clean85owner

Not all of the time, but at the top of 4th gear, I can hear a grinding/whining noise and the faint smell of clutch usually follows. Also, engine power falls off. BTW, when I say "top of fourth gear", I mean between 6.5-7k.

Obviously, I stop shortly after hearing the sound, but I have run it up a couple of times to try to decipher just what the hell it could be. I've also noticed, and have been told, that there is quite a bit of smoke coming from the back of the car. My friend said, "I've never smelled that from a car before, and it smells like ***."

My clutch doesn't slip, and I don't have too many problems with my transmission. I just have the typical annoyance of reverse being trouble. Throwing it into first and then reverse usually takes care of it, though. I have noticed that with the colder weather coming in, the tranny takes a little more work, but I just blamed that on things tightening up in the cold.

If any of you guys have any suggestions, I'd appreciate it.

My car is an '85 GS with a GSL rear end and a streetported S5 N/A with aux ports removed. Mikuni 44PPH and a RB header presilencer are pretty much it. I'm not sure of the clutch that is in the car because we pulled the motor/clutch/flywheel out of a wrecked S5 racecar and dropped it straight into my car.

GavinJuice

Why do you say your clutch doesn't slip? From what you say it sounds like thats the problem. 4th gear is a 1:1 ratio, so jamming on it in 4th and smelling a faint burning (very distinctive smell) is usually a clutch slipping. Does it do it in any other gears?

And your reverse issue is normal, none of our gear boxes have synchros for reverse. Throwing it in 1st just lines things up before you stick it in reverse. Everyone should get in the habit of doing that. Oh and a synthetic gear oil will help liven up those synchros and quiet down any grinding between shifts. It's also great when it gets cold out, no waiting for things to warm up inside before you can shift

clean85owner

For example: Today I was travelling up a rather steep bridge at ~65mph in 5th gear. I stand on the throttle, and the car accelerates normally. No wandering rpms or anything. It doesn't do it any other time than while at 100% throttle at 6.5-7k in fourth gear. I'm not talking about "stabbing the throttle" in fourth, either. I mean, I slam the gas as 20mph in first, drive all the way through first, second, third, and most of fourth without a problem, and then the noise/smoke comes into play.

Also, when my old clutch on my old motor used to slip, it never made a grinding/whining noise. The rpms just rose as the car barely accelerated.

Thanks for the reply.

rolfs_7

do ur rpms wonder when it starts doing this?

GavinJuice

i stand by the clutch, but the smoke has got me. i wouldn't think a clutch to visiably smoke so bad where someone can notice it.

clean85owner

My rpms don't "wander", they just stay right were they are whenever the problem starts.

Say the noise/smoke starts at 6.5k. The motor will stay at 6.5k, but the car will kind of surging, but it will stay right at 6.5k. I will say, though, that I haven't kept it there long enough to watch it closely. I watch the rpms stopping and the noise/grinding begins. I let it go for maybe a second or two before I get out of it.

If I can find a baterry charger, some tape, and my cable to connect my video camera to my computer, I will try to video tape it.

trochoid

iTrader: (6)

If the smell is really acrid, sickening, and the rpms stop climbing, it's the clutch.

Kentetsu

Check your timing and replace the fuel filter if it hasn't been done lately...

clean85owner

The fuel filter was just replaced, but I do need to double check the timing.

I recreated the situation again tonight, but this time I lifted the shift boot to listen. It clearly sounds like grinding metal. Could it be lack of lube in the tranny?

I didn't check for smoke tonight because there were no lights behind me to see clearly.