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  #1  
Old 10-22-2015, 04:57 PM
gunshow gunshow is offline
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Default 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

I was driving at about 60 MPH and turned off the engine (I do this sometimes for fuel economy) as I coasted to my turn. Of course, I turned the ignition to the on position so that the electronics would still work and the steering wheel would not lock.

Once through my turn, I popped the clutch in 3rd gear going about 25 MPH. The truck sputtered and cut out. The oil pressure gauge dropped to zero. I tried to turn the truck over multiple times and at first it wouldn't start. It would crank, but not start. My guess is that maybe I was going to fast to pop start it in 3rd gear, but I'm not totally sure how that would affect oil pressure.

I waited a bit and tried again. This time it started but had very little oil pressure (which eventually dropped to zero again) and cut out. I had my wife bring the Jeep and we towed it home. I let the truck sit for a while and got the OBDII sensor out.

The CEL was not on when I turned the truck on so I thought I would try to start it to see if it would throw a code in the short time that it ran. The truck started up without any issues and idled beautifully. I drove it around for a bit and got it up to about 65 MPH with no issues.

Any idea what happened? Should I just not pop start it anymore?

Thanks for the help.
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  #2  
Old 10-22-2015, 05:20 PM
Jason35 Jason35 is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Not sure what would have happened but it is never a good idea to shut the vehicle off while driving so just leaving the vehicle running while you driving is probably the safest bet. I believe it is illegal to shut off your vehicle while driving and also illegal to coast in neutral in most places. For good reason too, when your vehicle is shut off you lose power steering and power breaks, so if something unexpected happens you will have a hard time turning or stopping. The amount of gasoline saved will be negligible also, you will notice no difference. However as I said I'm not sure why bomb starting it would cause any of the problems mentioned, should do the same as the starter really.

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Quote:
Originally Posted by gunshow View Post
I was driving at about 60 MPH and turned off the engine (I do this sometimes for fuel economy) as I coasted to my turn. Of course, I turned the ignition to the on position so that the electronics would still work and the steering wheel would not lock.
Tennessee law

Title 55 Motor and Other Vehicles
Chapter 8 Operation of Vehicles -- Rules of the Road
Part 1 Operation of Vehicles -- Rules of the Road

Tenn. Code Ann. § 55-8-167 (2015)

55-8-167. Coasting prohibited -- Penalties.

(a) The driver of any motor vehicle, when traveling upon a down grade, shall not coast with the gears of the vehicle in neutral.

(b) The driver of a commercial motor vehicle, when traveling upon a down grade, shall not coast with the clutch disengaged.

(c) A violation of this section is a Class C misdemeanor.
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  #3  
Old 10-22-2015, 05:23 PM
gunshow gunshow is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Yeah, man, thanks for the rule book, but that doesn't help me with the question.
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  #4  
Old 10-22-2015, 05:28 PM
Jason35 Jason35 is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Quote:
Originally Posted by gunshow View Post

Any idea what happened? Should I just not pop start it anymore?

Thanks for the help.
Quote:
Originally Posted by gunshow View Post
Yeah, man, thanks for the rule book, but that doesn't help me with the question.
Yes, you should just not pop start it anymore, except if absolutely necessary. Does that help with the question?

And as for the other part when starting a vehicle depending on the brand-name of the oil filter (genuine or not) the engine can run without oil for a few seconds. This is normal for the no-name oil filters and causes engine wear, another reason only to shut the engine off when you need to.
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1994 Ford Ranger Splash. 4.0L, 4x4, 5 speed.Tracked MPG's - Totalled

1995 Ford Ranger XLT extended cab. 4.0L, 4x4, 5 speed. 2" suspension lift, 3" body lift. 33x12.50r15 bfg rubber on american racing wheels. Tracked MPG's
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  #5  
Old 10-22-2015, 05:48 PM
LilRanger93 LilRanger93 is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Why would turn the motor off instead of just putting it in neutral and coasting?

Do not turn off the motor while driving and pop start it ever again unless you want a new motor. Hopefully you didn't cause any permanent damage to your motor.
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Originally Posted by stateranger View Post
If want real power you need to Plasti-Dip the entire engine including the valves and bearings, that's good for up to 150 horsepower.
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  #6  
Old 10-22-2015, 05:51 PM
gunshow gunshow is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Thanks for the advice, I guess. I do that cause I decided that I wanted to. I also hope that didn't cause any damage to the engine. Speaking of the real issue, do you have an idea of what the potential damage is?
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  #7  
Old 10-22-2015, 06:04 PM
Jason35 Jason35 is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Quote:
Originally Posted by gunshow View Post
Thanks for the advice, I guess. I do that cause I decided that I wanted to. I also hope that didn't cause any damage to the engine. Speaking of the real issue, do you have an idea of what the potential damage is?
As far as I know pop starting should not have many adverse effect on the engine other than quicker wear but I could be wrong.
It does however place quite a shock on the driveline, transmission and clutch. Rangers are built pretty tough i these areas but could still happen although I have never heard of it. Heard of lots of cars that blew a clutch, transmission, or axle shafts though so there must be substantial wear. given however this usually occurs popping the clutch at a speed to high for the gear you are in, and from the speeds you said you were right on that line but I don't think over it. That lack of oil pressure still seem strange to me and could (I'm guessing here) be an unrelated problem brought to attention by the pop starting.
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1995 Ford Ranger XLT extended cab. 4.0L, 4x4, 5 speed. 2" suspension lift, 3" body lift. 33x12.50r15 bfg rubber on american racing wheels. Tracked MPG's
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  #8  
Old 10-22-2015, 06:58 PM
LilRanger93 LilRanger93 is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Turning the motor off at that speed and causing the oil pressure to drop to zero abruptly like that isn't good. Look at this way, you are running at full speed and all of sudden you come to a complete stop without slowing down and you hold your breath to stop breathing. How much trauma would you cause to your body; your legs, knees, heart and lungs?

You want to save gas? Coast in neutral.
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93 Ranger XL 3.0 V6
-Tint, wheels, K&N filter, Flowmaster super 44.
04 Mustang GT Vert.
-Tons of mods, supercharged 392/393
Quote:
Originally Posted by stateranger View Post
If want real power you need to Plasti-Dip the entire engine including the valves and bearings, that's good for up to 150 horsepower.

Last edited by LilRanger93; 10-22-2015 at 07:03 PM.
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  #9  
Old 10-24-2015, 04:10 PM
gunshow gunshow is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Quote:
Originally Posted by LilRanger93 View Post
Turning the motor off at that speed and causing the oil pressure to drop to zero abruptly like that isn't good. Look at this way, you are running at full speed and all of sudden you come to a complete stop without slowing down and you hold your breath to stop breathing. How much trauma would you cause to your body; your legs, knees, heart and lungs?

You want to save gas? Coast in neutral.
I'm not sure that you understand the mechanics of what I have been doing. I have a manual transmission so I take the vehicle out of gear and into neutral. At that point, regardless of speed, the engine is idling. It is no different than pulling into your driveway and stopping the car before you shut down the engine. As it turns out, the oil pressure was only an indication of a different problem. I was not getting enough fuel to the engine.

----------

For those that replied with an answer to the mechanical issue, thank you for your responses.

As it turns out, my issue had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that I was pop starting my truck (Jason35 you had that right). My fuel pump was going bad which fully explains all of the symptoms I observed. The truck wouldn't start hot and only started up again once it cooled down. The reason for the low oil pressure was because the engine wasn't getting enough fuel to run. I misdiagnosed this the first time because I thought it had to do with the fact that I had pop started it.

Put a new fuel pump in it today and it is working wonderfully again
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  #10  
Old 10-25-2015, 12:07 AM
LilRanger93 LilRanger93 is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

I'm surprised you got up to 60 mph with a bad fuel pump. Most of the time it cuts out at about 35 mph because the pump is maxed out and can't send any more pressure.

You should change the fuel filter as well to avoid any future issues with that.
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93 Ranger XL 3.0 V6
-Tint, wheels, K&N filter, Flowmaster super 44.
04 Mustang GT Vert.
-Tons of mods, supercharged 392/393
Quote:
Originally Posted by stateranger View Post
If want real power you need to Plasti-Dip the entire engine including the valves and bearings, that's good for up to 150 horsepower.
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  #11  
Old 10-25-2015, 07:37 AM
gunshow gunshow is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

OK, thanks for the tip.
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  #12  
Old 10-25-2015, 09:25 AM
JCooperpcola JCooperpcola is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Wow....
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  #13  
Old 10-25-2015, 10:14 AM
stateranger stateranger is offline
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Default Re: 2003 No oil pressure/hard idle/cuts out

Don't pop start the engine going that slow in 3rd because the rpm is going from 0-1500 in about a second while the engine is lugged down and has no oil pressure which is very hard on main bearings. If you are going to pop start it do it in 1st or 2nd. Better yet avoid it all together.
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