SSSS2222KKKK

Hi,
I'm in D/FW, Tx area and a few weeks ago we had a bad ice storm. I drove my car home from work during the start of the ice storm, there was sleeting and some snow and frozen roads.

Well, I could not keep the ass driving straight, always pulling to the side. HAHAHA, it was fun, but thats another story.

Anyways, I made it home and parked the car on my drive way. Woke up the next morning and everything outside was frozen and had ice on it, even my car. Poor thing, i don't have a garage for it, I have to park outside. Anyways, after 30 mins or so, i was able to thaw out parts of my car and got inside it. Well, crank up the engine to let it warm, but notice my shifter was stuck, it was like frozen.

My questions is, while driving, can water actually splash onto the transmission area where the shifter is and get it wet and actually cause it to freeze up during the night ? Because it seems like it happend to me.

Could this be a defect ? Or is this normal with this car ? If this is not a defect, THAN THATS POOR DESIGN.
Has anyone else experience this ??
Could it be that something else frozed up in my tranny ? Are there fluids in there ?

Well, anyways, after letting the car warm up for an hour so, hoping that the trannsmission would thaw out and losen whatever was frozen. Then I was able to move my shifter little by little and eventually got it free were i could actually shift into gear.

Anyone want to comment about this ? Thanks

ReedZ

This has never happened to me in my 3 years with the S. Which is especially note worthy this winter with about 7-9 feet of snow. My car also lives outside and is my daily driver. I'm curious to hear what may have happened to your S though.

Good luck.

MacGyver

Might I suggest removing the transmission tunnel cover inside the cockpit and looking around the shifter area for obstructions? More than one person here has had the plastic slides fall out of their tracks and jam...

xviper

When you do what MacGyver says, also take a look to see if the "boot" that seals the underside of your console to the tranny housing is secured. If the clutch was done once, that boot may not have been put back on completely and spray could have gotten up in there and froze. I don't think that water can get up into the clutch area. Besides, the tranny is sealed from that space anyway. You gear shifter is connected to the tranny by an enclosed tube so I can't see water getting in there.
I've driven my car and have left it out in as cold as -35*C. It never froze.

S2Kwhite

I leave up in montreal and have driven the S in the worst snow storm you can imagine. I have put great winther tires and the car handles great in snow. I used to have a bmw318 and i must say the S handles so so so so much better, did i say so so so so mcuh better. People where calling me crazy to put it in the montreal winther, but i have had so much fun with the car in the snow.

To answer your question i have been in ice storm also and never did it freeze or anything. It has happenned it was so cold i had to start the car 3 times before it would actually saty on when i would let go fo the cluth.

Did i mention the car handles so well in the snow, but remeber to drive with the S02...hahaha.

Johnny--2K

the s2k is known for shifting a little rough (ie...hard to get in gear) when cold, but never frozen. Good luck and keep us posted.

blueboyuk

It's dropping way below zero here in PA at the moment and the last 2 very cold nights the transmission has been COMPLETELY FROZEN. After warming the card up for 20+ mins it's taken me about 10 mins each time to literally batter the tranny into submission - just pushing and pulling the stick in all 4 directions until it starts to give and then actually clunks into each gear. Took it to the dealership today and they say it needs a new clutch!! Is it just me or it this complete and utter BS? Maybe try flushing the tranny fluid before embarking on $1280 worth of work. And even then, surely it would be a new tranny, not the clutch - the car is shiftin ok once the stick is moving... whaddya reckon people?

Thanks for input,

JB

soundzero

First, tell whoever told you that you need new clutch, go to hell.

I took my car out for a spin last night. Temperature was around 0 degree Ferenheit. My S2000 was untouched for a few days. It took me a while for my car to warm up and I went out and drove around for good 30min before putting her away. Had fun at an empty parking lots too. Anyways, I did noticed my transmission was hard to engage into and even my steering was slow until the car warmed up completely.

This is why I believe have the car sit through winter without running is actually bad for your car than driving it for good 30min to 1hour even during winter time. I will be taking her out tonight as well and let her run

speed4tu

No, you definately don't need another clutch if your car is moving fine. You also don't need to go back up to that dealership anymore. I have no idea what could be causing the tranny to freeze up tho.

JDR159

Your tranny's fluids are not literally "freezing up", rather your oil is getting so thick that it's acting frozen (thicker than molasses?). Many, many years ago, I had a Sunbeam Alpine that the engine would literally stall when I let the clutch out (tranny in neutral) if it was 10 deg F or colder. My solution was to start the car, let the engine settle into a high idle (carb's and chokes), then SLOWLY let the clutch out, in neutral. This allowed the engine to take up the load without stalling. Once the clutch was out, the shafts turning in the tranny helped to warm the oil so that I could shift and drive. This usualy took 5-10 minutes of idling to allow me to shift.

My winter car (95 Z28 w/6-spd), doesn't have this problem, but the tranny does get notchy/stiff when cold. This tranny uses automatic transmission fluid, not oil, which is why it probably is impacted less.