buying a 914. Should I? What is this one in for?

funnyguy · 07-21-2001, 11:52 PM

I'm looking to buy this 1974 914. Its in decent shape. Has a very nice interior, rust is minimal on the body, one spot in engine compartment. Surface rust in the trunk. And the outer rocker panels will need replaced. The brakes and rotors need some replacing too.

My main questions is the drivetrain. I've got the motor running, but the car won't move. If i prop the back end up, and put in gear. I can turn the wheels manually, and they do reverse spin. so the tranny seems to work. But I can have the backend up, the car running, and let it into 1st, and the wheels stay stationary. Am I correct in thinking its the clutch / flywheel ?

Thanks

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Mike Brancato
AIM: funnyguy00
ICQ: 9348858

[This message has been edited by funnyguy (edited 07-22-2001).]

odie · 07-22-2001, 08:19 AM

Does the transaxle shift into different gears easily? Does the clutch just feel like its slipping when your in gear? Have the seller shift the gears while you look at the shift mechanisims under the car. They may be all out of adjustment or worn out.

campbellcj · 07-22-2001, 09:43 AM

Hard to say about the drivetrain problem...can't the owner shed any light on it? Surely he has some clue what happened. Maybe the clutch is "detonated"?

Anyway, a caveat about the "surface rust": most rust that looks superficial in areas such as the front and rear trunks, really isn't. If you take a grinder to it and try to clean it up, I bet you will see the ground. Not that hard to fix though, fortunately, just a bit of welding. Not so for structural areas such as the longitudinals (rockers) and rear suspension console. Check those over VERY carefully!!!

Good luck,
Chris C.

funnyguy · 07-22-2001, 01:08 PM

The shifter seems to shift between the gears fine. Pushing the clutch in and out reveals nothing at all. the motor will just keep running, with no change, and no tire spin.

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Mike Brancato

paulhagedorn · 07-22-2001, 01:28 PM

Have you checked to see if the shift linkage is hooked up? That is what it sounds like. Either that, or it is hooked up but it isn't causing the transmission to be locked into gear.

funnyguy · 07-22-2001, 02:10 PM

Like I said, the tranny seems fine. Although I'm not sure of anything. If its in neutral, and I spin a tire, the opposite tire doens't move. but if its in gear, the opposite tire rotates in the opposite directions. this slows as i go thru the gears in the tranny. I'm fairly confident the tranny is ok, and tha its just not getting power.

The owner knows nothing about it. It hasn't been driven in 8 years, and he's 21, so he doesn't remember much.

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Mike Brancato

[This message has been edited by funnyguy (edited 07-22-2001).]

ovilla · 07-23-2001, 09:52 PM

If the tranny makes some noise (like its working) and yet the car does not move in either direction, you've got a broken CV joint. This happened to me on a freeway entry ramp. All of a sudden there was no more forward motion (felt like it was in neutral). Anyway, you should be able to hear the CV joint moving around though, kind of like something loose in the dishwasher. You can also remove the plastic cap that covers the linkage to the tranny and move it into gear by hand. Just be careful when you start it up so that it doesn't jump on you. Let the clutch out slowly and see if it moves. Finally, tighten the clutch and see if it's just in need of adjustment and possibly not engaging.