Since having the car I have been driving it with overdrive on.... when should you use it and when should you not use it? and what are the benifits of using or not using it?



many thanks

jac

i only use it when on the motorway when i need a little more revs when overtaking.. apart from that i do not use it much

Same here, only use the OD mainly for overtaking when the little bit of extra revs are required without using kick down on the accelater, but it's best to only use the OD on speeds over 60, otherwise you risk damaging the cluch's ( - clutch's, how many)

Hello jac114, you can safely leave your overdrive on all the time, the gubbins in the box will not let it work unless the speed etc is correct, a bit like the old days (I know Im an oldie) the over drives would only work on 3rd and 4th gear on manual boxes and only when the speed was right. The advantage is that it keeps the revs down (higher gear) thus safes fuel, I dont hang about and generally get between 27 and 30.
(GS300 1995)

If you switch into power mode it automatically knocks off the overdrive anyway, although the light doesnt tell you that.

ps how did you get on with the handbrake?

dlj

did front pads yesterday ,, looking at handbrake today..


Thanks for the info guys and Paul since when do you need a few little extra revs..lol


jac

Does this mean your mk1 GS actually has five forward gears afterall then?

1-4 +O/D??

Thats a good point about the 5 forward gears.
When you go into OD, its your fourth gear but after that, you get lock up. After OD at a certain rev point and if the engine temp is right, you get torque converter lock up. Try it. When you accel in an auto, the rev counter always rises before anything happens. When in OD at about 60, gently press the pedal so as not to kickdown and watch the rev counter move in unison with the car speed.
I believe this is temperature controlled and wont work from cold.

[quote]Hello jac114, you can safely leave your overdrive on all the time, the gubbins in the box will not let it work unless the speed etc is correct, a bit like the old days (I know Im an oldie) the over drives would only work on 3rd and 4th gear on manual boxes and only when the speed was right. The advantage is that it keeps the revs down (higher gear) thus safes fuel, I dont hang about and generally get between 27 and 30.[/quote]

OD on third and fourth.
Does this bring back memories of Triumphs from the 70s?

I go back even further had a hilman minx in the 60s put a sunbeam rapier engine in and an over drive unit on the box, yep on 3rd and 4th only. I seem to remember having a Triumph Vittesse in the 70s in Gibralter, lovely it was and that had the same, mind you couldnt use it often in Gib, it was like a scalextric on Sundays we all used to drive around the rock for somethin to do! Memories.