Hey. I drive a 2001 Ranger xlt with auto and the 3.0 v6 and I only had it since last summer.
First question is that I have an "O/D off" switch on my gearshift. I noticed it increases my rpms up 1k more when the light reads "O/D Off" what is this really for and does it affect the gas mileage or hurt the engine after prolonged use?

Also a Midas mechanic pointed out that I have 4-5 Catalitic Converters in my exaust path. Can I live without all but one and still pass emitions? (Texas)

Thanks

 

Uh, your only going to hurt yourself by removing any cats.. Dont do it..

O/D is overdrive.. When you turn that off.. it drops your 5-speed, into 4th..Shouldnt hurt it, but why the hell do you wanna do it?




EDIT: and welcome to the site, i live about 10 minutes from you.

 

O/D is getting rid of your "cruising" gear. The only time you would want to turn of O/D is pulling a load, going up a steep grade, or into a very strong headwind. Basically, if your cruising on the highway and it keeps downshifting to 4th gear to mantain speed, this is when you want to shut off O/D...

 

Yes, the OD saves you gas, but if your tranny is "hunting" back and forth between 4th and 5th gears (like in the situations others cited) then turning off overdrive saves some wear and tear.

Also, if you are going to be wanting to do some sudden, high speed passing, then turning it off before you get to that point eliminates some lag in the downshift when you really hit the gas. At some speeds, your tranny will want to shift back to 3 to pass and to come down from 5 to 3 takes more time than from 4 to 3 -- or so it seems to me. I use it that way sometimes.

The CAT's have been strung out like that for efficiency. It allows lower emissions with less restriction by stringing the catalyst out over a longer distance. The earlier smaller cats also pre-heat the exhaust gas (the catalytic reaction releases heat) making the big cat even more efficient.

It's not worth it to mess with it and it's always possible that emission standards will get tighter and then you'll really be up the creek.

 

Thanks for all the info guys, it is really appreciated. I am a bit of a dunce with auto mechanics but Im willing to learn. This truck is my first "real" vehicle, save for my last Hyundai Accent and Dodge Shadow which are dead, gone, and forgotten. I'm hoping for a long love affair with this truck.

ps Leo: your truck is awsome, love the taurus-style emblem in the grille.

 

Thanks.. Your welcome..

dont want to mess with the cats, some places in Tx are **** about this.. Especially in our area..