gfxdave99

I have noticed something interesting when i start my TSX up when its reallllly cold out (like under 15F) is that when its uber cold if I keep the clutch in after i start the car and let it out the rms dip and you feel the car shift just a little bit and for the first minute or two if you dip the clucth back in the rpms go back up. This isnt a slight change, its about a 500-700 rpm difference.

So a> do you think that its really that much more effort for the engine with the clutch in when all the fluids are ass cold?

b> am i the only person who has noticed this

and last

c> Would one be wise to leave the clutch in for a minute to allow whatever is pissed off to warm up

jwb998

A mechanic once told me that all manual cars with electronic control gives the engine gas when you put the clutch in. This is so the car won't die, or drop down in rpm real fast when you take the load away. I think your car is probably just reacting slow, and making sure it doesn't die. I can't say that I have ever experienced this in the TSX (I have only had the car two weeks and I live in Florida), but my SE-R did the same thing when I lived in Chicago.

Eeyore

I'm not an expert, but I'll give this a go from my point of view:

a) No, I think the car was designed to start up in cold temperatures. The car's computer could be adjusting the RPMs for one reason or another depending on if the clutch is in/out when the car is started up cold.

b) I have noticed something like this too. When stone cold the car will move EVER so slightly when letting the clutch out. This never happens except when the car is very cold like when it has been sitting outside overnight.

c) I don't think leaving the clutch in is the way to go. You always hear about folks who leave their clutch in at stoplights, etc and then someone will post and say they are wearing out their throw out bearing faster. In general I think the TSX's tranny is pretty solid, but why put any extra stress on it when you don't need to. I'd say let out the clutch whenever you can - stoplights, waiting for it to warm up, etc.

All of this said, I can't say I've ever started up my car when the temps are below 15F. I think around that, or a bit warmer, is the lowest my car has seen (so far). 400 - 500 rpms difference seems OK, more like 700 - 800 you may want to have it checked out. As long as the car warms up and idles normally after 4 or 5 mins, I'd say everything is OK.

gfxdave99

Yeah i didnt think leaving the clutch in was a good idea cuz i know you shoudlnt do it at stoplights etc because it tends to wear out your throttle bearings.

At least thats what a mechanic told me

TSXReefer

Tonight after work, temp was about 5 degrees. TSX had been sitting all day in the cold. After starting, the engine idle speed was 1800 rpm until the engine warmed. Does not happen in the morning/has not happened before, guess that is because the temp in my garage at home is 25 degrees warmer than outside.
Comments/experience on the high idle speed as related to sever cold?

mlabrie

Even before the advent of computers in car, it was common knowledge in a cold country like here, to push the clutch in to help start your car in the winter.

Starting my TSX at -25oC (-13 deg Fahrenheit) I too notice a significant rpm drop as I let go the clutch. This is perfectly normal with any stickshift car when the temperature drop causing the oil to thickens like molasses.

ClutchPerformer

It's done this way for emissions reasons. Mostly so that your engine/catalytic converter will warm up more quickly. You'll notice the idle speed drop automatically as the engine warms itself.

ClutchPerformer

a). The extra drag you're feeling when you let the clutch pedal out (in neutral I'm guessing) is the engine having to suddenly start turning the layshaft through a bunch of cold tranny fluid (which is even thicker than your cold engine oil).

b). No.

c). In the temperatures we've been having, the fluids won't reach a good temp in a minute. More like ten if you're just sitting there. I'd be more worried about holding the clutch pedal in for that long... The best way to warm up is to drive the car (gently).

GIBSON6594

Kinda off topic, but did anyone else's displays take forever to react to setting changes? For example, increasing the stereo volume. When i hit the steering wheel button, the volume went up right away, but the numbers on the clock display took about a second to increase. Was about 12 degrees.

triton

How long to you guys wait when you start your car before driving it? I heard that waiting more than 30 seconds is actually bad for the car, that after about 10 seconds it's good to go but you should drive gently.

jwb998

I have been waiting for the Navi screen to give me the OK icon.

DCyamaha

I dont know. In these VERY cold temperatures (15 degrees F) I have been starting the car and letting it run for 5-10 minutes before driving. Not only is the heater starting to kick in after this time, but the engine is pretty much ready to go.

And yes, the screens on the stereo are slow to react in cold temps. Its happened in just about every car I've had.

TSX Hokie

Liquid Crystals have VERY slow rise/fall times when it starts getting near 0F.

mg7726

today was freezing in NYC, like 0 degrees - my car struggled to start

NJTSXMan

I'm in Hoboken, so I understand how cold it was... How bad did your car struggle?

Arcticcl9

I notice my car does that every morning when I start the car, and i keep it in a garage. When I let go of the clutch the rpm would dip just a little. I agree with a previous post that it's the layshaft having to spin the cold transmission after letting go of the clutch that cause the rpm to drop. When the car is warm though this never happens.

I try to at least wait for the OK button on the navi to come up before driving away. I know I shouldn't idle my car too much, but warming up the engine first makes the car "smoother" when starting up from a stop. However, no matter how long I warm it up the transmission still stays cold, so the shifts aren't as effortless than when all warmed up

As for the delay, it's just the display that's lagged, not the actual volume..so I don't mine

ClutchPerformer

Here's the thing about cold starts:

1. Running your engine cold is the second worst thing you can do to it besides a brutal lack of maintenance (i.e. not changing the oil, etc.). Now obviously, you can't avoid cold starts altogether, so you want to minimize the TIME that your engine runs cold.

2. Letting your engine idle to to operating temperature is OK in general, but it actually extends the TIME that it takes to warm the engine up. This happens for two reasons:

a). The heat your engine generates is a by-product of the burning fuel. There is no load (or you can think of it as a very small load) on an idling engine, so it doesn't see a need to put much fuel in the cylinders. Less fuel = less heat release. Heat release is your friend in the cold.

b). In general, your engine will idle at much less RPM than you would have it at during regular driving. Even our engine which uses an artificially high idle at cold temps (up to 1500 RPM, I beleive) doesn't get up to where you'd be at during driving 2500-3000. So when you're driving you're getting more heat release events per second. More heat release per unit time = faster total heat "buildup"

Both the a) and b) effects contribute to your car spending less time warming up as you drive than if you just let it sit there. That being said, DON'T BEAT ON THE CAR WHEN IT'S COLD. Remember I said earlier that running cold is the second worst thing you can do to it? Lots of throttle on a cold engine is THE worst. Drive gently until you're at temperature. I know it sucks that you're inside a cold car for 5-10 minutes, but you'll get over it. And your car will thank you.

Enjoy.

biker

This is how you can tell it's an engineer giving you the answer.