Where is the disconnect in the drive train?

I'm not a car guy nor an engineer, aso please by kind in your replies:
So if I am driving at 60 mph on a flat road in 5th gear my tachometer is reading 2,000 rpms.
This is all fine an dandy, I get it, the pistons drive the crankshaft which connects to the transmission where gears create different ratios which then connects to the drive train which is connected to the wheels which move the car.

But here is the part I don't get.  My car only has 5 gears, and when I put my foot down on the accelerator I can see that my tachometer jumps up to 4,000 rpm, but I am not instantly going twice as fast.  this means that SOMEWHERE in this system, something is not physically connected to whatever causes it to move.
Where is the break in the system that allows the engine to double it's speed without the car doubling it's speed while staying in the same gear?

2020-07-22T15:53:13Z

Apparently my question wasn't clear.  There is nothing wrong with my car, I am asking how it is possible for a system to have twice the rotations on one end (the rpms of the motor) not resulting in twice the rotations on the other end (the wheels).

Let me try this way:
if 2000 rpms=60 mph why doesnt' 4000 rpms=120 mph if I am in the same gear?

PMack2020-07-23T19:05:44Z

Favorite Answer

Looking at your update - you didn't answer the question about what transmission you have. It's really simple - if you have an automatic transmission it's downshifting when you floor it - probably going into 3rd gear. 

If you have a manual transmission your statement about nothing being wrong with your car is incorrect - there is something wrong, your clutch is slipping. If that's the case get it fixed before it fails completely. 

if 2000 RPM is 60 in fifth gear, 4000 would indeed be 120 in fifth gear in a manual car with no problems. 

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thebax20062020-07-22T10:57:48Z

If it's a manual transmission the clutch is bad and needs to be replaced. Make sure you resurface the flywheel while replacing the clutch.   If it's an automatic you need a rebuilt transmission.

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Pecker Man2020-07-21T21:44:14Z

Fine AND dandy? wow

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Anonymous2020-07-21T21:13:38Z

If it's an automatic, it's doing it's thing.  If it's a stick, it's impossible for the tach to instantly jump from 2000 to 4000 rpm while staying in the same gear - unless the clutch is shot and slipping badly.

10

Ron2020-07-21T20:27:41Z

How automatic transmissions workhttps://driving.ca/auto-news/news/how-it-works-automatic-transmissions#:~:text=An%20automatic%20transmission%20uses%20sensors,them%20using%20internal%20oil%20pressure.&text=On%20a%20manual%20transmission%20the,handled%20by%20the%20torque%20converter.

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