Auto Trans: overdrive on or off?

[dbanker]

I have a '99 SLE with an automatic transmition and am wondering when, if ever, I should take my overdrive off. Will I get better acceleration off the line with the overdrive off? I've messed around with it a bit and am not sure if I can tell the difference. Any advice?

Another weird thing with an auto trans is that you almost have to have the right technique in order to get the best acceleration. Just flooring it won't give me the best acceleration.

[Yanks0114]

I have a '99 SLE with an automatic transmition and am wondering when, if ever, I should take my overdrive off. Will I get better acceleration off the line with the overdrive off? I've messed around with it a bit and am not sure if I can tell the difference. Any advice?

Another weird thing with an auto trans is that you almost have to have the right technique in order to get the best acceleration. Just flooring it won't give me the best acceleration.

All overdrive does is limits the use of 4th gear. Your acceloration off the line will not improve, but if you plan to race on the highway then i would use it. Anything over 50-60 is when your car would be in fourth gear for cruising.

The tranny is an ECT-i. When they emilinated the ECT power switch on the camrys/lexus's that let you hold the gear longer the transmission took over the job of deciding whether you wanted to run it to red line or whether you were just getting up to speed. Mashing the gas doesn't provide the best results. When you gradually floor it, you can get much better acceloration with no wheel hop

[dbanker]

That's what my experience has been as well...flooring it just doesn't work.

Now, are you saying when I'm going between 50-60 mph with overdrive on and want to accelerate quickly I should turn the overdrive off while I'm at that speed and go for it? Is this speed range the only time it'd be benificial?

[NASTY]

just look at your tach, 3rd can take you pretty high (wel past 50-60, thats 2nd gear territory!), but you don't want to hold it there unless youre accelerating
and dloring the pedal works fine too