I know that the A4 is equipped with overdrive, but what is it? It often goes overlooked and really isn't talked about. I feel like I am going back to being a complete newb. What is the difference between Drive and Overdrive? How does it help you? Whats it four?

 

well 1st and 2nd gears are a reduction..meaning that the input shaft of the transmission is turning faster than the output shaft...3rd gear is direct drive..meaning that input shaft speed, and output shaft speed are the same...Overdrive means that the output shaft is turning faster than the input shaft...meaning that you can cruise at the same speed as direct drive..but turn lower RPM's..you will get better gas mileage, lower emissions..less wear on your motor/accessories...

 

4L60E:
3rd = 1:1
4th = 0.696:1 (overdrive)

4L80E:
3rd = 1:1
4th = 0.75:1 (overdrive)

D = shifts 1->2->3
OD = shifts 1->2->3->4

Sector labels can go like any of these:
P R N OD D 2 1
P R N OD 3 2 1
P R N D 3 2 1
(1 is sometimes labelled LO)

Four is 4th gear

 

Is this a joke???

 

So basicly keep into in OD all the time?

 

Yes, especially if its a DD. Not that there's an OD "button" in stock A4 '93+ F-bodies anyways (if it's in D, then OD will be used when appropriate)...

 

Well not on camaro's...our "D" is 3rd gear...there's not a "3" on our selector..we have OD-D-2-1..where as TA's have D-3-2-1

 

wheres waldo...damn im seein alot of these threads..
whats an intake???
what is headers???
what does a4 or m6 meen???
now...what is overdrive????

my god no way people are this dumb no way.....

 

I get them every day, But then I dont mind and everyone has to start somewhere. But things are alot different than when I was KID I grew up working on cars, So many now days an afford to just buy the car and pay someone to hop it up they dont need to know much they come on here ask the questions then tell someone what they want I never had the money for that luxury lol.

 

story of my life lol.......

 

I say don't leave it in OD all the time. At the track or other racing, leave it in 3 (D). I believe the 3rd has more support and is less likely to break.

 

But if you leave it in OD racing, it won't be used during the race, because it's only used when cruising- correct? If so, then you may as well leave it in OD always (which is what I do), because just because OD isn't off doesn't mean that you are in OD- you can be in 1, 2, or 3 and will be the same whether in OD or not (right??)

 

Im with you man.... I thought this was a joke!!

 

Overdrive is when you put a 20 inch lift kit and 35" mud tires on your car, then take it to the streets. You'll be driving over everyone and everything.



Overdrive in our cars is 4th gear. As it was noted before, it's when the output shaft spins faster than the input shaft. That's why the TH350, TH400 and the Powerglide transmissions are not overdrive transmissions. They end at a 1:1 ratio, or drive only.

 

What if I have a 19" lift kit, and 34" tires... Do I still have overdrive????

Whats a lift kit???

 

Yeah, but no. It'll shift into overdrive when you hit the speed/rpm in the shift tables that tell it to shift. It's not so much for "cruising". It's just another gear. But a weaker one. That's why we all gear an OD car as if we're going to use only 1-3 on the track.

 

Yes, it's weaker, but if you never see the need for 4th gear (speedwise) during your run, there's no harm in leaving it in OD since you'll never need to shift into it. If you do need 4th, then you have to have it in OD otherwise you'll bang rev the rest of the run. That's the impression I'm under.

 

Unfortunately, no...

 

guys seriously it's a relatively hard concept to grasp if you dont understand mechanics. there are very few people who actually understand what "overdrive" means. most people think it's just a little button in the car that has something to do with the engine, when in fact it has nothing at all to do with it.

to the OP: overdrive is simply a term for the highway gearing the car uses for cruising and gas mileage. 4th gear in the automatic cars is the overdrive gear, 5th and 6th in the manual cars are both overdrive gears, with 6th being the higher of the two. this means that your engine will not work as hard to get you down the road going at the same speed.

 

That's kinda what I was thinking, but I'm not good at conveying my thoughts in a way that others can understand