My Accent has automatic (3 speed). The top gear (or 4th speed) is the
overdrive gear. This gear can be switched off for most city driving or
switched on for highway use. The overdrive switch is located on the gear
selector and also has a light on the instrument panel to indicate its status.

Jim

 

Jim

Just curious, but you say you switch off the overdrive when in the
city. What is the advantage of this?

Kevin

On 04 Aug 2003 14:06:37 GMT, tr7driver@aol.com (TR7 Driver) wrote:

>My Accent has automatic (3 speed). The top gear (or 4th speed) is the
>overdrive gear. This gear can be switched off for most city driving or
>switched on for highway use. The overdrive switch is located on the gear
>selector and also has a light on the instrument panel to indicate its status.
>
>Jim

 

On Mon, 15 Dec 2003 01:24:25 GMT, kcw staggered into the Black Sun and
said:
> On 04 Aug 2003 14:06:37 GMT, tr7driver@aol.com (TR7 Driver) wrote:
>>My Accent has automatic (3 speed). The top gear (or 4th speed) is the
>>overdrive gear. This gear can be switched off for most city driving
>>or switched on for highway use. The overdrive switch is located on
> Just curious, but you say you switch off the overdrive when in the
> city. What is the advantage of this?

Cars with auto trannies can "hunt", frequently shifting back and forth
between 3rd and 4th gear at a particular narrow speed range, typically
near 40 mph. People who drive in that particular speed range for long
distances (as you'd have to in some cities) find the hunting annoying.
If you switch the overdrive off, the car remains in 3rd gear, no
hunting, but you need to remember to put the overdrive back on before
you go out on the highway. HTH,

--
Matt G|There is no Darkness in eternity/But only Light too dim for us to see
Stupidity got us into this mess--why can't it get us out?
Hire me! http://crow202.dyndns.org/~mhgraham/resume/

 

Kevin -

"Dances" is correct. Additionaly, with the overdrive off there is slightly
more power at the lower speeds and there is less strain on the engine. Using
overdrive at the higher speeds results in less engine noise and better economy
because the engine turns at fewer RPMs.

Jim

 

Thanks guys, I'll give it try. (Never even thought about it)

Kevin

On 15 Dec 2003 14:47:30 GMT, tr7driver@aol.com (TR7 Driver) wrote:

>Kevin -
>
>"Dances" is correct. Additionaly, with the overdrive off there is slightly
>more power at the lower speeds and there is less strain on the engine. Using
>overdrive at the higher speeds results in less engine noise and better economy
>because the engine turns at fewer RPMs.
>
>Jim

 

"TR7 Driver" <tr7driver@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20031215094730.12363.00000963@mb-m05.aol.com...
> Kevin -
>
> "Dances" is correct. Additionaly, with the overdrive off there is
slightly
> more power at the lower speeds and there is less strain on the engine.


And less strain/wear on the gear box.

Shouldnt use the overdrive gear with lots of throttle at low RPM.

For mechanical reasons, the overdrive gear doesnt like to transfer high
torque smoothly.


Also shouldnt give the engine throttle at low RPM's in any gear or else the
valves wear quicker.



>Using overdrive at the higher speeds results in less engine noise and
better economy
> because the engine turns at fewer RPMs.

Thats the trade off. On the highway, you dont slow down to low RPM speeds,
so you can save fuel by using an "overdrive" gear.

Overdrive in an auto is really an alternative gear for the high gear, its
not made a N+1 gear box because that would cause more hunting - overdrive
gears are meant to reduce hunting when changing gears for slow corners on a
highway.


>
> Jim
>

 

kcw <kevin575@juno.com> wrote in message news:<lc3qtvsfn1qp9jcvug7bjg59u7bitr63m8@4ax.com>. ..
> Jim
>
> Just curious, but you say you switch off the overdrive when in the
> city. What is the advantage of this?

There's no advantage of doing that. Leave it on at all times.

> On 04 Aug 2003 14:06:37 GMT, tr7driver@aol.com (TR7 Driver) wrote:
>
> >My Accent has automatic (3 speed). The top gear (or 4th speed) is the
> >overdrive gear. This gear can be switched off for most city driving or
> >switched on for highway use. The overdrive switch is located on the gear
> >selector and also has a light on the instrument panel to indicate its status.
> >
> >Jim

 

Certainly Hyundai is not in the habit of including useless features in its
products. The switchable overdrive allows the driver to control its use. I
find it worthwhile to disengage it in urban driving.

Jim