My Geo has issues accelerating. Too much gas = no power.

[Admiral1976]

This sucks.. I have to acceleterate slowly or the engines seems to run fast and does not give power to the wheels.. I have to ease off the gas to get it to kick in.

As you can read. I am not an expert on cars.. I was wondering if it could be a clutch issue.. Like the car falls out of gear If I give to much gas to fast. or is it a transmission problem.

A mecanic a year ago told me the clutch was loose and fixed it. (didn't charge for it but mentionned It could have issues in the future)

Thanx

[MagicRat]

I assume you have a manual transmission.
I suspect your guess is correct. Your clutch is slipping.

When you step on the gas and add more power to the engine, a bad clutch cannot lock together and starts to slip. The coefficient of friction will decrease and the car does accelerate slower than if the clutch was not slipping at all.
Its a bit like locking up a car's brakes on a wet road. Your car can stop faster if the tires are still turning, than if they are locked up.

Chances are the mechanic just adjusted your clutch linkage last year. When a cluthc starts to slip, it will wear out very quickly. Perhaps your clutch was already worn, or perhaps it started to slip because the linkage was out of adjustment.
I suspect that by now it is too worn to save with just a clutch adjustment, and it needs replacement.
Sure, you can try adjusting it to see if the slipping goes away, but be prepared to pay for a replacement, with is a major repair.

[Admiral1976]

Thanks magic rat.. ans yes it is manual.. I'll look into buying a new clutch or used. How big of a job is it to replace the clutch anyways?

[TheSilentChamber]

most fwd four cylinder cars you have to pull the motor then remove the tranny, replace the clutch/throw out bearings, put it all back together and drop the motor back in.

[david-b]

My Talon has the same problems, but it only does it when, lets say I shift to 3rd, and the rpm is still only 1000-2000 and floor it. The car just kinda lags. That'snormal right, b.c. the rpm is still low?

[Igovert500]

Admiral, if your rpms go up, but your speed doesn't really improve, then just as you guessed and magicrat said, your clutch is slipping.
If you want to get it done cheaper, stick to local transmission shops and ask ahead of time what they charge for labor. Dealerships charge insane amounts, and should be avoided if money is an issue. Also make sure they resurface your flywheel when they put in the new clutch.

David, yes that is most likely normal, you are out of your peak powerband, and the engine is having to work harder to get your rpms up higher. If it is lagging tremendously, a tune-up maybe in order though.

[Admiral1976]

Thanks Guys, It's definitely the clutch.. And it's getting worst.. RPM goes through the roof with no power.. I have to ease off the gas. I'll check the transmission shops for labor estimates. Since it's a 95, What do you think of getting the parts used from a scrap yard and what do I look for when I have the thing in my hand. What kind of wear should I be expecting or not?

Found a mecanic at 40$ an hour CAD $. It's a 3 hour job some other mecanic said to me. Does that sound about right?

Admiral