In a message dated 18/07/00 8:42:12 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
macmillan@home.com writes:
> Do you engage the OD when racing?
Yes - in 4th gear only.
I am only concerned with longevity for my daily drivers,
> not racing, and my experience as per my last post has proven Red Line
> assists me in accomplishing this.
>
I'm sure that it is excellent lubrication - I use it in my engines.
> No doubt slippage could occur if you really pushed it with the OD
> engaged, and certainly if you were constantly switching it on and off,
> but if your unidirectional clutch is functioning properly there can be
> no slippage of the friction material when the OD is disengaged.
I am very careful to back off the throttle when shifting - I do not have the
heavier springs of the V8 unit. The slippage occurs when the power is on full
- it just starts to slide. It does this with synthetic oil, which as I recall
(at least some of it) says do not use in ODs. They do not do this with
regular oils, even under racing conditions.
> So, daily drivers can benefit, racers do whatever works!
Maybe. You'd have to factor in your driving style, the power of your engine,
and the trade off between better lubrication and potential for slipping down
the road. Frankly, given the way most people drive, I agree that they will
probably never have a problem, not being given to such things as pulling an
emergency drag-to-the-finish-line shift at 7500 rpm, even gently (the engine
drops to about 6000 in the next gear with a close ratio).
I do have to wonder though, if you are moving what was a system without that
particular weakness a step toward having that particular foible, at least
potentially, and whether it is worth it. I have disassembled very high
mileage OD units from cars that were properly used, and had regular trans oil
changes (something people rarely do!), and they had stood up exceptionally
well. OTOH, the hamfisted can turn a new OD unit to scrap before the first
oil change is due, so........
Bill
Bill
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