Overdrive?!

[Drifter240]

Hey, I just bought a 91 240sx SE, so I'm a little new to this car. I can't seem to figure out what this little overdrive button on the shifter is. (yes, the car is an automatic ;_;) The reason I'm confused is because the car revs higher when the OD is OFF! Also, a light comes on when the OD is off. I thought this would be opposite, but maybe I'm just an idiot. If anyone knows what exactly this is, I'd be glad to find out. I'd especially know which one would be better for drifting, cause I can't feel any difference between the two modes. Thanks!

[drifter]

I never play with my overdrive button....I just leave it on....for drifting though I imagine it would be better if the revs are higher...

Which brings up another question......has anyone here actually successfully drifted an automatic? If so, someone please explain to me how they do it....! : )

[StickyIcky]

Start your car, its in overdrive mode by default. The transmission shifts automatically among all 4 gears/ratios. Press the button, you've turned the O/D off, hence the dash light: "O/D off". Now the transmission only shifts among the 3 lowest gears- no top gear. Hence the higher revs. Okay, peace.

[StickyIcky]

Oh, by the way, like when I'm in a quarter mile run or something at WOT, i have the O/D off (i dont kno why). Then, when the car is in 3rd gear, and i flip the O/D back on, it seems like the engine at that point revs up faster. Kinda acting like a Honda engine when the Vtec kicks in. What's that all about? Maybe there is a little difference..

[topless@vabeach]

I dont know how much faster you will go with it off but according to the owners manual, it say to leave it on unless you are in an area where you would benifit from the engine slowing down the car. The example they give is going down steep mountain roads, it aids in slowing down the car.

[KwayKer]

OD is simply the 4th gear.....I've heard turning it off helps off the line takeoff, but highway driving, turn it on because its your 4th gear!!! You will save gas mileage with it on on the highway. I turn mine off while slowing down, it makes a neato lil rev sound like downshiftin a stick.

I ordered me a body kit....ill post pics once its on.

[S13Drifter]

I never play with my overdrive button....I just leave it on....for drifting though I imagine it would be better if the revs are higher...

Which brings up another question......has anyone here actually successfully drifted an automatic? If so, someone please explain to me how they do it....! : )

I drift in my auto all the time. There are 3 easy ways. One of couse is the use of the side brake (e-brake). The next is less of a drift and more of a power slide. Just go into the turn and brake coming up to it, then just before the apex, slam on the gas, the rear tires spin and your rear end kicks out. So people call that the horsepower drift, because you need enough hp to spin your tires. The last is usually done at the slowest corners. Go into the turn and depress the brake and the gas. You have be going in the dirction you want to go with the tires pointed at that direction too. Then the rear tires spin, and then let off the brake and the rear end kicks and then counter steer. Of couse all of these drifts have certain steering points to get right (movement of weight). If you want to learn to drift in an auto go to a parking in the rain and learn then. I usually use the hp drift at long turns and the brake/gas at hairpins. Have fun.

[RedStage]

Sustained drifting in an auto is actually more difficult, but once you get good at it, drifting in a similar car with a manual is easier.

My old car (A31 Cefiro) was automatic and basically I kept the car in first or second gear and just hammered the gas. The Cefiro had a VLSD that would engage to a full diff more often than not. E-brake was not an issue because the Cefiro and Laurel have a foot pedal e-brake.

I would approach the turn in second gear, mash the brakes, jerk the wheel, gun the gas. The car would do the rest and get itself sideways, then it was just feathering the gas to keep it going.

I did pretty well this way and during gymkhana events held my own well with cars in higher classes (GTR's and Evolutions) being usually less than a second behind them in ranking.