(92 VE)today i was on my way back to chattanooga from fall break and as i was going up the mountains i decided to put the gear in d1 instead of d for the mountains so the car could stop jumping in and out of overdrive (its a auto). the car was running at 4000 rpms up the inclines. then she started to sputter, buck, and stalll. the temp gauge had also moved halfway beteen the middle and half. it was also making backfiring noises in the engine compartment. i pulled over and it was like it was wanting to cut off but it never did and no check engine light. as i tried to get back on the interstate, it continues for like 20-30 seconds then the car went back to normal. what in the world happened and did having the gear like that have something to do with it? the car has beeen fine since then. please ease my mind and tell me there is possibly no damage.

 

Sorry, can't comment on whether you caused damage...

However, I'm curious about why you didn't just use the O/D switch on the gear shift column to turn off O/D?

 

Only time will tell...I would keep a eye on the temp gauge for while.

 

Yeah there's an od off switch on the auto lever at the bottom left of it's "head".

 

seriously at that time the switch wasnt even on my mind. the temp guage didnt go up until it was revving that high up the second or third incline. now its back to normal a little below half. and what would cause the popping noises. they sounded contained like maybe in the manifold or something but it was loud enough to hear inside faintly. it popped evertime i tried to accelerate

 

veterans any ideas

 

what exactly does that O/D switch do? I've driven with it on and off and haven't noticed a difference

 

different shifting. . . downshifts faster, lingers in the lower gears longer.

 

and exactly where did you get this bit of info from?

The o/d switch is to "lockout" 4th gear.

 

i cranked the car this morning and its fine but im still kind of weary o put it on the road. i would like to hopeit had to do with me running the car like that

 

basically the same thing, i know thats what it does on some other automatics, i dont have one so i dont know the specifics

 

It has nothing to do with down shifting, overdrive is just lowers the gear ratio to provide better mpg at highway speeds. It really benefits nothing else.

 

you're either getting the O/D off switch (O/D stands for overdrive) mixed up with the power/comfort switch or you're just way off

 

tru, overdrive is used for inclines or pulling things correct? kinda like leaving your car in a lower gear. . .can you damage your vehicle if you leave your car in overdrive all the time? what about using d2 and d3 as a downshift affect? my freind likes to pretend that he has a manual and he had to put in a new engine the other day, wonder if that had something to do with it.

 

i was thinking of the power/comfort switch

 

Doh!

 

not meaning to be rude in any way but is there anything pertaining to the original question? please help

 

Sounds like you overheated your engine. Can there be long-term damage? Yes. Did you damage your engine? I think only time will tell. As someone else mentioned, I'd keep a close eye on things for a while, especially your temp guage.

Just my opinion.

 

On a drive back from St. Louis, I had the same issue through the W. VA mountains with my VG. Engine revving around 4000 with the temp gauge increasing--however, I did not have any backfiring. My particular problem was the catalytic converter. Yes, you read that right. Come to find out that after a few years and a lot of miles, a cat can become clogged to where the exhaust gases cannot escape fast enough when the engine is revving for an extended amount of time.

Changed the cat, all is wonderful again.

That was my situation, however. You could have something similar. I have to admit that it took me a while to accept that the cat could have caused my issue.

 

it never completely ran hot. just was between the h and the middle, never on the h. and it was like that for about 10-15 secs. i seen it when it rose and when it dropped back to normali wonder if going 80 mph for 85 % of a 350 mile road trip also contributed to the problem because the mountains were in the last 50 mi. of the trip

 

ya know , I always forget about plugged cats.
I see them so rarely

 

see www.howstuffworks.com and type auto transmissions.

OVERDRIVE is exactly what its called over drive. the overdrive gear is over the 1:1 drive ratio meaning the output of the tranny is faster than the input. so to answer your question
NO. over drive is used for better gas milage NOT pulling things....
no. the AUTO tranny will shift it for you out of overdrive when the load demands it.

downshifting all the time with an auto will cause premature wear on the bands and clutches. it will not ruin the motor but it will wear out the tranny. think about it act like you have a manual (btw your not fooling ne1 i can hear an auto its different) or pony up 1200+ for a rebuild sooner than you wanted to.

 

try telling him that hey he is from chattanooga too . . .so your saying the o\d doesnt completely lock you out of fourth. it keeps you in a lower gear until you have to go to fourth to protect your car?