questions about my "sluggish" 79
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Joined: Jan 2002
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From: Dallas Tx
questions about my "sluggish" 79
I have a 79 l82 with straight pipes to 2 borla mufflers..with an edelbrock intake manifold. When i first put it in gear there is a moment it is not engaged..then it clicks hard into gear. It does this worst of all in rev. When i am cruising and give it some gas there is nothing there either..i can hear and feel the engine go faster but the car doesnt move too quick. It seems as if 1st gear is the only gear with power, but when first applying sudden throttle the rear end "knocks" and when letting off it does the same thing. I think these problems might be related. I also have a 3spd auto. Is this factory? thanks for the advice in advance.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 852
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From: Katy TX
Re: questions about my "sluggish" 79 (bryant080)
My '79 takes a second to engage in reverse also. As for the car not moving fast when you punch it it may be a worn trans or it could be that a prior owner installed a higher stall converter. Try gettig your revs up before punching it and see if that makes a difference. I have also put a B&M shift kit in my rebuilt tranny and it made for much crisper shifts. My engine is not stock though.
As for the rear end you should not be hearing any knocks. It could be u-joints, bearings or the gears themselves are worn. Do you know of any prior work on the rear end?
As for the rear end you should not be hearing any knocks. It could be u-joints, bearings or the gears themselves are worn. Do you know of any prior work on the rear end?
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 2,280
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From: colorado springs CO
Re: questions about my "sluggish" 79 (PatG)
sounds to me like worn u joitns and/or mounts..
check your :::::::::::
engine mounts
tranny mount
diff mount
driveshaft joitns
halfshaft joints.
differential carrier locators...
that should do yah!
check your :::::::::::
engine mounts
tranny mount
diff mount
driveshaft joitns
halfshaft joints.
differential carrier locators...
that should do yah!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 5,768
Likes: 3
From: San Diego CA
Re: questions about my "sluggish" 79 (bryant080)
When i first put it in gear there is a moment it is not engaged..then it clicks hard into gear. It does this worst of all in rev. When i am cruising and give it some gas there is nothing there either..i can hear and feel the engine go faster but the car doesnt move too quick. ...........I think these problems might be related. I also have a 3spd auto. Is this factory? thanks for the advice in advance.
Clunking sounds in or around the rear end are probably u-joints as has been said, u-joints however will not cause the delayed trans engagement.
Check your fluid immediately.......
If the fluid is fine then consider a fluid change with a new filter to see if there is any change. beyond that you would probably have to have someone get inside the tranny.
Your car should have the th350 trans which is a 3 speed automatic.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 12,399
Likes: 247
From: San Jose CA
Re: questions about my "sluggish" 79 (bryant080)
My '78 used to do that, but when I put more fluid in, the fluid was all smoked off. Very, very bad, and quite a lot of smoke. (The car left a cloud of smoke that made conditions nearly non-visible). So, I took it to the shop and it turned out to be a bad vacuum modulator valve on the transmission. I never really had problems with forward gears, though, just reverse.
-Steve
-Steve
Racer
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 370
Likes: 0
From: Timmins ON
Re: questions about my "sluggish" 79 (fauxrs)
Check the fluid level in the transmission immediately, I have seen occasions where low fluid level will cause the transmission to wait before engaging into gear. your second problem, if i understand correctly is you give it gas and the engine rpms go up but the car does not really accellerate well. This sounds like a slipping transmission which could also be caused by low fluid level.
Check your fluid immediately.......
Check your fluid immediately.......
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 2,043
Likes: 1
From: Elkhorn WI
Re: questions about my "sluggish" 79 (Pacin'California)
My '78 used to do that, but when I put more fluid in, the fluid was all smoked off. Very, very bad, and quite a lot of smoke. (The car left a cloud of smoke that made conditions nearly non-visible). So, I took it to the shop and it turned out to be a bad vacuum modulator valve on the transmission. I never really had problems with forward gears, though, just reverse.
-Steve
-Steve
no...not a normal bolt....i mean a bolt coming from the outside and into it like spear.... :rolleyes: I could only guess how that got shot up in there....
but I was going through tranny fluid like a fish through water !!!! blowing it out the exhaust as is common with a modulator gone bad...
:D
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Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 55
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From: Dallas Tx
Re: questions about my "sluggish" 79 (bryant080)
The fluid is fine. However, it does have a small leak somewhere. And even when the RPM's are high and i give it gas it still doesnt go any better. It seems as like it will pull then put put then go hard then put put and so on. Thanks for all the advise i'll check out that stuff.
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