# 88 Subaru GL wagon - lots of RPM but not power **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** wagon\ **Created:** [July 14, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/88-subaru-gl-wagon-lots-of-rpm-but-not-power/1707 "2007-07-14T16:14:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![bjharaughty](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bjharaughty/32/215_2.png) [@bjharaughty](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bjharaughty)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 4:14pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/88-subaru-gl-wagon-lots-of-rpm-but-not-power/1707/1 "2007-07-14T16:14:36Z")
The Subi started acting funny after I went down to some Nampa, ID (outside of Boise) junkyards to get some parts. Going up hills with the AC was killer. ANything over 35 was impossible. The engine would rev up really high but there was no power going to the drive. Now when I drive it anywhere it will rev way up and still little to no power. When I shift up it revs way up to 4500 or more RPMs and still no power to the drive. It doesn’t sound bad it just really revs up and there isn’t any power transfer. It still drives it is just really slow to accelerate and the RPM’s get a little scary sometimes. It wasn’t going into gear very well just before this though, but only one time. Anybody know what the problem could be. ---
**Author:** ![Cougar](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cougar/32/21348_2.png) [@Cougar](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cougar)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 4:44pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/88-subaru-gl-wagon-lots-of-rpm-but-not-power/1707/2 "2007-07-14T16:44:00Z")
If this is a manual transmission vehicle it sounds like the clutch plate is shot. ---
**Author:** ![Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/joseph_e_meehan/32/21_2.png) [@Joseph\_E\_Meehan](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Joseph_E_Meehan)\ **Post date:** [July 14, 2007, 6:45pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/88-subaru-gl-wagon-lots-of-rpm-but-not-power/1707/3 "2007-07-14T18:45:05Z")
Manual transmission = clutch shot Automatic transmission = transmission shot (well at least it needs service) ---
**Author:** ![cncop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3be4f8/32.png) [@cncop](https://community.cartalk.com/u/cncop)\ **Post date:** [July 15, 2007, 2:46am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/88-subaru-gl-wagon-lots-of-rpm-but-not-power/1707/4 "2007-07-15T02:46:12Z")
Have you checked to see if your emergency brake may be partially engaged? It doesn’t take much to cause problems. Just a silly thought. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 4:30pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/88-subaru-gl-wagon-lots-of-rpm-but-not-power/1707/5 "2007-07-16T16:30:22Z")
After driving, check the brakes and see if theyre super hot. The parking brake may have not fully disengaged, or there may be one or both stuck calipers. Just trying to point to possible simpler solutions. ---
**Author:** ![shadowfax](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/shadowfax/32/13026_2.png) [@shadowfax](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shadowfax)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/88-subaru-gl-wagon-lots-of-rpm-but-not-power/1707/6 "2007-07-16T21:05:47Z")
but the engine wouldn’t rev like that with a stuck caliper. My vote’s clutch too. ---
**Author:** ![system](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/3X/1/d/1d47c66a543aa6c5a7873bb2320858f978ff52ed.png) [@system](https://community.cartalk.com/u/system)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2007, 9:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/88-subaru-gl-wagon-lots-of-rpm-but-not-power/1707/7 "2007-07-16T21:33:06Z")
It it is an automatic, the extra load would keep it from upshifting, keeping the RPMs high. Itd help if we knew more about the car.