Drivetrain chatter on cold mornings?

[jm1681]

Anyone else experience this? My car sits overnight maybe 10-12 hours, the temperature outside drops, the car starts fine in the morning, but when you go to move, there is a ton of drivetrain chatter in first, and this morning I experienced it in second as well.


Not really sure how to describe the feeling, but it basically feels like the clutch is hesitating to grab, and when it does, the whole goddamn car shakes, tire chirp and all. I think it MAY be originating in the diff, because that's where I get the most action when this happens. The rear bounces around like it doesn't know where to put the power.


Eventually it gets smoother (Probably as I'm putting heat into things), but for the first five miles or so of a cold morning, my car is insufferable to drive. Inconsistent clutch take up, and sometimes just plain dangerous as the back end bounces around while I'm trying to make turns.

[Tcoat]

I can have some of this happen but not nearly as bad as you describe and it usually clears up after only a block or two. Mind you that first block can be embarrassing as it looks like I have no idea how to use a clutch.
I just attributed it to cold transmission oil as it clears up very quickly once I start to move.

[jm1681]

Yeah, that sounds pretty similar. The days where it's been really bad, I tend to get a little...rough (?) with the car and that seems to straighten it right out


Still, like you said, it's flat out embarrassing those first few miles, plus it just feels terrible

[stugray]

I was concerned at first with this car as sometimes (no explanation) I would get a lot of metallic "chatter" coming from the rear.

I convinced myself it is just the Diff doing the "LSD thing".
And the noise tends to go away once it warms up.

When my son (new to stick) drives it, it seems to make a lot more noise.
Not sure if it his driving style, or that It sounds different when sitting in the passenger seat.

[jm1681]

I know exactly what you mean

I'm guessing it's just a diff thing caused by the cold. It's not something I can capture in pictures or in video or anything, so it's impossible to diagnose much further

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by jm1681

Yeah, that sounds pretty similar. The days where it's been really bad, I tend to get a little...rough (?) with the car and that seems to straighten it right out


Still, like you said, it's flat out embarrassing those first few miles, plus it just feels terrible

I find that when it does it I also get a bit more aggressive on the gas and run at a little higher revs. Agree that helps a bit.
Don't think it is really a "problem" as such just and idiosyncrasy of the car that we need to learn to deal with.
As informative as this forum can be I think it also makes us question aspects of the car that really are not an issue but when 50 people say it is you start to doubt things.
These cars are noisy, the engines make sounds that are just bizarre and the handling can seem strange with the slightest variables but these are direct result of all the things we tend to like about the car!
The noises we hear could be reduced by a 100 pounds or so of soundproofing - we gain weight.
The engine makes weird sounds because it is a boxer type and they operate a little different. They could have used a more standard inline engine - we lose our low center of gravity.
They handle or act strange under certain conditions such as when cold - the suspension and drive drain are fairly tight and closely tuned so variables have a more noticeable effect - we loosen that up and we lose some of the best features.

I really didn't intend to jump on a soapbox here but just seemed to get in a groove!

OP none of this was directed at you for your statements it is just a general observation.

[Siem Reap]

Do you drive immediately after starting or do you let it cycle through the cold start before taking off?

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Siem Reap

Do you drive immediately after starting or do you let it cycle through the cold start before taking off?

Always let it drop to low idle before moving. The cold aspect is the rest of the drive train fluids that don't warm up until you move.