Sorry about this one being way too long. I feel like I've tried almost everything and maybe I'm just chasing figments of my imagination, but here goes...


'86 245 B230F with about 189k miles,and the car feels like it's trying too hard, no power at all. It goes and drives through the band and at all speeds fine other than that, and I'm pretty positive it's not a carbon builup, I do get it to speed regularly. And it knocks a bit too, which is why I wonder about the knock sensor. The transmission is at the bottom.

700 mile holiday trip. I was only getting 21mpg on the highway, at about 65~70mph, ~2700rpm the entire way (with surf boards on top). Flame trap and breather box completely replaced before the trip along with cleaned TB. Now new O2 sensor (tested, registered nothing before), new ignition coil (this helped). The rear muffler fell off before the trip, and now looking under the car the rest of the exhaust was hanging by the exhaust header, see below. Maybe a clogged cat, and/or possibly a knock sensor? I tried tapping on the intake and didn't see any change in the timing (and it's at 12 degrees), maybe I didn't hit it hard enough..? I also tried unplugging it and wonder if that would change anything but it didn't, I am getting voltage to it though. Did the propane leak test, found one leaky vacuum hose. Pretty sure I fixed all the vacuum leaks, even checked the check valve to the heater controls from the top of the intake. Plugs and wires and all that stuff was done fairly recently, but thinking back it may have been long enough ago to warrant a new set. I'll check the plugs and see. I plan on taking it to an exhaust shop to take care of that part, I looked at those bolts on the cat flange and said "No Way."

Any thoughts on the running? Any ideas on anything else to check/replace? and as cheaply as possible? Don't get me wrong though, I want to do things right.

Okay, 700 mile drive, transmission fluid all over the back of the car. I did stop and fill it up every time I stopped for gas, and judging by the level when I stopped, that was enough (never ran it dry). The transmission wiggled every time the muffler moved because the transmission mount is shot. This is where the ATF seems to be coming from, maybe the bearing or seal at the back of the transmission? As it drips it gets blown out the back by road wind, but it also seems to be spinning it all over the bottom of the car, which leads me to the bearing. I thought originally that my differnential was leaking, but it just looks like ATF all over it.

I'm not sure exactly which bearing this is or what I may need to replace. The only book I have is Haynes, and nothing in the transmission section and I looked briefly through the drive line section and may have found some info. This obvisouly needs to be fixed before I head back. I have the access to all my normal tools, but I am mostly just a weekend warrior. The pan is leaking a little bit, but not to the point of dripping, and certainly not enough to end up on my tailgate, but the filter and pan gasket are on the way so they will be replaced anyway.

Any thoughts on the transmission or seals?

Happy holidays everybody. Hope everybody had a very meery christmas and has a happy new year!!!! Sorry again so long.

Cheers,
Justin
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'86 245, 180K