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Push starting a Mustang with a bad starter

HolubS

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Asking out of curiosity, since a coworker asked the question. If the starter on a manual equipped Mustang were to fail, would you be able to push start the car to get it running until the starter was replaced? I have no idea if the electronic controls would allow this to happen.

I have the A10, which I assume couldn't be push started in any case.
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Interceptor

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A10 unlikely
Manual maybe.
Easy way to find out. Find a hill
 
OP
OP
HolubS

HolubS

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David Schmidt

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Cool! Thanks for the rapid reply! Will need to try my A10 now!
No need to try that - you aren't going to bump-start any automatic. And of course there's no way I'm actually pushing this pigf*cker hard enough to bump-start on the flat. I have done that with a couple of other cars, but they were 4-bangers.
 

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MikeHTally

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There was a time when a Mustang with a slush box could be push-started.
 

Dfeeds

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No need to try that - you aren't going to bump-start any automatic. And of course there's no way I'm actually pushing this pigf*cker hard enough to bump-start on the flat. I have done that with a couple of other cars, but they were 4-bangers.
I had to push an old Saturn S down flat a 50 ft driveway that dipped down and came back up. It was horrendous and that car weighs at least 1000 lbs less than our "pigf*cker." I'll also take a pass on pushing it.

OP, if you have a stick, something you can do is kill the engine while moving down a hill, put it into the gear you'd normally be in, pop the clutch and watch it fire up. I used to do this in my late teens to scare my passengers.

it also saved my butt when an old car wouldn't stop revving. I put it in neutral and the engine speed skyrocketed. No rev limiter so I panicked, killed the engine, and just sat there wondering what the f**k while the car coasted down a hill. Then it refused to start. Just cranked and cranked... it was legitimately scary. Then I had an "ah ha" moment. Put it in third, popped the clutch, and we were back in business. I still have no idea why that happened, apart from a couple theories. It never happened again.
 

fatbillybob

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I do not think you can bump start a manual because isn't there a brake or clutch pedal lockout when you turn the key? It's a dumb safety feature. We used to have to remove the clutch switch on the vette racecars to bumpstart them.
 

David Young

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A long time ago I push started an automatic that my cousin had. I think it was a 1976 Roadrunner. I had to get him up to around 40 or 45 mph before it started :(
 

x_man586

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I have tried it in my ‘16 and it works. Here is my question. Is the engine turning over actually starting the engine or is the computer activating the starter just as if you pushed the button?
 

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Interceptor

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if the starter is non-operational then you basically have lost your engine rotator. Nothing more, nothing less.
When you push the car and engage the clutch, preferred 2nd gear, that becomes your engine rotator.
Once the engine rotates then compression fuel air and spark will begin the motor rotation from that point
 

CorvZ061

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as long as you don't have a completely dead battery, as in you can press the start button and get everything on when the car is rolling it'll start when you come out on the clutch. if the battery is totally flat it wont matter how much it's pushed the injectors will never fire, neither will the plugs.
 

Elp_jc

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I'm on the camp that it cannot be done, at least not like the old days, like with a short push and tranny in 2nd gear the engine would fire up when releasing the clutch, even with a completely dead battery. That was in the carburetor AND distributor days. Today, the Mustang has neither (everything controlled electronically by the ECU)... PLUS you need the freaking clutch all the way in to be able to turn ingition on. Without ignition on, you can't do squat on a modern car, even a manual.

The only question left to answer is if the engine can be bump-started when the battery was too weak to turn the starter over, but still have juice to power the car. Somebody already posted that question, so somebody needs to try that out, and post results :).
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