V8 Auto - Lack of power!!!!!!

I

Ianpaul

New Member
Hi. Can anyone help as I'm now despairing and seriously considering throwing in the towel, so to speak. I have a 1976 V8 Auto and it lacks power. The engine revs fine but it does'nt want to go. It's probably faster in reverse than going forward, and sometimes it just plain does'nt want to go forward. Its been in a garage on and off for months ( and I suspect ripped off) and it comes back Ok(ish) but then after a while the problems start all over again. I suspect (but not being a mechanic) that its either gearbox or converter(?) Would anyone have any ideas, suggestions or be able to recommend a garage (I'm West London, nr Heathrow) so that I can get it going again. It has the best part of a years MOT so I really would prefer it to be on the road than not. :cry: Help pleeeeaseee :(
 
Hi and welcome. Obvious places to look are carbs engine ignition or gearbox. There are a few forumites down your way so hopefully one of them will be able to help!
 
It sound more likely to be gearbox...but we'd need to know more about the symptoms. Does the engine rev madly when you try to go forward but you don't go very fast? Does the engine stall when you try to go forward? Does the load on the engine sound normal but the car moves forward slowly? Is there a misfire or simply a lack of general forward motion.

As Rich (rockdemon) says, there are P6 owners down your way who would probably be able to help.

I'm sure there's someone on the forum near Heathrow (apart from you that is :roll: )?

Dave
 
Normally when the converters fail then they won't rev up at a standstill either, and in addition to that a failed converter would affect REVERSE as well. I'd still be inclined to think it's an engine problem, but your saying that it's only forward drive that's affected sinks that theory for the same reason the converter is eliminated. (I assume that, from what you've said.)
Also you say it comes back from the garage better, but then over time reverts back to the problem which again points to engine tune, and away from the gearbox/converter. I can't think of any gearbox/converter problem that would do that, and if that were to be the case, what have the garage done to improve things while the car was there?
When you try to drive forwards do the revs rise without any movement, or does it try to move but the engine bog down?

As with all these things, they are fixable, but I'm going to need a lot more info to stand a chance of sorting it over the web. Ideally it needs roadtesting by someone who knows what they are looking for. How much more info can you give, or alternatively, how far are you prepared to travel?
 
DaveHerns said:
Is this too far away for Nick Dunning and Duncan ?
Click to expand...

If the owner is prepared to deliver it then it can be fixed anywhere. My mate has just done a ZF conversion at his garage in Essex for a customer in Cheshire, and he's done 35 boxes for people in the midlands, Scotland & Denmark. The world is a lot smaller place than it used to be.
 
Hi. Many thanks for the quick replies.
When trying to go forward it will rev up quite happily but either no movement or very slow. The engine doesn't stall and no misfires, load sounds normal. From no movement, if you go into P and then back to D it will sometimes go slowly but if you rev then it doesn't pick up speed. When in P it ticks over quite happily with no probs. The last time I tried to go forward there was a 'grating' sound for a few seconds. The garage that have had it have: put in new electric fuel pump (at rear), new points, condensor, coil, plugs, oil presure switch, changed oil, ballast resitor, fuel filter, contact set, carbs overhauled - needle/jet/ etc, flame trap, advance vacuum, air filters....balance carbs, set up engine timing... The oil pressure has dropped and this coincided with the loss of power, but there is oil pressure. The garage seems to try a 'new part' until it works and then its OK for a while - I got it through the MOT with no probs, put it in my garage and was away for a week, started it up today, drove down the drive from the garages (very narrow so no real speed) and when I got on the road it did'nt want to pick up speed, revs OK,. Pulled into the side, turned off engine, restated and put into D and nothing, turned off ahd a look under bonnet (not sure why as I knew the engine was still there), stated up fine, put into D and grating sound for a second and then slow forward. To get back I reversed into a drive and it seemed Ok, put into D and again didn't really want to move but it did move slowly but needed more revs than it should to keep it moving. Got home, and is now in garage. I'm happy to travel as far as need be to get it sorted.
Many thanks.
 
Ianpaul said:
When trying to go forward it will rev up quite happily but either no movement or very slow.
Click to expand...

Well that was a lot simpler than i thought it would be. It sounds like the front clutch has failed.

I can put you in touch with someone in Essex who can sort it.
 
There are 2 ways you could sort it,either have the box out and overhauled or replace the box with a known good one.
Either way you go,try and get a quote and be prepared to spend a few hundred £'s sorting it.
I had the same problem a few years ago and got the car the 2 miles home slowly in reverse! :roll:
That got a few funny looks!!! :LOL:
 
Pilkie said:
I had the same problem a few years ago and got the car the 2 miles home slowly in reverse! :roll:
That got a few funny looks!!! :LOL:
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I knew a bloke who bought one like it and drove it home the same way as you but it was 7 miles. I never knew if he went backwards on the correct side of the road against the flow of traffic, or with the flow of traffic, but with the car backwards.... :?
 
I haven't a clue what he did, other than buying it from where we worked, leaving it outside when we finished at six, and then spending the evening in the pub until closing time, which is when he did it.....

Mind you it was in the 70's, and you could get away with a lot of stuff back then...
 
Hi everyone.
many thanks for all the help. Simple question, but probably Harveyp6 will be able to explain/direct me/ give a straight answer. Being a mere none mechanic with only basic ability and only my standard size garage equipped with a set of axle stands and some car wheel ramps (plus a few tools), is it possible for one person (me) to take the gearbox out? The highest off the ground I could get it would be by putting it on stands, but would this give me sufficient room to manouver underneath and take it out? :roll: Help advice.......suggestions...... (I'm not sure that reversing round the M25 to Essex would go down too well with other road users......)
 
Dare I suggest joining the AA or RAC :mrgreen: Wait a few days and Bobs your uncle 8)

I'm not a million miles from you but have so much work on at the minute it'd be a push to help. Let me know if you get stuck.
My website is to the left :wink:
 
Ian,

I can thoroughly recommend Harvey's contact in Essex for any work on your autobox.

I recently had a complete overhaul of my Type 35 box carried out by them and am very happy indeed with the results. They even kept the old parts taken from the box and showed them to me for reassurance as I previously had a bad experience with an transmission company in Basildon who supposedly rebuilt the box in 1994.

I am not connected to the company, so this is a genuine customer recommendation based on a good job well done. These guys really do know their P6 onions!
 
Many thanks for the recommendation. If/when I can get the box out then thats where it will be heading. I must say, everyone has been amazingly helpful and Harvey especially so. :p
 
Ianpaul said:
Being a mere none mechanic with only basic ability and only my standard size garage equipped with a set of axle stands and some car wheel ramps (plus a few tools), is it possible for one person (me) to take the gearbox out?
Click to expand...

Most of the ones I removed I did with the front on ramps and the rear on stands, and if it had been necessary I would have done it in a single garage, or more likely in a lot of cases at the side of the road. The only thing I would say is that as you've been honest enough to say you're a novice, I'd advise starting with something a little easier than removing/refitting a P6 65 box. You won't lift it out by hand on your own, it will need to be dropped down on a trolley jack, as they need to be removed complete with the bellhousing and converter. Even then, once it's on the floor if the car is on ramps and stands then you'll need to remove the bellhousing and converter from the gearbox itself as it will be too tall to come out from under the car while those are still fitted.

One other note of caution. I'm confident of my diagnosis, but remember that it's based on the information you've given me, which to be fair is a touch sketchy. (No offence intended)
 
Hi Again
I did think that it might be a tad problematic and a very tight fit when I was looking at it last night (actually staring at it and praying for a miracle recovery or the ground opening up and providing me with a pit), but.....and I agree with you entirley, removing a 65 Box is not a good way to start ...but somehow I've got to get it sorted. I think my choices are to either find a way of taking it out (helllllllppppp) but I suspect a little too difficult as I can't get it high enough, or as suggested by some one, to get the AA to take the car to a place of my choice and then get them to take it out /refurb/ refit. Is the later something that your friend might do? or any suggestions ???
Regards
Ian
 
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