Does anybody know the difference between starting w/ and w/out OverDrive on a auto. I have a '96 GLE auto and I'm going to be racing this weekend at English Town, NJ and really wanted some tips on getting off the line. After serching I found a # of tips (thanks to all who posted) but none of them included or said anything about taking the O.D. off or leaving it on. Does it make a difference? Which is better?

 

theres no difference at all unless you reach 3rd gear since all OD does is to keep it in 3rd once you get there.

 

i've heard that turning it off will switch gears at higher RPM, so i turned it off everytime i raced. I don't know if it's true though

 

OD button is for overdrive. Is it like another gear in your transmission. So keeping it off when racing would keep your RPM higher at the end of the track. Sometimes that helps to keep your motor in it's sweet spot peak hp/or torque.

 

Sometimes, my old auto Maxima might hesistate between gears, especially during moderate freeway traffic, stop-and-go. So I figured out by restricting the gears to 3 (od-off), everything ran much more smoothly below 40 mph.

As of launching, I doubt there's a difference between using overdrive and not. If I were you, I'd just leave it on.

 

indeed ... i concur...racing keep it off..till u hit about 120-130 click the overdrive n boom ..140...unless u got a limiter ..which will suck ...

dont drive with ur OD off all the time.... it will kill ur gas tank in a heartbeat !!

 

I leave my O/D on when racing at the track. The car doesn't get going fast enough to shift out of 3rd so it makes no difference. My car doesn't shift from 3rd to 4th until well over 6k just like the rest of the gears.

When street racing I guess its different I have no idea, Hommie don't play that.

 

For the track, let OD on. I tested this myself at the track and it made no difference whatsoever with OD on or off. Actually, maybe a little difference. I actually ran a slightly better time with OD on. Weird.

As far as the street or on the highway, I have tested this numerous times too. To me, it doesn't make a big enough difference, so I just leave OD on all the time now.

 

I actually got worse times with O/D off. And never turn on O/D when you're already going that fast...jeez...that's slamming the tranny into gear at the wroooong time. The only time I turn O/D on or off is when the car is stopped.

 

I disagree, I always race with overdrive off. You can fell the difference with the take off. Riding with o/d on is like a gas saver.

 

Gosh don't tell my time slip that.

 

Sure it "feel" faster, but I think that's just your mind playing with you. A few of us have prove this at the track. Try testing this at the track and then see if you still feel the same way.

 

try spinning out with o/d on and then off big difference

 

i always drive with my o/d on. you can test for yourself,but i also did numerous tests and i find my acceleration is much smoother, and the throttle response and pick up is dramatically faster, (especially at higher speeds) if i were you i would race with it on and do everyday driving with it on. i also have a 96' GLE just like you and o/d help a lot when its on.
just my 2 cents

 

it doesn't matter if O/D is on or off when racing...since you'll be flooring it anyways, the gears won't shift until redline. the only thing it does is keep the tranny from shifting into 4th gear, which means a lower top speed if you're going that fast.
for the most part, it won't make a difference though.

 

What does spinning out have anything to do with acceleration? You do know spinning isn't a good thing in racing right?

Well, do what you like. We have tested it at a track, not just butt dyno, so enough said.

 

Es ture.
I actually had a lower speed with the O/D off.
However, for random reference, when you are in O/D and going past about 110 mph, the car downshifts to go faster.

I didn't do this on a public road. Yeah.

 

More juice Baby and that is what you need al about looks

 

Thanks to all who posted. I will be racing @ EnglishTown this weekend and i will have my O/D on. See ya there if your coming.