Hi --

A couple months ago a bought a great little 85 240 dl with 214k mile on it. Since I've owned it, I have occasionally wondered if the car's acceleration is slowly decreasing. I can hear the engine revving and responding to the gas, but it seems to take longer for the power to transfer to the wheels. In the last couple weeks it seems to have gotten a little worse -- especially in 1st and 2nd. Any ideas about what might be causing this would be greatly appreciated.

PS If it makes a difference, I bought the car from a friend, and I'm pretty sure I generally ride it a little harder than he did...

Thanks!
DF
Portland OR

 

Sounds like Clutch slipping ... is it a manual shift or automatic? either way it maybe in the transmission

 

Aha. So that's what clutch slipping feels like. Dang.

(Don't know if that's definitely the issue, but it makes a lot of sense now that I think about it... It's a manual transmission, and it does literally feel like, well, the clutch is slipping.)

Thanks,
D

 

Usually its the top speed that goes out, but get that clutch replaced soon, or you'll be going 35 on the highway and no way to go faster

 

If the revs go up and then hold there while the car catches up to the engine speed, it's clutch slipping. If not, it's something else. If the revs match your speed, I'd say your cat is probably going bad.