Possible diff/tailshaft problems

[RONA]

Ok so yesterday on the way home from the shops came around a corner that after the recent rain has copped some really bad potholes (i didn't know this till i rounded the corner). Anyway came around the corner at about 20kmph in second and its a 70 zone so i accelerate pretty hard to get up to speed.

Coming round the corner the car got some really bad axle tramp (not abnormal for the car). Anyway drove it home and noticed that the car didn't like to exceed 4 thousand rpm thought maybe the oils low. Got home let the car cool down oil was low topped it up etc.

Anyway took the car out for a drive, now it'll free rev fine past 4krpm and will do it fine in first and second gear. But now you get to about 100kmph in third (4krpm) and the car literally stops accelerating. Change to 4th and you can get to about 110kmph before the same problem happens but at about 3.2rpm.

Had a look underneath at the station to day and the diff isn't leaking (which it has done in the past) so i think there may be a problem with the tailshaft as there seemed to be a bit more vibration thru the wheel then normal.

My next door neighbour is a mechanic (and has performed the mantainence on the car) so i'll see him to check it out this weekend but is there anything i can check to see if anything obvious is wrong.

Oh and thanks in advance for anyones help Maybe its time to buy me a new car was gonna put it off lets see.

[river]

Hi,

So you have two issues? One with the vibration in the tailshaft and the other where the engine is not revving beyond 4k in the higher gears?

For the second issue, it sounds like one poor old tired-arse engine that hasn't the guts to rev properly in higher gears. I think you need a Bourke engine.

Your tailshaft problem... well you've probably done some damage there sunshine. Shame on you for trying to accelerate hard, in the wet, around a corner, and with potholes on the road, and on such an old car. Old cars are like old men... we don't like being pushed to our limits - no matter how limited these limits are.

seeyuzz
river

[RONA]

River the road was not wet but the damage done to the road was a result of the recent rain. I think it is one problem not too as the engine up until the axle tramp incident would easily rev out in higher gears as it did on the dyno day.

So could the possible tailshaft problem be stopping the engine from revving somehow. Or maybe the engine is suffering from being low on oil. I'll see what happens tonight when i drive it sometimes it just has little quirks that disappear like it's oil consumption rate, sometimes it'll chew it down like anything then others i won't have to top it up for a couple of months.

[Dale]

I'm with river, it sounds like your engine is simply running out of puff.
Is the air filter or something clogged? Dirty injectors? Weak spark?
If it was diff or tailshaft you'd probably really know about it from horrible noises, plus I can't exactly see how it would stop the car accelerating...

[RONA]

Air filter clogged maybe (i have been going to oran park a lot and its dusty as hell) last time I checked it it seemed ok.

Injectors other than woeful fuel economy nothing to suggest they would be clogged i always run BP ultimate or equivalent 98 ron fuel as well as some nulon injector cleaner about 3 times a year.

Spark plugs probably done about 5000kms if that.

The other thing that leads me to believe its not the engine is that up until before the incident it'd pull fine in those gears you could wind out 5th if you wanted to overtake. In terms of the engine unless something was knocked lose or maybe some oil thrown somewhere it's not supposed to be i doubt it's the problem. I'll check the plugs tonight and make sure none are lose etc.

[bbaacchhyy]

Tailsaft won't stop an engine revving, unless it is REALLY stuffed, and then you'd notice something.

I think that you may have 2 issues as River noted. How low on oil was the engine ? How long was it like that ?

Might have to do some more diagnosis like compression test etc. Might even be a dodgy fuel fliter, fuel pump etc

Hopefully nothing too serious

Cheers

Michael B

[RONA]

Oil was just below the low mark on the stick, it had been checked about last week and was a touch below full since then i have driven maybe 350-400km and it used about a 1-1.5L to top it up sump volume is like 4.8L.

I'm hoping its not anything major, and it's the first time the car has had anything wrong with it. The only notable difference other than oil is that when i put fuel in before a drive about a week ago i put normal caltex Vortex in ie 95 ron fuel instead of 98 ron BP Ultimate. It has been fine since then revving out fine when entering a 100kmph zones etc.

[bbaacchhyy]

Yikes, that a lot of oil for 400km.

Typically a rebuild limit (that I have seen in the past) is 1 litre per 1000km.

Could it be that you have somehow broekn a ring or similar and lost compression hence power and then using heaps of oil ?

Do a compression check and see.

Cheers

Michael B

[Joorsh]

How does it rev in neutral?
if it still won't rev in neutral, you can eliminate the diff/tailshaft as a problem :-P

[RONA]

Yikes, that a lot of oil for 400km.

Typically a rebuild limit (that I have seen in the past) is 1 litre per 1000km.

Could it be that you have somehow broekn a ring or similar and lost compression hence power and then using heaps of oil ?

Do a compression check and see.

Cheers

Michael B

Joorsh it'll free rev fine past 4krpm and i posted that. Anyway on the way home from the station today it seemed to be a little better, i am gonna put some fuel in on the way to uni then give it a quick blat down the freeway on the way home. Is there any chance that being fairly low on fuel and oil that the axle tramp has sent some shit into the engine causing to run poor until it passes thru.

As for the oil consumption baachy well it was still using not quite that much but similar when i had it dyno'd in July and got a nice 13.0-13.2:1 AFR till about 3krpm then went down to about 12.5:1. Produced 63.2rwkw which is bang on the factory figure (maybe a touch more).

I think the valve stem seals are rooted and i know the oil is being burnt. Generally the car will burn oil above 3krpm until its up to full temp (about 20 mins). Anyone thats followed the car on a cruise would know this. Coming threw Albion park at easter it wasn't so nice but then up in the hills revving out it was clean as and maybe a puff or two coming out of slow second hand corners.

Anyway thanks for the help guys, will see what happens on the way home tonight but it might just of taken a while to get the oil circulating again, it seemed a lot better on the way home heres for hoping.

[Draven]

that's normal oil consumption for a 22r-e engine.... as josh always used to say, with my old celica I could just save time by mixing my oil into the petrol tank, I went through it that fast. No revving issues tho!

[RONA]

Yep its been using oil like that in the 2 and a bit years i've had it keep it topped up though and it's sweet. Took it for a run on the way home from uni and it seems to be revving out fine. I'll keep a even closer eye on the oil and just nurse it round for couple weeks with an occasion blat to see if the problem arises again.

Thanks for the help guys i appreciate i'll probably look at getting it serviced in two weeks when i have my exams and i don't need the car for a couple of days. Give it a freshen up and just get my neighbour to check a few things just to be sure.

[4DaDrift]

Edited post!

[RONA]

It'll rev to 5krpm rpm fine no point after though.

[Dale]

20 mins to warm up seems horribly wrong! Check your thermostat.
The theory about crap in the fuel wouldn't add up, the crap would have been left at the filter.