# What to do with overdrive in 1952 mercury **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** mercury\ **Created:** [July 23, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-to-do-with-overdrive-in-1952-mercury/33865 "2009-07-23T18:37:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![tlarson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/aeb1de/32.png) [@tlarson](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tlarson)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 6:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-to-do-with-overdrive-in-1952-mercury/33865/1 "2009-07-23T18:37:05Z")
I have a 1952 mercury and I am curious if when I’m going to stop or slow down if I need to take it out of overdrive before doing so. The overdrive relay does not work in this car so I rigged up a switch that I can use to turn the overdrive on after reaching about 30 mph. I do turn it off before stopping or slowing down. Am I doing anything wrong? ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2009, 9:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-to-do-with-overdrive-in-1952-mercury/33865/2 "2009-07-23T21:49:21Z")
No. That should work fine. ---
**Author:** ![Triedaq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/65b543/32.png) [@Triedaq](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Triedaq)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 3:07am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-to-do-with-overdrive-in-1952-mercury/33865/3 "2009-07-24T03:07:44Z")
I think some English sports cars had a switch to energize or de-energize the overdrive. You are doing the same thing. BTW, I always liked the Borg-Warner overdrive unit that is on your car. For a car that did lots of highway travel, it really extended engine life particularly for long stroke six cylinder engines. ---
**Author:** ![EllyEllis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f14d63/32.png) [@EllyEllis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/EllyEllis)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 1:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-to-do-with-overdrive-in-1952-mercury/33865/4 "2009-07-24T13:32:56Z")
I think you will be alright, however it will probably stay in overdrive even after you stop. It might make starting off a little less powerful. ---
**Author:** ![Caddyman](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/caddyman/32/23_2.png) [@Caddyman](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Caddyman)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/what-to-do-with-overdrive-in-1952-mercury/33865/5 "2009-07-24T15:02:06Z")
Many of the old flat-head hot rodders mounted a switch on the shift lever and created a 6-speed that way…But the overdrive unit did not like being used in first gear especially behind a souped up engine…Today, they are rare and expensive …