S1999+1

Started up my car the other morning and when I released the clutch it died...again. This has done it about 4 times since I bought the car. Thing is, I think it's due to the tranny being very cold. It was a cold night out and I noticed when releasing the clutch, even in neutral, the car lurched forward a tiny bit and the rpms dropped. I think maybe the reason it is dying may be that the transmission fluid, due to the cold is a bit thicker than normal and somehow puts a bit of resistance on the engine when releasing the clutch in the cold. I remember something similar happening on my old 65 Mustang 4sp years ago, when the car was cold, in neutral if I reved the engine it would slightly lurch forward. This seems to be the same thing that is happening in the S2000 when it is cold. I am pretty mechanically inclined, and have done much of my own work on my cars but am no tranny expert. Can someone chime in who might be able to verify what I'm saying? I've seen quite a few posts about this subject and thought this might help people understand why their car is dying.

3ngin33r1

Your ECU is adapting to the climate changes and may die a few times. This is normal.

The lurching forward in neutral is not normal however. You need to get that checked out.

S1999+1

About this being the ECU adapting to the climate changes, the climate has been cold here for a couple months, and this is like the 4th time this has done it. It only does it when I let out on the clutch, which tells me it's related to that and not the ECU. If it were the ECU it would die regardless of whether I let the clutch out or not.

As for the lurch, it's not a strong lurch in neutral. Not even enough to move the car significantly. It just so happened that I had parked on a very slight decline, and when I let out on the clutch, it slightly lurched forward. I think it has to do with the fact that the tranny is very cold and the fluid is thicker or something. NEVER happens after it's warmed up, or on summer days. I've seen this before in manual trannys, I'm sure there's nothing wrong with the car. Like I said before, my old mustang used to do the same thing. Just thought someone who knew more about manual transmissions might be able to give a little more insight into this.

Anyone else who has had their car die when you first start it....did it die when releasing the clutch???

PWRMKR

How cold is cold? What kind/type of fluid do you have in the trans? Did you change it yourself? How long ago?

It's 32

xviper

^ What he said.
You're either running syrup in your tranny or there is something wrong with your car. I'm running Honda MTF and this morning, I got off a nightshift where the car was parked outside for nearly 15 hours at -26*C (that's about -15*F for you guys). The car fired up immediately and I let out the clutch in neutral within a couple of seconds of it starting. The rpm only dipped about 100 rpm from its already high cold idle of over 2000 rpm.

2k3yellows2k

It's normal........sometimes it may be colder than other time. There is no "set" temperature for it to do this. My car has done it a few times in the past month or so also. This happens to alot of us.

Windscreen

Watch the timing of how quickly you let the clutch out after the engine lights. I've found that if I let the clutch out just as the air pump fires up (my usual timing), the chances of a stall are increased. I think the double whammy of 2x load increases does it (electrical draw + trans friction). Wait a few seconds with the clutch depressed until you hear the air pump whistle, then let it out.

Steve

S1999+1

Car has 11k miles on it. Factory fluid, never changed. I believe windscreen may be right, it's probably a timing thing. I'm letting the clutch out at the exact time it has a load on it at start up. Like I said, it only happens occasionally and I only remember it happening when it's cold. I'm not worried about it, bul like pwrmkr stated he might get some movement out of it, occasionally, I do as well. it's not much, mind you. Kind of the movement you'd get if you were sitting on a completely flat surface and tried jamming the car in gear without using the clutch, you know how the car would slightly pull forward, that's the kinda lurch I was talking about. Anyway, thanks for all the concerns that I might have the wrong fluids and such, but I believe with it having the factory fluid that's not it.

3ngin33r1

Might be time to give it a fluid change. 11k on factory fluids may not cause any harm and is certainly well within the maintenance schedule.

From what I've seen the typical change on diff and tranny is 10k by the majority of us anal retentive folks. Other more hardcore people change it at the first oil change or even at 500 miles. You may want to check your clutch fluid as well.

I would say that you have a 90% chance of improving your conditions with a fluid change.

KaNgArOo

Same thing happen to me......Car died after i start it up then realese the clutch...
I thought it was just because it was cold (32-40 degrees F)
My car only has 5900 miles
i only start it time to time...because i don't like to drive it in the winter...
i resenly bought a fuel stabelizer to help prevent the gas from getting old and to prevent the fuel injector from getting cloudy...
hope that helps ...and is there anyting wrong with my car???