Verada

[Canalien]

Well, my trusty 1978 Datsun Stanza that had served me for so long (got sideswiped by a Crane truck and kept running!) finally kicked the bucket. I was driving out to uni and heard *CLUNK* and looked in the rearview mirror to see a little metal piece hit the side of the road... and what do you know all of a sudden I had no more 3rd gear...
so to cut a long story short, i nnow have a new car

It's a '92 mitsubishi verada... i've never had an automatic car before... so some questions...

What the fuck is Overdrive?
Also, what's with the switch that lets me select transmission modes... i can have Power and Normal, what's the difference?

***
And now for anyone mechanically minded, the bonus 64,000 dollar question... before I bought it, the guy put a new Idle Control Switch (?) and internal computer in... but it still idles kinda rough, seems to surge and stuff a bit. Any ideas?

[That_Bloke]

Originally posted by Canalien


What the fuck is Overdrive?


It's what 5th gear does in non-sporty cars, you only use is on the open road, you don't gain any speed but it takes some load off the engine & you can just cruise along & not use as much fuel.

[royale]

Originally posted by Canalien
And now for anyone mechanically minded, the bonus 64,000 dollar question... before I bought it, the guy put a new Idle Control Switch (?) and internal computer in... but it still idles kinda rough, seems to surge and stuff a bit. Any ideas?


First step is to put a couple of loads (one per tank) of injector cleaner through it.

Second step would be to replace the sparkies.

If neither of these work let us know.

[Conny!]

Originally posted by Canalien


It's a '92 mitsubishi verada... i've never had an automatic car before... so some questions...

What the fuck is Overdrive?
Also, what's with the switch that lets me select transmission modes... i can have Power and Normal, what's the difference?

***
And now for anyone mechanically minded, the bonus 64,000 dollar question... before I bought it, the guy put a new Idle Control Switch (?) and internal computer in... but it still idles kinda rough, seems to surge and stuff a bit. Any ideas?

Yeah, over drive is just an extra gear, thats about it.

Difference between power and economy i believe is that the car will rev higher through the power band in each gear before shifting when it in power mode. Means you use more fuel but can go faster.

Car running rough, new spark plugs, or get points checked, what Royale said. I have no idea what an idle control switch is, sounds kind of shifty.

[Canalien]

Injector cleaner... spark plugs... cool, i'll try that out.

Oh, here's another one... what's the difference between Econo and Air on the air conditioning switch?
Yo ucan have the vents blowing with the air-con switch set to 'Off', but then there's those other two options that make it cooler... what's the difference?

[Benwah]

Originally posted by Canalien
Injector cleaner... spark plugs... cool, i'll try that out.

Oh, here's another one... what's the difference between Econo and Air on the air conditioning switch?
Yo ucan have the vents blowing with the air-con switch set to 'Off', but then there's those other two options that make it cooler... what's the difference?

Econo = means the air compressor (that runs off the motor) that cools the air is working less meaning less power is being taken from the motor meaning better fuel economy but less power to the air conditioning so the air isn't as 'cool' as when the aircon is set to 'air'

erm, when the A/C switch is set to OFF the compressor that cools the air isn't taking any power off the motor and the air is just being pushed from the outside/around the cabin by ordinary fans, the air isn't being 'cooled' at all.

[damo]

Originally posted by Canalien
What the fuck is Overdrive?
Also, what's with the switch that lets me select transmission modes... i can have Power and Normal, what's the difference?



Is an extra gear, where the wheels spins faster than the engine, mainly for high speed freeway usage, you save a heap of petrol and money using this gear, I think if you press the overdrive button it will lock into overdrive, you'll have to turn it off if you want to start climbing hills or overtaking though.

[That_Bloke]

Originally posted by Benwah
Econo = means the air compressor (that runs off the motor) that cools the air is working less meaning less power is being taken from the motor meaning better fuel economy but less power to the air conditioning so the air isn't as 'cool' as when the aircon is set to 'air'


Even using an air conditioner at all will add to the fuel costs, that pump saps upto 2.5hp from the engine.

[flow]

Originally posted by Canalien
It's a '92 mitsubishi verada... i've never had an automatic car before... so some questions...

What the fuck is Overdrive?
Also, what's with the switch that lets me select transmission modes... i can have Power and Normal, what's the difference?

***
And now for anyone mechanically minded, the bonus 64,000 dollar question... before I bought it, the guy put a new Idle Control Switch (?) and internal computer in... but it still idles kinda rough, seems to surge and stuff a bit. Any ideas?

Right. Lets get this straight.

Overdrive is gearing is less than 1:1. Such that a normal ratio like 1:x.xx (eg 1:2.1) is for acceleration. 1 rev of the engine = 2.1 thru the drive train. Why? for torque.

So - you've made it off the line and are doing 100km/h. You're in 4th (1:1) - straight drive. Why don't you slip it into an "overdrive" gear (1:0.8) which uses less fuel when you don't need the torque.

Most newer autos include at least 4 speeds. 1 will be overdrive. Lock out overdrive by chucking it in 3rd. You'll get better response around town at the expense of fuel consuption.

If you want to get into this further I can bleat on about tiptronic transmissions etc... (got one - love it).

[Canalien]

Originally posted by Benwah

erm, when the A/C switch is set to OFF the compressor that cools the air isn't taking any power off the motor and the air is just being pushed from the outside/around the cabin by ordinary fans, the air isn't being 'cooled' at all.

heh, yeah i knew that one...
right, i got some of that valvoline fuel injector stuff. i've put one in and i'll do another when i fill up next time... i'll keep you posted.

so basically i can keep overdrive off unless i'm on the highway...

[flow]

Originally posted by Canalien
heh, yeah i knew that one...
right, i got some of that valvoline fuel injector stuff. i've put one in and i'll do another when i fill up next time... i'll keep you posted.

so basically i can keep overdrive off unless i'm on the highway...

Be careful of the additives. I used to work in an automotive place (unnamed) where I was warned by the rep that it's a preventative measure only. If you're engine is fucking itself, then its fucking itself.

If you're injectors are screwed - sort them out. Don't wait until they're fucked the rest of your engine. Ditto stuff like "stop leak", "stop smoke" - danger Will Robinson. Bad, bad, bad.