Manual Transmission Sputtering

[Mrich1510]

So I purchased my ‘84 Ranger a week ago and the guy told me the transmission was acting weird. So once I got the engine running, I took it for a spin and while accelerating in 1st, I noticed the truck completely loses power and when it regains power it sputters. 2nd gear is good until about 2000rpm then it starts to sputter, same goes for 3rd. Any ideas?

 

[RobbieD]

If the truck stops "pulling", and then you feel a "sputter" or "chatter" in the drive train (and not the engine) when it picks back up, it's sounding more like the clutch. Especially if the previous owner (PO) told you about the transmission acting weird with him.

 

[scotts90ranger]

It all depends on the definition of losing power, if the engine is running rough and vibrating with low rpm and no power that's different than low wheel speed and high engine speed like a slipping clutch would do.

I would lean more toward ignition or carburetor issues (more toward ignition), check the timing first.

The engine has no idea what gear you are in (forward, reverse or otherwise) and there's nothing in the transmission that can cause "sputtering" unless there's a missing tooth on a gear somewhere but then that would be cyclic and not happen in 3 gears unless it was between the input shaft and counter shaft which I don't think is common.

 

[Mrich1510]

So when I say losing power, The RPMs are staying the same so the engine is functioning normally but it’s almost as if the transmission “disconnects” itself somehow and then grabs again.

 

[rumblecloud]

With a slipping clutch, wouldn't it be more noticeable when shifting as opposed to simply accelerating when in gear. When you disengage the clutch to shift, then re-engage does it take a minute to grab? Or does it "disconnect" after you have shifted and you are at a steady speed?

 

[scotts90ranger]

When you say the rpm stays the same, is that rpm way faster than it should be for that road speed in that gear? A slipping clutch might be hard to portray in words, if the clutch was slipping if say you were going like 10mph in first gear and shift to second then floor it, if the engine speed accelerates a fair amount and the vehicle does not increase in road speed and you let off the gas pedal and the engine speed drops back down and you don't slow down significantly

 

[pjtoledo]

not sure I'm understanding what you're describing.
try a power & brake test, it's easy & cheap.

find an empty parking lot
1st gear, get it up to 2000 rpms and start applying the brake while giving it more gas to maintain 2000 rpms
speedometer and tach should remain the same or move together.
try 2nd gear too.