How do you pull away in first gear?

[CSBM5]

The car had 168k mi back then and now I'm currently sitting at 194k mi. I'm pretty sure I'm still on original flywheel but running an unknown|dealer installed clutch. Plus, my rear main seal is leaking too.

Let's change that thing! Friday night/Sat morning at Brian's. I have an OEM flywheel with 27k miles on it that the dealer gave me way back in 2004 when they changed the clutch on my M5. I bought it with 12k miles on it, and the original owner likely didn't appreciate BMW's undersized clutch on the M5, so it was starting to slip some by 27k miles. The dealer just replaced the clutch/flywheel together under warranty. The flywheel looks great though -- make you a deal you can't refuse on it most likely. Get the RMS, LUK clutch kit, fork, pin, guide bush, spring, shifter bushings, etc, and let's get 'er done.

As for starting off, I've been driving manuals for over 40 years, and I never think about it. The only thought that came to mind is your comment about people popping the revs to get going. Likely not the case with subjects your referring to, but back in the late 70s I built up the 2.8L V6 in my Capri II (Ford of Europe Capri) with an Isky race cam, higher comp pistons, porting, Offenhauser manifold with a Holley 4bbl carb, headers, etc, and that thing didn't make much torque below 2500rpms any longer and idled between 1500-1800rpms, lumpity-lump, lumpity-lump. The *only* way to get going without stalling it was to pop the revs a good bit to build up stored rotational energy into the flywheel.

[auaq]

I have the rear main seal and the cover as well. Will have to order the clutch kit from Sachs and all other stuff you've mentioned. I also want to replace the drive shaft too. Even after replacing the CSB I'm still having nasty vibrations in the driveline. Only issue is that I can't work on weekends anymore because of my job. I would either have to drop the car off or pay a shop to do the job which is going to be darn expensive.

[geargrinder]

I bought it with 12k miles on it, and the original owner likely didn't known how to use a clutch either

FTFY

2.8L V6 in my Capri II (Ford of Europe Capri)

uh oh... I feel a big threadjack coming on....

Nice! I had 2 of those. Fun little drivers. One a little late MkI I4. The other a super super sweet II Ghia V6 with every factory option (body colored mirrors, special seats, sunroof, split fold down, center console, reading lights, special alloy wheels, etc. etc. back when options like that were unusual and cool and not "every Honda Civic has those"). The Ghia was probably the highest option spec short of the 'Black Cat' model which was more or less the same but with a garish John Player gold & black paint job and rims.

I wrecked them both in the exact same way - lift oversteer going fast in turns being a stupid stupid kid. The first one was cheap nice clean "kids car" but not a horrible shame. The 2nd one was indeed a horrible shame, as it was mint and low miles and loaded and rare options and color and just exceptional. I should have had that car for years and years but I was an idiot.

Anyway, on the 2.8 I did headers and an exhaust on it and then got a large Weber carb for it, but there were complications... turned out the late models like mine had these effed up Motorcraft 'variable venturi' carbs and so the manifold bolt pattern was all weirdo. I never found the right junkyard manifold before I wrecked it like a retard. Had plans for cams too... but those things don't really make power anyway - 1970's technology aka "back when 125hp was respectable". Although I suppose with a modern efficient small turbo and stand-alone and a bunch of porting I suppose you can probably force those Cologne motors to make some power.

I periodically try to find a good pic of a blue Ghia like mine but it was so rare even innerwebz doesn't have one. There are pix of a number of ghasty landau top blue ones (WTF, 1970's with the hideous landau craze!?!?), but mine was not hideous like that, and all the other pix are UK cars as those were hugely popular in the UK.

Best comp is probably this non-Ghia, but with Ghia badging and mirrors/sunroof etc. more options...




"Black Cat" aka John Player Special in UK I think... Man, back in the day 'analog photoshops' were pretty terrible, weren't they!?



</caprithreadjack>

[JimLev]

Ha, I almost bought one of those Capri's years ago, couldn't convince my better half that she would love it.
A guy I use to work with had one, put a turbo, headers, cam, and nitrous on it, the engine didn't last long. After a few times at the drag strip a few rods decided to see what the outside of the block looked like.

[geargrinder]

Advantage is that they stuck that "cologne V6" in a billion Ford Rangers, so I think your friend should have had a good source of spare blocks.
But I'm guessing this was long enough ago that he didn't have the benefit of things like wideband AFR's and knock sensors and rev limiters etc. These days you can use standalones and get all that kind of good "keep the motor from assploding" stuff.

[cnn]

Good thread...

For manual transmission, if driven correctly, most of the wear and tear on the clutch happens during 1st gear, as subsequent gear change should not create much clutch wear (if the rpm is matched).

So, this is what I have been doing for 30 years, rev the engine up to about 1000 rpm, slowly release the clutch (it takes 1 second to do this, max 2 sec) while keeping the rpm at 1000 rpm. Once the lutch is released, drive it like you'd normally do.

[cnn]

Forgot to mention that my clutch is still stock at 20y/165K miles.
(Mfg date was Sept 1997).

[CSBM5]

uh oh... I feel a big threadjack coming on....

Nice! I had 2 of those. Fun little drivers. One a little late MkI I4. The other a super super sweet II Ghia V6 with every factory option (body colored mirrors, special seats, sunroof, split fold down, center console, reading lights, special alloy wheels, etc. etc. back when options like that were unusual and cool and not "every Honda Civic has those"). The Ghia was probably the highest option spec short of the 'Black Cat' model which was more or less the same but with a garish John Player gold & black paint job and rims.

I wrecked them both in the exact same way - lift oversteer going fast in turns being a stupid stupid kid. The first one was cheap nice clean "kids car" but not a horrible shame. The 2nd one was indeed a horrible shame, as it was mint and low miles and loaded and rare options and color and just exceptional. I should have had that car for years and years but I was an idiot.

Anyway, on the 2.8 I did headers and an exhaust on it and then got a large Weber carb for it, but there were complications... turned out the late models like mine had these effed up Motorcraft 'variable venturi' carbs and so the manifold bolt pattern was all weirdo. I never found the right junkyard manifold before I wrecked it like a retard. Had plans for cams too... but those things don't really make power anyway - 1970's technology aka "back when 125hp was respectable". Although I suppose with a modern efficient small turbo and stand-alone and a bunch of porting I suppose you can probably force those Cologne motors to make some power.

I periodically try to find a good pic of a blue Ghia like mine but it was so rare even innerwebz doesn't have one. There are pix of a number of ghasty landau top blue ones (WTF, 1970's with the hideous landau craze!?!?), but mine was not hideous like that, and all the other pix are UK cars as those were hugely popular in the UK.

Best comp is probably this non-Ghia, but with Ghia badging and mirrors/sunroof etc. more options...

[capritheadjack]
LOL, already participated in a thread on a Supra board of all places about my Capri recently.

I somehow came across that thread and noticed supraz had posted a picture of mine to illustrate what his looked like. Here's the thread; my post starts at #7. http://www.celicasupra.com/forums/sh...tock-RSR-Turbo

Did you have the Capri II with the 2.8? If so, the Holley 500cfm 2bbl was a direct bolt-on replacement. I initially had that on the car and used a simple custom throttle cable setup (got rid of the ridiculous bell-crank factory thing). That Holly 2bbl made a nice difference (did this before doing any engine work), but after the engine build the car felt constrained at high rpms the cam could now flow. Changing to the Offenhauser dual port manifold and Holley 4bbl was insane. From 5500-7000 it just came alive. With no rev limiter, a couple of years later I ended up way over-revving it at an autocross and cracked a piston.

It made decent power with all the engine mods. TurboToms in Atlanta who built the engine had lots of local sources for custom work. I ended up having the heads ported by a drag engine builder who did a nice job. Had everything balanced by him too. The combo of that plus 9.5:1 pistons, Isky "race" cam, valve springs, lifters, Offy/Holley 4bbl, headers, free flow exhaust with no cats, resulted in a little ***** of an engine. The lumpy high rpm idle and poor lower rpm torque got old pretty quick, but it sure attracted a lot of attention among gearheads. I have no clue how much power it was making, but 0-60mph times dropped from about 10 seconds stock to 6.7 seconds which was very quick for 1979.

I'll stick some pictures of my Capri in Asim's thread here anyway since [capritheadjack] is open:


26605875752_1b9a10becb_z.jpg
26094872413_dd35754cd7_b.jpg
26605875812_d986034a9c_b.jpg

[/capritheadjack]

[geargrinder]

Great 1970's background to the Capri too. Whats to the left of the 914? Is that an Opel Manta?

[StRaNgEdAyS]

Advantage is that they stuck that "cologne V6" in a billion Ford Rangers, so I think your friend should have had a good source of spare blocks.
But I'm guessing this was long enough ago that he didn't have the benefit of things like wideband AFR's and knock sensors and rev limiters etc. These days you can use standalones and get all that kind of good "keep the motor from assploding" stuff.

We just used to stick Windsor V8s in them over here...
They get up and go quite respectably with a 351 under the bonnet

Absinthe makes the tart grow fonder

[geargrinder]

Yeah that happened here too! I never saw one but it was always talked about esp w my roommate w a 351W fastback mustang that he wrecked. Sadly the Capri was also dead by then but it was always a good "too bad I didn't wreck my car before you wrecked yours".

[CSBM5]

Great 1970's background to the Capri too. Whats to the left of the 914? Is that an Opel Manta?

Yep, that's a 1974 Manta. Sure wish I had that 914 today...it's a 1973 914 2.0.

[CSBM5]

One really nice one just sold for $15,950 at Bonhams Greenwich auction a few weeks back. This appears to be a Ghia (note the front seats for example). This was about 50% above Hagerty's estimate for a concours example.

[geargrinder]

Are you mothereffin shipping me Chuck? Eff me.

That's EXACTLY my old car except for color, and my car would have been well more desirable color and would have gotten more bucks for sure. And I had the 'roof, this is a slicktop.

And everything looks 'correct' unlike so many of these - those are the correct Ghia alloys for instance. Only thing is I think it should have had roof / headliner reading light.

A bunch of Ghia details I'd forgotten about - the deluxe carpeted cargo floor w/ the rails for instance.

Thanks for that. That's by far the best set of pix for a car like mine I've seen - like I say except for color and 'roof its pretty much exactly right.

[CSBM5]

Are you mothereffin shipping me Chuck? Eff me.

That's EXACTLY my old car except for color, and my car would have been well more desirable color and would have gotten more bucks for sure. And I had the 'roof, this is a slicktop.

And everything looks 'correct' unlike so many of these - those are the correct Ghia alloys for instance. Only thing is I think it should have had roof / headliner reading light.

A bunch of Ghia details I'd forgotten about - the deluxe carpeted cargo floor w/ the rails for instance.

Thanks for that. That's by far the best set of pix for a car like mine I've seen - like I say except for color and 'roof its pretty much exactly right.

Yeah, it's pretty awesome. Likely the only one left in the world (US model) in that condition.

Are you referring to the passenger A-pillar flip out map light? My car had the "deco group" (I think) since it had stuff like that map light and it also came with the same wheels pictured with this Ghia model. I have a ton of pictures, most not scanned yet, of my car through its evolution from stock to wild.