question about my 88 LX

Alright, Im gonna try to explain my problem and maybe it's just me or something. I have an 88 LX hatchback... i must have 4:10 gears I mean on the highway in 5th gear im at about 4 RPMS almost... anyway.. to me it seems as though the car is just whinding out when i take off from a stop or any time actually. I take off in first and my RPM's hit 5 RPMS in like a few seconds and i mean you feel it but now how i think you would expect to feel it, and all you mostyl hear is the fan motor and it sounds like the engine is just winding out and not going anywhere. I mean dont get me wrong it takes off pretty quick but i think it should take off a lot faster. It's not my clutch not grabbing or anything i have a new clutch. My car at 2 RPMS is first gear, 2nd, or even 3rd sounds like its at 5 RPMS any other car, all you hear is the fan and engine. sorry if you dont understand what i mean its really hard to explain. And also my entire car shakes even at 2 1/2 RPMS or more makes me get scared and let go of the gas. Any idea what this could be? Maybe my Possi is going but im pretty sure i've seen tred marks of both tires on the pavement from my car so i dont know. Just wanna know if anyone else has this same problem or has idea what it might be..if its anything at all. Maybe my gears are just to high for my car?

When you bought the car did you ask the guy what gears he had in the rear? It most likely is a steep rear gear, I have 3.73's and it'll rev high but it's tolerable, any steeper of a gear for an everyday driver (stick) would be very intolerable. If you use the car everyday then shoot for 3.55s, 3.73s.

sounds to me like a slipping clutch or trans... since you said clutch i'm assuming you have a 5spd. new clutch is all well and good, but if it's not installed correctly or the clutch cable is too tight, it'll slip. no way should your car be turning 4 grand at 70 mph unless you have a MASSIVE gear, way bigger than 4:10... i think at most with that gear you should see 2.5-3 grand at 70 in 5th gear. as for the vibration, the engine balance might be out of whack if it only happens at certain rpms (not certain speeds). that is a big huge problem, as if it's left untended the motor will literally shake itself apart and destroy itself.

sounds to me like a slipping clutch or trans... since you said clutch i'm assuming you have a 5spd. new clutch is all well and good, but if it's not installed correctly or the clutch cable is too tight, it'll slip. no way should your car be turning 4 grand at 70 mph unless you have a MASSIVE gear, way bigger than 4:10... i think at most with that gear you should see 2.5-3 grand at 70 in 5th gear. as for the vibration, the engine balance might be out of whack if it only happens at certain rpms (not certain speeds). that is a big huge problem, as if it's left untended the motor will literally shake itself apart and destroy itself.

I agree with this to have a gear that makes you car do what ya saying you have to have a gear that is just insane. I guess the first thing to do would be to find out exactly what gears are in the back by popping the diff cover off. Once you rule out you have something like 4.55+ gears you can move on.

I would next have to look at ya clutch cause new or not it sounds liek something is not right there. As fa as the vibration I would look to see that all the tranny bolts are in tight and none stripped along with the bellhousing bolts. Then I might think about engine balance.

Now you say it revs up quick and vibrates. Are you dumping the clutch and feeling wheel hop?

well to tell you the truth im not sure what wheel hop would feel like. But i was thinking that? maybe i have more power then i thought and i just need traction bars in the back? is that what your saying?

Anyone eles think maby just a bad fan clutch???
Just a thought.
I just have a fac. R/E in my 88 and i get through 1st pretty fast.

Now you say it revs up quick and vibrates. Are you dumping the clutch and feeling wheel hop?

Wheel hop wouldn't be at the same rpm in 1-3rd gear like he said. I like the idea of some saying the fan for the vibration. My 83 GT had the old metal fan and the blades were bent which would case the engine/car to shake at certain rpm's.

Try unbolting your fan and running the car without it. Just around the block or so and accelrate through the rpm band in 1-3rd. Stay out of traffic jams cause with no fan it will overheat. :evillol: