What is the consensus on using overdrive? Obviously Chrysler enabled overdrive by default, so they must have intended for it to be used normally on an every day basis? Personally, I never use overdrive unless I'm on the highway (which is not very often), but on a day-to-day basis, I manually shut it off every time I get in the truck.

Now, if someone were to run the van daily in stop and go traffic with overdrive on, would this shorten the life of the transmission? To me, overdrive is supposed to be an option to only use as needed, so why is it always enabled and why force people to disable it all the time?

 

I only use OD on the highway. Constant transmission od upshifting and downshifting in stop and go city traffic can't be good.
Just my .02 worth.

 

The tranny won't shift up into OD unless you're going fast enough and there is not a heavy load on the tranny at the time. IMO, shift into Drive, leave the OD off button alone and go about your daily business.

 

The van has much more power with overdrive off. Not that I'm racing, but it is nice for the engine to be able to react when I hit the gas when passing other cars. In other words, acceleration is dramatically improved with overdrive off. For me, that is reason enough to disable it for city driving.

 

I allow overdrive to engage when I am no longer accelerating.

Mine will enter OD all too early, and then allow me to try and climb a slight hill in OD, and the gas pedal gets pushed farther and farther while slowing down until it drops out of overdrive, then accelerates like a banchee.

If you take it out of overdrive, and without moving the gas pedal the vehicle starts accelerating, you should not have been in overdrive. or the computer should not have been allowing overdrive.

Alloro, isn't your van a 3 speed with a 3.9?

Perhaps on other vehicles with overdrive letting it choose when to drop out of OD is fine/ My take on these weak Dodge OD trannies it to baby them by only allowing it to engage when needed.

 

Gee, yah think! Why not simply drive around in 2nd gear then? Then you'll really get a kick in the pants when stomping on the gas. By holding the tranny back from going into OD when it wants, or needs to, you're reducing your MPG, increasing engine and tranny wear due to increased RPMs.

Now granted, if you're towing or driving in a very hilly area then yes I agree the OD should be off, but not for normal every day driving.

 

Your point? Are you suggesting that since my van isn't equipped with OD that I have no idea what I'm talking about? My engine is only a V6 and by your logic if I had to change spark plugs on a V8 I'd be lost.

 

Wow, I guess you really do have a bit of an attitude problem. I was willing to give you the benefit of the doubt when the other guy got on you about it in a few other threads, but it is clear as day now. We're all here to just have fun and talk about our vehicles, you should try to take it a bit easier.

As far as the thread topic goes, I've read and seen conflicting reports all over the internet about this subject, so it is always good to get more opinions.

 

Except for roughly 200 lbs of audio equipment, my SWB van is never loaded: I don't even install the 2nd/3rd row seating unless I need it. Actually it is so light in the back that it causes traction problems in light rain. I leave my OD engaged full time normally but if/when I load the van to full capacity or if I decided to tow a trailor over 2000 lbs at highway speeds, I'd turn it off.

If I floor it and transmission drops a gear, I don't have any acceleration issues. I can easily pass slower traffic uphill at 90mph if I need to without any hesitation whatsoever. So my assumption is that the OD probably turns off at WOT.

This approach is more or less what the Dodge manual suggests.

 

Alloro, If you had overdrive in your van you might see that it engages way too early. It will try to climb hills in OD. it will try to Accellerate at 40 mph in OD

If you had OD in your van you might see that when it disengages that it is extremely stressful on the drivetrain.

if you had OD in your van, and had to spend $$$$ for a rebuild

You would not nonchalantly recommend just putting it in drive and assume the transmission knows what is best for it, cause i can tell you, mine does not, as far as overdrive is concerned, you arrogant f-wad.

Perhaps other vehicles/ most vehicles might allow someone to be oblivious to which gear it is in and allow the blissfully ignorant right pedal go and left pedal slow while checking their text messages or fondling their ferrett, but with these vans around town in a hilly area it is a recipe for an early rebuild.

Other than your obnoxious attitude, I usually enjoy you sharing your knowledge, but you got a 32rh or re. No experience with an A-500 or A518.



You're welcome to the last word.