When I am staging and don't want to go from first or second gear, should i
start in overdrive or drive? Someone told me to start in overdrive. Does
overdrive go through the same shift pattern that drive does?
Thanks
Greg
"87 Grand National
How quick is your car?
Regardless, you can put it in Drive and it will be fine. OD doesn't really affect anything until it shifts from 3rd to 4th at about 105MPH (usually just before the traps in a mid 12 car).
That can smoke the 4th gear clutches, since they are pretty wimpy.
Some people benefit by using OD before they get to the line and others don't. Generally, as Ken pointed out, 4th is somewhat weaker than 3rd unless "improved". I aware of one guy that has gotten into the 9.8 range going thru the lites in OD at 5600 and has been on the same tranny for at least three years. I reckon he must be the exception to the rule.
One thing you might take note of is the rpm that the car shifts at. I have seen some that made the 2-3 shift at quite a bit lower rpm than the 1-2 shift. In this case, it may be helpful to launch in 2nd and manually shift to 3rd at 5000 rpm. Need a tach to do this. Doing this may put you further down the track before the car gets into third and may enable you to keep it in third thru the lights.
An aside comment-the above assumes that your valve springs are in good condition so that the car will easily rev to the shift points.
That is my opinion fwiw.
I've heard, and experienced, that the tranmission has higher line pressures when manually shifted. Since I have the StageRight transbrake, I shift from first (brake) to second, and then to third. Never to OD. Trans shifts into OD before I reach the end of the 1/4 and slows me down.
Keith
'87TR
12.3 at 113