Sick 04 Matrix XRS

[nightrider36]

I need some advice on something that my 04 Toyota Matrix XRS is doing. It's going to the mechanic soon but I some input before I go.

CAR:
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2004, TOYOTA MATRIX 6sp, XRS - I'm the Original owner
51500 miles
I don't ride the clutch, don't downshift and coast in neutral when I come to a stop. I commute about 50 miles a day. 15 of those miles is traffic jam, stop and go traffic.
the car's been through ALL of its regular checkups at the dealership. It always gets SUPER unleaded fuel.

PROBLEM:
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To test this, I only accelerated to 4500rpm. I don't usually rev the engine up more than 5000rpm and almost never to 6000rpm. I tested this up hills at approx 10% incline.

stop to 1st -- revs up to 4500rpm with normal acceleration
1st to 2nd -- revs up to 4500rpm with normal acceleration
2nd to 3rd -- revs up to 4500rpm with normal acceleration
3rd to 4th -- revs to 4500 and returns to 3000rpm with minimal acceleration.
4rd to 5th -- revs to 4500 and returns to 3000rpm with minimal acceleration.
5rd to 6th -- revs to 4500 and returns to 3000rpm with minimal acceleration.

I can get the engine back up to 5000rpms and even 6 on all speeds, but I have to press the accelerator s-lo-w-l-y...

The abnormal revs occured when I pressed the accelerator quickly. The drop on revolutions did not occur When I eased the accelerator instead of pressing quickly. After the test, I smelled hot metal, not a smell that I'm used to smelling out of my car.


At first I suspected the clutch but I'm not sure about that anymore. I would think that if the problem were a bad clutch, the problem would exist in all gears, not just the top three.

Any suggestions?

Thanks.

-Alex

[trxr]

Get you clutch checked. Something is up with you tranny if your higher gears are affected. Did you change your transmission fluid?

[Frank@toronto]

revs to 4500 and returns to 3000rpm with minimal acceleration

Not sure what you mean. Are you trying to say that your clutch is splipping (rev high, not much movement ?)

[silver04rollas]

Originally Posted by nightrider36

:. I don't usually rev the engine up more than 5000rpm and almost never to 6000rpm.
-Alex

Wow! simply speechless! So many miles and you have never revved your car over 5000 rpm?? What about the big chunk of rev band from 5000 - 8400 rpm that the engine was built for? Where all the power is (peak power comes at 7600 rpm). I strongly doubt you know much about hitting 'lift'.

[nightrider36]

Originally Posted by silver04rollas

Wow! simply speechless! So many miles and you have never revved your car over 5000 rpm?? What about the big chunk of rev band from 5000 - 8400 rpm that the engine was built for? Where all the power is (peak power comes at 7600 rpm). I strongly doubt you know much about hitting 'lift'.

Indeed! I bought the car because I really wanted a Lotus Elise. I read that they sported the same engine with a slightly different configuration--but nevertheless, the same powerplant. I thought that with time I would make a thousand mods to this car and have a "useful" rocket--and it has been--it's a fun car to drive. But I'm a parent and whithin months, things in my life changed such that I could not afford to mod this car. That, and fuel went up astronomically. That year, I found myself pinching every penny and making sure that my car didn't break--until now ... My commute is about 24 miles one way and to save on gas, I don't drive above 65mph. It's been working but it also made think about selling the car since I'm not taking it to its full potential and getting something like a Yaris--now in my life, that's about my speed. So, that's why I'm being a lame XRS driver.

[Frank@toronto]

...you are low on cash so that's why you want to buy another car...

[nightrider36]

Originally Posted by Frank@toronto

...you are low on cash so that's why you want to buy another car...

well, no... I didn't buy a Yaris because it cost as much as my Matrix. I only thought about it and checked with the dealer. Yaris were advertised at $10k. When I went to the dealer, most there were about $14-17k. I was irritated because the Yaris is hardly a Corolla or has the power and versatillity that my Matrix has. It was just an idea that wasn't smart.

My wife bought a Scion XB out of the same dealership though. She loves that car and it has plenty of pickup for the kind of driving she does.

[Frank@toronto]

...back to the topic

Most transmission places will give you a free inspections (and tell you what is wrong). Would not hurt to get a couple of opinions about your problem.