NewToVibe wrote: I have to top out to fifth gear just to get up to 40 mph.
I am not sure what you mean.
If you are redlining it in 5th and still only going 40 mph, then there is serious slippage, and you're most likely in need of at least a new clutch. When the clutch grabs securely, there is a linear hard coupling between the engine speed and vehicle speed. When the clutch is slipping, the engine speed can change without changing the vehicle speed, like when the clutch pedal isn't fully released.
If you have it floored in 5th gear and the engine is still at low RPMs and you're only going 40, then it would be more engine than clutch, and you'll need to figure out why the engine has no power. I can't remember the exact RPM to MPH for the 6 speed, I'd expect 40 in 5th gear to be somewhere around 1000 - 2000 rpms, but thats just a guess
So, what does "top out to fifth gear" mean, specifically?