETC or ECT power button actually allowed the car to automatically shift at higher RPMs. Maybe this is what your friend was referring to???
My mom's old Camry V6 LE (late 80's) was like a rocket with the power button on.

 

[Falls]

If Im driving in a snow storm I will stay in 4th to avoid unwanted down shifting of up shifting and it seems ( to my perception ) to work better.

Otherwise I just leave it in 5th/ D

 

[toto]

An overdrive gear is a gear ratio that has the wheels turning faster than the output of the engine. The rest of the gears could be considered "underdrive" gears, where the engine output is turning faster than the wheels.

Overdrive is a good thing for saving gas while cruising down the highway, but it's bad if you want more torque or power from the engine.

 

[keylay31]

My mom's old Camry V6 LE (late 80's) was like a rocket with the power button on.

Same with my mom's old early 90's Camry. :bigok:

 

[KellyJ]

My '02 has the ECT button and it makes it shift harder and higher up in the rev's than with it off. When driving normally its better to leave it off, but when your feeling spirited, the sharper downshifts and upshifts are really neat.

 

[peter78]

The thing about overdrive is that it locks the torque converter and does not allow slipperage. It tends to build up a bit more heat in that gear. For that reason, it is recommended not to use overdrive when towing.

I have a fairly light tow vehicle and I use the overdrive, but I do take the overdrive off at least 30% of the time. I know by not using the overdirve it allows the transmission to cool down a good bit.

If your driving in a somewhat slow traffic area and you find that your overdrive is "hunting", it might be best to trun it off for awhile.

 

[KellyJ]

For me, overdrive kicks in at about 48 MPH.