i just bought my first car a 1992 firebird 3.1 v6 and whne i take off it revs very high is it saposed to rev high? because its a 4000 lbs car beign moved by 140 hp?

 

your description sounds like the transmission is slipping-first check that tranny fluid is at proper level(should check level with engine running)add some fluid if too low.IF fluid ok,tranny may need repair.Do not drive with slipping transmission or you will soon need transmission repair...Curb weight of a v6 firebird is typically around 3200 LB-gross weight rating is about 4000LB IIRC;curb weight plus rated passenger and cargo load.

 

+1 for possible trans issue. You should have no problem taking off even if you do have a V6. Ive driven a 85 with a 2.8/auto and there are no issues at all.

 

so when it revs in reverse and doesnt move till i floor it is transmisson

 

ok heres a video of me backing it into the shop area and as tyou can seei have to throttle it alot to make it move. sorry for my crappy film manship

 

bump

 

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-sq9uwT5z0

heres another one agian sorry for the shakyness im trying to focus on the rpm needle if you skip towards the end im back up and you can here it reving very high but barely movving.

 

It looks like the transmission is slipping. It's pretty likely damage has already been done. Like someone already said, check the fluid level and when you do check to see if it smells burnt.

 

it doesnt smell burnt and its bright red like new fluid. the po failed to tell me he told me mechanicly it was working just fine except a leaking radiator..damn i dont have the moeny for a transmission rebuild i dontk now if i ever will...this project is dead in the water now

 

I'm no great mechanic in person, and probably not as good as that over this. You might get a better answer from someone else.

 

red fluid that doesn't smell burnt is a good sign-did you check fluid level yet?-if in doubt you can pour in more and see if tranny starts to operate normal.it is common for an older automatic tranny to lose fluid if they sit unused for a while. A faulty transmission often only needs a minor repair or adjustment-far from"dead in the water"just yet

 

oh thank god

 

is there anything i can do to fix it myself

 

I would check your fluid level (level ground in neutral and warm). If its low, add a lil bit at a time until its at the full mark. Then shift through the gears slowly, and check it again. If you still have the problem, there are some adjustments that can be made. You will want to consult the trans board here or get a manual to read up on adjusting the bands in the trans, I'm not too familiar with them (T5 guy). Or you can find some shops that will do it for a decent price.

 

If the trans fluid is bright red and looks new, it may have been changed just prior to you getting it to try and cover up an issue. An old trick is to put fresh fluid in along with some brake fluid - it swells the seals and stops leaks and can make it shift better. For a little while, then it goes bad again.

Either way, definitely look into adjusting the bands and ensure you put new fresh fluid in.

 

You could have a restricted exhaust maybe? Ive seen it before where people think trans is slipping but it turns out that muffle or cat is just extremely plugged

 

no the exaust is flowing very well

 

Do a stall speed test by placing trans in drive and holding the brake and revving the engine until it reaches its maximum rpm and begins to stall, if its higher than roughly 2 grand, this indicates that you have slipping in your trans. Do this in every gear and if it appears high in all gears then most likely it is a pressure problem, if it is only in a certain gear than it is most likely a burnt holding member in that particular gear