Hi guys; I need you to settle a FIGHT between my mom and dad. Dad’s 1995 Nissan PU is acting HINKY.
The truck changes gears ok but going up a hill the truck can’t accelerate in a given gear. If down shifted, it keeps going without any bad smell or anything … but still won’t gain speed.
Dad says “clutch is going out.”
Mom says “it’s something related, like a clutch bearing or slave (or maybe the timing chain) … and an honest mechanic can make adjustment, fix something yatta yatta without replacing the clutch.”
What do YOU say??? What should they do??
I am so SICK of hearing this fight.
Take the car to a mechanic and find out what the problem is and then decide to fix it or not. If your parents like to fight this is just the focus for the current argument. It sounds like a clutch slipping from your description but it could be something else. No reason to fight, just get a mechanic to give his opinion.
Is this one of those small four banger pick-ups? I wouldn’t guess why it is having a problem accelerating going up hills. It could be a number of things. I agree with UncleTurbo. Nobody on this forum can tell you what it is. It needs to be checked out and properly diagnosed by a competent mechanic. Heck, it could be a clogged air filter for all we know!
What’s to argue about? Start the engine, and with the parking brake applied and firmly stepping on the brake pedal, put the transmission in fifth gear and slowly let the clutch out. If the engine doesn’t stall, the clutch is slipping.
Tester
Why argue with the experts who read a magazine article once. The power bands are shot.
No idea what the problem is as a lack of power could be caused by a slipping clutch, failing fuel pump/filter, clogged catalytic converter, weak engine or cylinder, retarded ignition timing, etc.
Things that it is NOT are this clutch bearing (throwout?), slave (cyl?), or timing chain. Your Mom apparently knows nothing about mechanical things and is trying to convince herself and others that the problem is a simple 5 minute fix.
I agree with Tester. Check the clutch first. That is a self-help procedure and if the clutch turns out not to be the cause then (guessing here) I might lean towards a clogged converter.
What is happening when going up-hill??? Said it can’t accelerate!! Does the engine race, but no speed increase?? Or just no engine power?
Thanks, this is the first useful answer I’ve seen.
“Taking it to a mechanic” is such lame advise … like if they had a mechanic they could trust, the truck would already be there!!!
So thanks.
Yeah, Mom is sick of spending money on this truck … she keeps saying we need a new one … everytime Dad takes it to a mechanic, the truck comes back broken. The last episode was three catlytic converters and then Mom said let’s take the first one to another guy and … sure enough it was a $5 fix after Dad spent $400 … some measuring gizmo wasn’t stuck in far enough … so sometimes Mom is right. But they never got the $400 back from Eddie.
They’re going to do what Tester said. Dad laughed when I read him the answer. He said it sound’s like something his Dad would do … pull up to a tree, gun the engine and and see if truck died.
I think he really is going to pull up to a tree!!!
Want to say, that this truck, ever since Dad bought it from a friend last January, has been the ONE and ALWAYS thing they fight over. It keeps breaking down: water pump($300); catlytic converter ($400); speed-o-meter and od-o-meter (not fixed); brakes $400).
Mom keeps saying “we’re throwing good money after bad. Give up and let’s get a new truck.”
This may sound crazy but I had a similar problem with an old 4-cylinder Toyota, so you might want to check it out. Make sure the bolts holding the intake and exhaust manifold bolts are tight. I had the experience that the vibration at the back fo the engine would make the last intake bolt back out, resulting in a vacuum leak. The only time the truck would act up would be going uphill under a load. You might also want to check out the vacuum hoses. It sounds like a vacuum leak to me.