overdrive

[03blackvegas]

How does everyone feel about driving around town with or without the over drive on?, my car is all stock. It seems to me that ford thinks its a good idea to have it on all the time, because they have it come back on each time you start your car. Just wondering.:shake:

[Blackened300a]

Bone stock wont make much of a difference, When you start modding then you will have to turn it off when doing WOT launches or heavy throttle downshifting at highway speeds. The O/D band is the weakest part of the tranny.

[03blackvegas]

Thanks, thats kind of what I've heard.

[FordNut]

I just leave mine in OD all the time. But I'm on tranny #3. The tranny guys tell me the 4-2 downshift is what most commonly breaks them.

[mclum1]

Since we're on the OD topic....I have also heard that turning OD off while at highway speeds is not good, either. :shake: Is this true? So, if you are wanting to 'hit it' on the highway while in OD, should I ease into the pedal until the 4-3 downshift then turn it off?

Thanks in advance,
:beer:
Mike in KC

[offroadkarter]

Since we're on the OD topic....I have also heard that turning OD off while at highway speeds is not good, either. :shake: Is this true? So, if you are wanting to 'hit it' on the highway while in OD, should I ease into the pedal until the 4-3 downshift then turn it off?

Thanks in advance,
:beer:
Mike in KC


You can turn it off on highway, its fine. Atleast this is what i read online.



ford should just take overdrive out of the 4R70-75W and just make it a plain 4spd auto. My brothers truck has the same 4R70W and i dont think he's turned off O/D once, yet tranny is still going at 95k miles

I guess its better than the Gm version, the 460LE, can you believe they still use that :eek:

[Blackened300a]

I have my car almost 3 years and I kick the O/D off on the highway all the time without a single tranny issue.

[metroplex]

I keep OD on all the time with the 4R70W. I reprogrammed the shift schedule so that it locks the OD as soon as it goes into OD. A locked converter feels a lot like a manual transmission with the clutch fully engaged. I started locking out OD to keep it in 3rd to accelerate on the highway because I had gotten used to downshifting with the 3650 to accelerate. I normally keep the 3650 in 3rd when I really need to haul above 60 mph, or in 4th when I just have to pass. I am relearning how to use the 4R70W and can't get used to having only 4 gears. :)

But to answer your question, leave the OD engaged for max fuel economy. The only reason you should lock out OD is if you do not want to go into OD for towing a boat, road racing, drag racing, etc... because the OD is the weakest link in the 4R70W. It's more like a rubber band than an actual gear.

Another reason why I wish Ford released the Marauder with either a standard or optional manual transmission (like a T-56, TR-3650, or the TR-6060) is the fun factor with a manual. An automatic is technically going to be the fastest shifting device, but the manual wins where you need "infinitely" variable shifting :)