xviper

Let's distinguish between two different situations here:
1. You crank the engine and it starts as usual, BUT, within a second or two, it just dies. Upon the next start, all is well. This is a situation where a change in climatic conditions can cause the ECU to have a bit of a brain fart and in almost all cases, the car will "learn" to adjust after several such starting cycles and won't do it again for maybe another year.

2. You crank the engine and it starts as usual, BUT, if you release the clutch (in neutral), the engine dies.

For those of you with problem #2, may I ask the following:
a) During a cold start such as this, does your engine idle immediately go up to at least 2000 rpm (or more)?
b) How long after the start before you release the clutch? A second or two OR, after several seconds to 1/2 a minute?
c) If you hold the clutch in for at least 1/2 a minute, then let the clutch go, does it stall?
d) Do you let the clutch out quickly or slowly?
Have you tried to do this: Before letting the clutch out, increase the rpm to about 2500. What happens?
e) If you just let the clutch out slowly (right after start up) and push it back in immediately when it starts to die, does it recover?

In (a), if it does NOT go up to at least 2000 rpm after a cold start, something is wrong with the cold high idle of your car.
In (b), if this is happening, you may be actually mimicking (1) above.
In

3ngin33r1

blah, blah, blah... whack it, lube it and crank it.

kstokell

In Europe we start our cars with the clutch engaged, we don't need to depress it. I've never had any problems, why not just disable the engine block signal from the clutch system.

NNY S2k

All of #2 of Xviper's post is what I do after car has sat in cold temperatures here...between -30 to plus 10 f. If I just take my time, and let the S warm up some I have no problems. Mine also has orig. tranny fluid and I will get that slight forward "rock" when first releasing the clutch. It also did this last winter when the car had appx. 6k miles and is doing same thing this winter at 9.5 k miles. This "rocking" only happens after very cold temps with car sitting for a few days.

Calvin

Funny that same thing happened to me twice today. it's been cold ~20 deg and when I started the car and let out the clutch soon afterwards, not even a second like I usually do, it died. it was too quick to even realize whether the idle went up immediately or not. it started up immediately afterward without any problem. I do not think it's ECU learning thing since I already had that happen few weeks ago when it got cold. With ECU learning, it would sputter for few seconds and idle would drop and then, it would die. today however, it died immediately as I was releasing the clutch. I have ~15k mi with original tranny and diff fluid.

xviper

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Calvin
Funny that same thing happened to me twice today.

S1999+1

Xviper,

Mine has only done that when I immediately let the clutch out after starting it up. Usually, the situation is that I'm at work and I am going out to warm up the car, so I simply put one foot in on the clutch, start it up, and jump out of the car. It has never died when I slowly let it out or wait a few (10) seconds before letting it out. It's almost always this situation that it happens since when I'm just normally driving it, I don't start it up and immediately releasing the clutch.

About it lurching forward, I have it parked facing a decline and the ebrake on. When I let it the clutch out in neutral, I can feel it pull through forward just a hair. Like I said before, the person who bought this new is a friend of mine and I know for a fact the fluid hasn't been changed.

xviper

S1999+1, I can only suggest that you give it a few seconds before letting out the clutch. The idle needs a short bit of time to stabilize before you add the extra drag of the tranny (even in neutral). Try to give it a 5 count before releasing the clutch and perhaps release it a bit more slowly. I routinely start my car at -15*C and I sit there with my foot on the clutch (in neutral) for about 10-15 seconds before slowly releasing and even then, when I get to the friction point, the engine has a slight reduction in speed for a second or two (maybe about 200 - 300 rpm). The slight "lurch" you feel, I believe is normal. Even though the tranny is in neutral, the cold fluid does move when you engage the clutch. In neutral, the tranny turns both shafts but the power does not connect directly to the rear wheels, however, the "resistance" of the fluid when it's cold like that can cause some directing of power (to a small degree) out the output shaft to the rear wheels. In such cases, especially when you are on an incline, you might be wise to have your foot on the brake at that instant and make sure your ebrake is applied a couple clicks more than usual.

kstokell

I agree with "xviper" on this!

I have had no problems with this until recently, I replaced the gearbox oil, and now when it's cold the car creeps slightly on start up.

What type of gearbox oil are you using?

If you really find it a problem, perhaps you could use a lower viscosity oil during the cold period.

S1999+1

STOCK FLUID. Absolutely stock fluid. I bought this car off my best friend. It had 6400 miles on it when I bought it. All he ever did was change the oil. I actually probably put 2000 of the first 6400 miles on it. It only has 11,500 miles now. Unless the dealer, when it was first new, changed it than it has not been done. I was also with him when he bought it new and I'm sure it has not been changed. Are you telling me maybe I should change it.

Also, it's not really a problem. I was just mentioning it so there would be more talk on it and maybe others wouldn't worry about it so much. Like I said earlier above, I beleive it has something to do with the thickness of the fluid when it's cold. Just wanted more discussion on it to see if someone had a "clinical" reason for it as I was just speculating.