Technical acceleration problems

[kfed0001]

Hi, I own a Fiat Punto 1999 Mk1 and I have started to experience acceleration problems.

The car sometimes drives normally with no problems at all, and then all of a sudden these acceleration problems pop up. There's no difference between gears since it does it on all five.

when I press the gas pedal, it starts to accelerate, but then it keeps on revving without accelerating, as if something is keeping it from moving forward. It also sometimes gives off a bucking noise and gives a bit of a bump, and accelerates normally.

Any idea what the problem is please? It is really frustrating!

 

[oldhammer]

if you have mk1 you have posted in wrong section of forum,
best posting in mk1 section mate,

 

[a1ant]

Hi mate,

No worries I've moved your post over the the Mk1 section

Alan

 

[fingers99]

Sounds as though the clutch is slipping.

Try this: stop the car, put it in 3rd gear, try and drive off. If it doesn't stall, the clutch is slipping.

In 4th gear at about 25mph, floor it. If the road speed doesn't increase but the engine speed does, clutch slip.

You may also have an issue with the clutch hydraulics, but.......

You've put this in the wrong section -- I'll ask the moderators to move it.

 

[flisko]

is there any damage done to the gearbox if u just wait for the clutch to die completely?

 

[fingers99]

More likely is damage to the engine (or your rear end as someone will expect you to drive normally).

Clutches are cheap, it's the labour that's expensive. Depending on where you live, a backstreet clutch specialist will be around £110 plus parts (under £50). Garages will always be more expensive, simply because they're not used to doing 4 or 5 a day.

 

[flisko]

210 minutes, is it rly that time consuming even to a mechanic that changes them every day?

 

[fingers99]

Somewhere around the 2 hour mark for folk who do nothing else every day. But they'll be using short cuts that the ordinary garagista doesn't.

 

[flisko]

what are these shortcuts u speak of

https://www.fiatforum.com/punto-mk1-guides/211883-how-fit-new-clutch-mk-1-a.html

also do i need some special tools for the job

 

[fingers99]

That's the slow, by the book, way. Ideally, lift, transmission jack, air tools,pry bars, clutch mate.

 

[flisko]

no lift or transmission jack, looks like i will have to rely on my brute strenght

 

[blu73]

I have always just used a couple of trolley jacks when dropping a gearbox off my cars. Getting it out is easy though - its manhandling them back in thats tricky IMO, but then i'm only a weakling myself.

With regards to the original question, i'm totally in agreement with fingers, the clutch is slipping and needs replacing - it will eventually just not move the car at all so fix asap