New problem - Engine revs fine but doesn't drive well at all.

[Powerhouse]

ANY ideas?

After a stop...I put it in first and it didn't want to drive...sounded like it was chugging and had no power. Engine idles and revs fine...even at high rpms. I jacked up the rear end and put it on stands...reved it in all gears to high rpms...was fine. When tranny is engaged and on the ground...it runs like crap, hardly moving.

[Martin53Cranbrook]

my first thought would be clutch or possibly u-joints

[garbagestate 44]

Linkage out of whack maybe? I don't know if thats plausable or not but could you be hitting third instead of first?

[Niel Hoback]

clutch is slipping?

[Powerhouse]

thanks guys.

Some more info:

checked plugs/dizzy/timing - all seems fine. Mostly new.

I have a floor shift OD..so no linkage. also have new custom made modern driveshaft.

I will take the clutch inspection pan down next. That's all new within a year or so as well. What would make a clutch slip?

I did start hearing a high pitch squeel whenever I had it up to 50mph or so once I let of the throttle. I hardly ever go that fast since I take local roads to work.

I read that: " A growling or grinding noise when the clutch is engaged may be due to a bad transmission input shaft bearing." But this noise happens after I am up to speed in gear and I let off the gas pedal.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Powerhouse

[mossback44]

When I read your post I made the following two assumptions:

(1) You had the car out of gear or had the clutch pedal depressed when it idled and revved OK

(2) You had it in gear when it ran poorly on the road.

You said that it ran fine in all gears when up on stands. The fact that it runs OK when not under load, but poorly under load indicates that you have an engine performance problem, not a slipping clutch or other drive train problem. You seem to have ruled out most of the possible ignition problems and the sudden onset doesn't indicate a low compression problem, so my guess is that you have a fuel problem. Check to see if you have fuel flow and pressure. If not, it could be a faulty fuel pump, clogged fuel filter or clogged fuel line.

It could still be an ignition problem though. The spark may be adequate under no load, but too weak when under load.

Good luck finding the solution!

[MarkAubuchon]

if the clutch is slipping that much you would surely smell it

[james curl]

Is the overdrive engaged when the car is stationary, if so you would be trying to start off in low overdrive. I have the overdrive on my old pick up wired with a toggle switch through a relay and by pass the governor and it will go in overdrive in first if the solenoid is not disengaged when the car is stopped. It then is almost like starting in second gear from a stop.

Edited May 28, 2011 by james curl
spelling

[Powerhouse]

well...so far :

-no clutch burn smell.

-My OD is a non electric type...I have a lever attached right to the engage lever...no linkage or cables.

-I noticed the rpms on my tach go up to any rpm I want...but the car doesn't respond as it should.

-Still same problem occuring after a re-check of fuel pressure and ignition(HEI). I have no spare coil to test it with so that will have to wait til I can get to a store. I did replace the ignition module with anew one though...no difference.

-clutch seems fine & dry....as it always looks. disc sits tight against flywheel. no signs of wear(while installed anyway) and no smell of burned lining.

Just to clear up when it happened...I was driving home and just about there when the symptoms occurred. Was driving just fine before hand. Just seems to have happened out of the blue. I suspect gremlins.

----

I have commited to visiting a friends house this weekend and cannot back out...so I will have to wait till i get back to get something done about this...really annoying.

Any other pointers you all have to share...please do.

Thanks again for all your help so far.

Edited May 28, 2011 by Powerhouse

[White Spyder]

Check the for old rubber fuel line that may be restricting flow under load. How is the compression?

[Niel Hoback]

stuck rear brake?

[Shifticus]

I second checking the brakes. Jack the car up and try to spin the tires by hand; if one takes significantly more force to spin than the others, you've probably found your problem in that wheel's drum. If both rears take a lot of force, check your ebrake. I had a return spring break in one of my fronts; the brakes would drag and cause similar symptoms to what you describe.

One more thing: change both sides, or else one side will pull when you're stopping. Don't ask how I know.

Edited May 29, 2011 by Shifticus

[White Spyder]

ANY ideas?

I jacked up the rear end and put it on stands...reved it in all gears to high rpms...was fine. When tranny is engaged and on the ground...it runs like crap, hardly moving.

This is why I would not think brakes are the issue.

[busycoupe]

You said that you checked the distributed. Still, it might be worth it to check the points again. The point gap can slip out of adjustment quickly and cause the symptoms you describe. It is a simple thing to check, might be worth the time.

Dave

[Niel Hoback]

Plug gap too wide will do it too.

[JerseyHarold]

Exhaust restriction?

[james49ply]

Main fuel jet clogged? all it takes is a small peice of dirt to retrict the jet:confused:

[JIPJOBXX]

Exhaust restriction?

I had this problem on a mustang I owned and you could not tell by looking at the muffler as it looked perfect on the outside but it had collapsed on the internal parts and plugged up the muffler.

[TodFitch]

Exhaust restriction?

I had this problem on a mustang I owned and you could not tell by looking at the muffler as it looked perfect on the outside but it had collapsed on the internal parts and plugged up the muffler.

If I recall correctly, there is a check for this you can make using a vacuum gauge. So it would be an inexpensive thing to rule out.

[moose]

Engine idles and revs fine...even at high rpms. I jacked up the rear end and put it on stands...reved it in all gears to high rpms...was fine. When tranny is engaged and on the ground...it runs like crap, hardly moving.

Did you have anybody there with you to see if both wheels were turning? With both wheels off the ground, if one is stuck it'll turn the other twice as fast. Back on the ground it has to turn both, and would struggle with a locked up wheel.

I vote for locked brake.

[Niel Hoback]

Attach a vaccuum guage and hold the rpms at a steady 1200-1500 rpm. If the vaccuum drops slowly and stays low, check for a potato in the tailpipe. Don't ask.

[Merle Coggins]

ANY ideas?

After a stop...I put it in first and it didn't want to drive...sounded like it was chugging and had no power. Engine idles and revs fine...even at high rpms. I jacked up the rear end and put it on stands...reved it in all gears to high rpms...was fine. When tranny is engaged and on the ground...it runs like crap, hardly moving.

I'm confused. From your initial post it sounds like the engine lacks power to pull the car, but you say that it revs up just fine. If it lacks power it wouldn't rev up under load.

well...so far :

-no clutch burn smell.

-My OD is a non electric type...I have a lever attached right to the engage lever...no linkage or cables.

-I noticed the rpms on my tach go up to any rpm I want...but the car doesn't respond as it should.

-Still same problem occuring after a re-check of fuel pressure and ignition(HEI). I have no spare coil to test it with so that will have to wait til I can get to a store. I did replace the ignition module with anew one though...no difference.

-clutch seems fine & dry....as it always looks. disc sits tight against flywheel. no signs of wear(while installed anyway) and no smell of burned lining.

Just to clear up when it happened...I was driving home and just about there when the symptoms occurred. Was driving just fine before hand. Just seems to have happened out of the blue. I suspect gremlins.

From this post I understand that the engine WILL rev up but the vehicle won't move. This would indicate either a severely slipping clutch or some other disconnect in the drive train. I'm not familiar with the overdrive units but do I understand that there is some type of freewheeling clutch in there? Could there be a problem in the OD that wouldn't transfer power through under load but would allow some power transfer with the wheels in the air?

I'm seeing a lot of ideas thrown out that don't seem to match the symptoms described, but then again the symptoms described are a bit confusing.

Merle

[Powerhouse]

Ok...so far I have re-installed the stock fuel pump...taken out the feul pressure regulator I installed about a week ago. Replaced the fuel lines from pump to carbs.

I also took the carb tops off and checked for junk. Nothing really but a small piece of teflon tape in one of the primary the jets. Looked like it was in there for a while though. That must have been from a while back when I used the teflon tape by mistake on something in the fuel system.

Runs fine.

I jacked up the rear end again and ran it in all gears again. I noticed the pass side tire doesn't move as much in gear. I am guessing that is because of the way the rear end works. It turns by hand just fine though. If I starte it going lightly by hand while it is in gear it will keep moving with the driver side wheel.

I took it for a drive...it doesn't chug like before...but still seems a bit sluggish. But it may just be my being anxious.

Edited May 31, 2011 by Powerhouse

[Powerhouse]

Did you have anybody there with you to see if both wheels were turning? With both wheels off the ground, if one is stuck it'll turn the other twice as fast. Back on the ground it has to turn both, and would struggle with a locked up wheel.

I vote for locked brake.

drivers side wheel turns much faster,as a differential should I guess ...but brakes aren't locked up...I can turn it by hand easily.

Edited May 31, 2011 by Powerhouse

[Powerhouse]

So I just disconnected the electric pump all together, and took off the fuel filter I had before the electric pump...the fuel didn't poor out as I expected...I think maybe the filter was clogged somehow. Didn't look like it though.

I replaced the filter with my spare(metal can type instead of see thru plastic kind).

Took it for a drive and it seems fine. So far...we will see how it goes tomorrow to and from work.