is it ok to keep your car in 3rd till od is needed as the car short-shifts and lugs into od??????

 

Are you asking if you can drive around normally with the selector in third and just use "D" on the freeway? Sure you can, it's even easier on the trans.

 

explain please....

 

Wear on the band for one, also fluid circulation. Maintaining speed in third gear vs. fourth gear would require less torque in favor or more RPM. Torque is a bigger factor in wear than RP is. Torque converters get tighter with more RPM which means less heat. Depending on when the clutch is locking it's probably easier on that too since the clutch does not have to overcome as great of an RPM difference. These benefits are tiny, the best advantages are that it will reduce transmission busyness and give you better throttle response and make it more fun to drive.

None of this is significant, but it was worth mentioning.

 

ok...does anyone else have an opinion? I drive like this all of the time...thats why I am asking...

 

its like an older car with no overdrive, ur turning more rpms, using more gas and wearing the engine out faster (slightly)

 

Ok..thus is what I was looking for..now we have two contradicting points of view..one that says its easier on the tranny and motor and one that says it doesnt....so which is it?

 

I'm talking about driving around town in third and using Overdrive for the highway. That was the question asked.

 

Everyone knows that lugging and engine is not good for it - keeping an engine in the healthy part of the torque band is good for it and doesn't cause any greater measurable wear. James is right about the tranny too. It doesn't hurt and may be even easier on it. I drove that way all the time when I had 2.73s, and still do sometimes with my 3.42s. The 2.73s were miserable around town.