1996 Acura 3.5RL , how to tell if transmission stil goes into "overdrive".

Hi:

I have a 1996 Acrua 3.5 RL. I has 98,000 miles on it. THe car is in pretty good mechanical shape overall except I do not know if its automatic transmission goes into "overdrive" any more. I can tell clearly when transmission shifts from 1->2, and from 2->3, and from

3->4, but after that it seems there should be a further "overdrive" shift down. I note only a very slight shift down. On level highway going at a steady speed the RPMs show 2500 RPM at steady 75 MPH. SHould it not be lower? I can't recall from earlier years how this was, have owned this car since 1998.

George

Reply to
Gautam Thaker
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Gautam Thaker wrote in news:r_qdncx_dbvHwF3fRVn- snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Isn't there an "OD off" button?

Reply to
TeGGeR®
2500rpm for 3.5L @ 75mph should be right.

Reply to
Nightdude

The RL has a 4 speed transmission

Reply to
ESmith

So, if I can "see" (on tach) the shifts and feel them, (1->2, 2->3,

3->4), is that all it should do? Sounds like you are telling me that that should be about it.

Either way, thanks for the comment.

George

Reply to
Gautam Thaker

No, as far as I can tell (and I have been driving this car for 8 years), there is no "OD off" button.

George

Reply to
Gautam Thaker

I was in a honda odyssey minivan yesterday. It has the same size engine, a 3.5litre V6. It 75 MPH it is doing a low 2100 RPM or so, perhaps even 2000. ANd, at top end of accelerating it clearly does a nice slowing down of engine as it seem to go into its last year or the overdrive. I know, the minivan and 3.5RL are diff cars but with same size engines i expected 3.5RL to have if anything lower RPMs for the same miles/hour when going steady on a flat road.

If someone otu there has a 3.5RL it would be nice if they can see what is their RPM when cruising on flat road at 75 MPH.

thanks for comments people.

George

Reply to
Gautam Thaker

Gautam Thaker wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@comcast.com:

Then 2,500rpm at 75mph IS overdrive. My Integra's 5-speed manual does

4,000rpm at 85mph.
Reply to
TeGGeR®

What comes after the 3-4 shift, and feels like another gear, is not really a gear shift, but the torque converter locking up. The torque converter in an automatic transmission is the equivalent of a clutch in a manual transmission. In 1st and 2nd gears it always slips, which is why you can hold you brake pedal at a traffic light while the car is in gear. In 3rd and

4th gears on most 4-speed automatics, the torque converter will lock up while cruising to save fuel and reduce heat. Locking up of the torque converter feels like a gear shift, only the change in RPM is very small - 200-300 rpm at most. When the transmissi> > The RL has a 4 speed transmission
Reply to
Filipp Stepanov

A minivan has a different final drive than a sport luxury sedan. That would account in the RPM difference.

Reply to
Nightdude

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