Overdrive...

[fun2drum]

Can anybody tell me what kind of hit the gas mileage may take by turning the overdrive off on the whole trip?

I'll be pulling a 3000 lb travel trailer for 7+ hours.

Also, thoughts on whether to turn OD off periodically when shifting increases or to turn it off for the trip duration would be helpful. Mine's a 5.4 if that makes any difference.

 

[toms89]

I leave my overdrive on while towing my 3,000+ boat & trailer. The only time I turn it off is when I anticipate going up a steep hill or down steep grade to help slow vehicle. If I can keep speeds above 70 it tows pretty effortless in overdrive. Traffic obviously can make that difficult. I managed 14mpg highway while towing with overdrive on. This was when my expy was stock btw.

 

[Thermo]

Fun, leave it in overdrive and unless you are going through the hills, I would only pull it out if you feel the truck shifting a lot. The big point that you need to be worried about is when you are travelling about 45 mph. This is right at the point where the truck wants to shift out of overdrive and if you are right around that speed, it can cause the OD light to start flashing at you. So, keep the speeds up and you won't have any issues. BUt, hit the hills or start driving around 45 mph, kick the OD off.

 

[fun2drum]

Thanks, That's helpful. I wasn't really looking forward to turning off the overdrive and winding the motor so hard all the time.

 

[KWT2000]

your going to notice a drop if you leave it in OD plus extra wear on the transmission

plus 2500 RPM's is the "key" rpm for line pressure to save on the clutches.

the TC will still lock up in Drive and it is just better all around

 

[fun2drum]

...I managed 14mpg highway while towing with overdrive on. This was when my expy was stock btw.

I hope I see the same mpg you had, 'cause if I do I'll start pulling the trailer around everywhere I go from now on.

 

[fun2drum]

your going to notice a drop if you leave it in OD plus extra wear on the transmission

plus 2500 RPM's is the "key" rpm for line pressure to save on the clutches.

the TC will still lock up in Drive and it is just better all around

By "drop" do you mean gas mileage will be worse with OD on?

 

[KWT2000]

yes, plus the extra wear on the transmission

 

[fun2drum]

yes, plus the extra wear on the transmission

Okay that's really what I was wondering I guess. So the OD kicking in puts stress on the trans considering the extra weight and wind drag of a trailer, which in turn gives worse gas mileage due to less efficiency of power? There's actually better gas mileage in higher RPM's if the power is being used more effectively... That's a cool paradox.

 

[tonydiv]

If you put a programmer on the truck it will drastically improve the way the trans behaves while towing. You still may need to turn off OD during a hilly stretch, but the programmer will reduce the slipping between shifts which will, in turn, reduce the overall trans temp.

 

[rburch]

your going to notice a drop if you leave it in OD plus extra wear on the transmission

plus 2500 RPM's is the "key" rpm for line pressure to save on the clutches.

the TC will still lock up in Drive and it is just better all around

This is not entirely true. i know allot of people who always use tow/haul and they have had tranny problems as often as people who dont. I even worked for a guy who always uses tow/haul even when pulling a mixer and his tranny just went out a month ago and it was a 1 yr old rebuild from Certified Transmission!

Ford says that if you notice excessive shifting between OD and 3rd, then you should turn overdrive off. Otherwise use OD for better fuel economy.

 

[toms89]

I do not see how the tranny can possibly wear faster because the only time it shifts into overdrive is when I lift off of the throttle. The only wear could be while shifting. If the clutches or band is slipping while in od I think the tranny would be DOA in short order. Now if it is constantly shifting yes.... but that is when you turn the overdrive off as per the owners manual. When I am cruising at speed it has no shifting issues and really could not tell boat is back there as far as load on motor.

To me its one of those things you just have to feel and use common sense. If it feels like the motor is struggling then turn it off. If it is shifting back and forth turn it off. But if you are cruising on along the freeway at speed why keep the motor screaming?? Just adding heat to motor, tranny and burning extra fuel. Use your best judgement based on load on engine and I think you will be fine.

Im sure if I made the whole trip to outer banks with overdrive off it would have drove me and the family nuts.. and I don't see how I could have possibly would have done better on fuel milage.

Just my opinion and not claiming it to be fact...

 

[fun2drum]

Wow, I didn't know I would open up a debate, but it's interesting. My regular line of thinking makes sense of "playing it by ear" with the OD. Just turn it off in situations where the shifting becomes obnoxious. If I can do that without hurting anything, then that's what I prefer. I've tried driving out of OD on the interstate at 70 mph and the motor revs a bit high for my taste. Gas mileage is what it is even without towing so that's not really as important to me.

 

[fun2drum]

...Im sure if I made the whole trip to outer banks with overdrive off it would have drove me and the family nuts...
Just my opinion and not claiming it to be fact...

I try to make it to the OBX every year or so for surf fishing. Love that place. I'm currently modifying my old fishing rod rack to fit on the Expedition's front bumper. So from your experience, how do these things handle in that soft sand out there?

 

[toms89]

I try to make it to the OBX every year or so for surf fishing. Love that place. I'm currently modifying my old fishing rod rack to fit on the Expedition's front bumper. So from your experience, how do these things handle in that soft sand out there?

I go every year and have yet to get stuck. I just lower tire pressure as recommended (20psi) and use 4 low in the deep sand. This makes it much easier on motor and due to the gearing less likely to spin (more rpms needed and better control on wheel speed). note: You will think you are spinning due to higher rpms required but you will not. Have someone watch if you would like to confirm.

 

[alaskanexpy]

i know everyone is talking about towing..but heres my feeling on over drive.

every time i get in the truck the first thing i do after starting it when i go to shift out of park is turn over drive OFF. the only time i turn it ON is if i'm going to be on the highway for a period of time. at 60mph or more...otherwise its locked out.

towing anything over 1k i leave it locked out...thats me!

 

[fun2drum]

I ALWAYS drop the air pressure to 20 out there. I've been in a couple of situations where I hit a patch of deep dry sand that felt like it would swallow me. Low tire pressure and low gear is the only way out of some of that stuff. I've been lucky so far not getting stuck. I saw some guy a couple of years ago come off the ramp at the Cape Point in a minivan and immediately sink to the frame. Couldn't believe it.

 

[fun2drum]

Okay, I'm back from the trip. It was a 3,000 lb travel trailer, 7 hours each way, and several tanks of gas so I decided to do a little test.... Do a tank with the OD on, and one with it off. Check the gas mileage and take notes on performance. First tank was OD on... Pros: 10 mpg (yeah that's a pro), easy driving without the motor reving high. Cons: forget using cruise because on hills it shifts to a low gear and revs high (annoying).
Second tank was OD off... Pros: Can use cruise with no (or very few) high revs on hills, Cons: 8 mpg (that's 20% less than with OD on), constant high rpms from the motor gets a bit obnoxious on a long trip.

The conclusion, with a 3,000 lb travel trailer, I would rather go with OD on. I can't really use cruise in my hilly part of the country, but with OD I get much better gas mileage and it's a more comfortable ride with the engine not winding out so much of the trip. I will say, though, that with a larger/heavier trailer I may feel differently.