So I bought this truck a few months back. I have dont alot of work to get it where it is now. I have replaced the timing belt, water pump, fluids, radiator, plugs, wires, cap, rotor, and other misc. stuff. It is running alot better but it still feels sluggish. Any suggestions on how to improve this?

Also, i changed the oil over to full synthetic and I went to change it after 2500 miles and the oil was so low that it barely read on the dipstick. Do i have a faulty dipstick or is it something else? It has not leaked a drop and it hasnt blow any out of the exhaust. Where is it going?

When shifting, the transmission it is sometimes hard to get it to go into gear. I have the clutch to the floor and it is still tempermental. Not always but sometimes. I was thinking the slave master cylinder?

Last, I sometimes get a lag and then a jolt from the transmission, drive shaft, or rear end when I am accelerating from a dead stop. Any ideas?

I would appreciate any suggestions. Thanks for looking.
-Michael

 

Welcome to YT...

First off, it sounds like the clutch is going out. Those are the symptoms from what you're describing.

Second, I'd run a compression test to check for ring wear and/or valve leakage. You could be getting oil loss through the rings and not see it. That does happen. Check for blow by in the PCV valve and breather lines, throttle body, intake, etc.

What is the motor you are working on, anyway? 4cyl or 6cyl?

 

Thank you

I was thinking the clutch was going out but was hoping it would be something easier. Ill get a compression check to see about the oil. Thanks for the tip.

The motor is a 6cyl. It has 182k miles. I runs great otherwise.

 

hmm...this sounds like what my 94 is doing, I was 1st thinking the sub o2 sensor was the culprit, but the more I drive it the more I'm thinking clutch, also my rig pops out of 1st on occasion, and sometimes whines while slowing down. Sometimes, she kinda sputters, or "lags" and then catches, and accelerates like normal, I have only owned this truck for a month, and it is already alot worse than when I got it.

 

adjust the timing if it hasn't been done, check valve clearances should be checked and adjusted if out of spec- they are difficult to get right and require knowledge of the proper procedure, O2 sensor may be starting to bugger out on you too.
a compression test may be in order- low compression could also lead to performance issues similar to what you've described.
the clutch could be an issue- master/slave cylinders and fluid levels, but I think that the synchronizer gears in the transmission itself may need more attention, considering you're saying "sometimes".
worn motor mounts or transmission mounts, worn universal joints or worn gears in the differential could cause the sensation of a lag between placing the transmission in gear and when the truck starts moving.
yep... many things to consider.

 

Thanks for all the tips. I appreciate it all. Ill check it out. Thanks