When to Use Overdrive? (89 Camry)?

Question

I drive a 1989 Toyota Camry v6 4Speed Automatic,
I want to use the overdrive button to the benefit of my fuel efficiency (saving gas)
1) Do I leave it on Overdrive all the time?
2) What about driving in the city (stop and go traffic)?
3) When do I turn Overdrive off? (When I stop completely? or can i turn it off while the car is moving?)
4) When do I turn Overdrive on? (Do I wait till i hit the 40mph mark, and shift to overdrive from my D (3rd gear)? Or can i simply start w/ Overdrive at 0mph (acceleration is slow though)?

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

keep overdrive on.. pretty much all the time.
driving in the city leave it on.
you turn overdrive off when driving up large hills or pulling a trailer, or any time that thr car shifts in and out of 4th gear (called gear hunting). a few times then once back on level ground turn over drive back on.
You can hit the overdrive button anytime while driving.
You should start out with the cad in overdrive at 0mph and it will have no effect on acceleration
Also if you are going down a large hill you can take your car out of overdrive to help keep speeds at a legal limit and you wont need to ride the brakes as often

Answer 2

leave the car in overdrive all the time. putting the car in overdrive simply enables the transmission to shift into it's highest gear which in your case is 4th. when in highest gear the engine and transmission spin at the same speed saving you gas. if you take the vehicle out of overdrive, the transmission will not shift beyond 3rd gear. that is basically all the overdrive switch does.

the overdrive button can be pushed at any time, stopped or moving. if you are in 4th gear and the OD is tuned off, the car will simply downshift into 3rd. if you push it again, and the speed is high enough it will shift back into 4th.

the only time you would probably need to turn off the OD if when coming down a hill to save your brakes.

reasearch "engine braking" to learn how to do this.

Answer 3

you can leave it in overdrive all the time, being in the city doesn't matter any. It is made to keep the rpm's down which like u said increases gas milage. You can turn it on and off while moving at any time, it will only make the rpm's go up at higher speeds, maybe around 40 mph and above. It is fine to start in overdrive, the acceleration is slower because of the lower rpm's.

Answer 4

1) Use overdrive while cruising on the highway or freeway.
2) When driving in stop and go traffic turn it off.
3) You can turn off overdrive at any speed.
4) You can turn overdrive back on at any speed.

DO NOT use overdrive while towing (not that I would recommend towing with a car anyways)

Answer 5

89 Toyota Camry

Answer 6

http://repository.carsite.com/index.cfm?page=24&articleId=222
Take care and may God bless you.