I have an M21 with 3.31 rear gears in an El Camino.4th gear is not healthy, driving on the highway I can feather the gas and engage 4th.This obviously won't work at the drag strip.Has anyone ever raced using just 1st 2nd and 3rd.I know this will affect performance but some friends are going to Island raceway and I was thinking of taking my elky.Is this a bad idea?

You could shut it down after the 1/8th mile?

What do you mean b/c fourth is 1 to 1??

I bet if you have enough cam, it won't matter!!

pdq67

pdq67
No,basically 4th gear is shot,I need to feather the throttle and slowly engage 4th.That won,t work at the track.Under full throttle 4th won't engage at all.And I don't have enough cam.( Summit grind )
I can get 1st 2nd 3rd at full throttle but not 4th.This winters project is trans repair or upgrade,may even throw a 200r4 in there.So is this a bad idea? Its definately going to affect the time slip but thats not my primary concern.

I'd say that it's not a good idea. If you think about it, there's likely some metal in there. If it doesn't last, the tow charge will surprise you.

GTO,
Your probably right, just got an itchy gas pedal foot.I'll tell the fellas next time.On the other hand I do have triple A. :D

Years ago when I had my old 55 2dr post, it had a 350, M-20, 3.08 combo. It fell on it's face big time in fourth gear, so after the first couple of runs, I tried not using fourth gear, and just ran the crap out of it in third. I actually picked up 4/10ths

John,
I am not real sure of your description, but it sounds to me like your clutch is shot. Does the trans actually shift into fourth gear but then seems to "slip" as you press on the gas ? Or can you not actually move the shifter into fourth ?? If it is "slipping" it is the clutch. There really is not anything in a manual transmission that can "slip" ... it will pretty much either work or not.
Sounds to me like its clutch time.

Sounds like wornout fourth gear synchros.

Emil Dusek

That's what I am talking about Zman!!

pdq67

Originally posted by 71350ss:
pdq67
No,basically 4th gear is shot,I need to feather the throttle and slowly engage 4th.That won,t work at the track.Under full throttle 4th won't engage at all.
I can get 1st 2nd 3rd at full throttle but not 4th. Bill,
The clutch isn't slipping, I'm pretty sure the sinchro's are ruined.Was just wondering if I could run it like ZMan said.If I go maybe I'll shut it down at 1/8 mile like JP said.

I always ran my junk 301 with the little-bitty -097 solid cam until it cut out, then I backed off AND hit it again!!!

It would go above 7,000rpm easy once I cleaned the plugs off that way!!! He, He!!!

Try it AND find out!!!

pdq67