Manual + cold weather

[lyonsroar]

It's getting a little colder here in the midwest and I'm noticing some changes and I'd some reassurance that it's normal. This is my first MTX so that's why I ask.

I find that the clutch seems to be a little stickier when it is colder. Also, I think it's a little more difficult to get into 2nd gear when it's cold? Not really more difficult, just more...notchy...I think is the word. After 3-4 1 to 2 shifts it gets better.

That sound about right?

Thanks!

 

[Ajburr]

Sounds about right. 1-2 is usually clunky/notchy for me when it's cold, but it goes away after a little driving.

 

[skallen]

Our gear oil is quite thick. So, as it gets colder, it takes more time for the oil to "warm up and thin out". This is perfectly normal.

 

[ras]

Have the same problem, live here in Georgia and last weekend got down in the thirties and 1st to 2nd it is kind of notchy. After it warms up it is gone.

 

[JBR]

You gotta let all manual transmissions warm up or they will be tough to shift. It's very common and normal.

 

[meGrimlock]

the rubber bushings get stiffer in the cold. i liked the more precise feel to it due to the reduced play, so i upgraded to polyurethane bushings on my protege and they are my favorite upgrade. i believe there are solid metal bushings available for the mazda3 and i highly recommend them!

 

[BlackCherry06]

Drain the factory fill and put in some Redline MT-90. It cured my MS6 of all it's bad behavior...especially the stubborn 1-2 shift.

 

[lyonsroar]

You gotta let all manual transmissions warm up or they will be tough to shift. It's very common and normal.

I don't usually let my cars warm up unless it's down to like 0'F. Usually only for 5-10 minutes. Does starting your car and letting it idle warm up a manual transmission? If it's not in use?

 

[meGrimlock]

well if the car sits idle too long, its generally a waste of gas and when its not in use, the manual transmission typically generates less heat than an auto anyway. best thing to do is to drive away and let it warm up en route.

 

[JBR]

I never just drive off in a stone cold car. When it's consistently below freezing I will run may car for 10-15 minutes before leaving for work and before I come home. It's just better for the the motor. And yes the transmission will get warmed up. I could care less about a few cents in gas anyway.

 

[Darth Vader]

Well, it just ain't "better for the motor" to idle it for 15 minutes before driving, in any weather. This motor (and any other) is highly inefficient when left idling, especially cold so, while you're going to warm up the water a touch, you're not really evenly warming the important bits inside the engine. You are not really warming the driveline either with the car sitting there idling in neutral. A touch of light load will bring the whole engine up to proper operating temps faster and that's where the the engine should be, as quickly as possible.

This is a pretty old debate going back to the days of high idle step cams and world shaking advancements like the "automatic choke". In the days of direct injection, synthetic oil, modern materials, etc., it's pretty much irrelevant.

And to the OP, this car has some of the worst warmup driveability of any modern vehicle made. It's quite surprising to me in light of the advancements mentioned above. The stock tune is the problem here, especially on modified cars.

 

[lyonsroar]

I believe it. I let my car warmup a little bit more for me than anything else.
The transmission is awfully notchy at warmup and it's not even that cold out yet.

 

[MikeHTally]

I believe it. I let my car warmup a little bit more for me than anything else.
The transmission is awfully notchy at warmup and it's not even that cold out yet.

+1 The car will warm up quicker by driving than idling. I warm mine up for me, not for it. It's always better for the vehicle to just start it up and go (gently for a few minutes, of course).

 

[JBR]

My car reaches normal operating temperature just idling in 10 minutes and the heat most certainly transfers to the transmission. Try it; when it's freezing outside drive the car cold. Then the next day warm it up for 10minutes. The difference is night and day.

 

[lyonsroar]

My car reaches normal operating temperature just idling in 10 minutes and the heat most certainly transfers to the transmission. Try it; when it's freezing outside drive the car cold. Then the next day warm it up for 10minutes. The difference is night and day.

How cold are you talking though? It's gotten down to -28'F here before. That day my (old) car NEVER got up to normal operating temp on my drive to school.

 

[Tronspeed3]

I Usually just let it idle until the RPMs drop to 1000 then go.... 27 degrees in Des Moines this morning

 

[Domino81]

Run through the gears slowly and gingerly. Sounds like you already do when it's cold. You're fine!

 

[Z-Indy]

I have a dashhawk and set it up so the screen is blue until I get up to a decent temp (150 or so I think), and I just baby it until I see the blue go away.

 

[lyonsroar]

OK, it's getting even colder now. I give the car maybe 5-10 minutes to warm up, run throught the gears while sitting in the car just to get things moving. That improved it a lot. 1st to 2nd is rough the first two shifts and then after that it's A OK.

I'm having one more issues though.
If I'm launching, in the summer and fall when it's warm, I string out first and second gear to 3k RPMs and shift and it was all smooth. Now that it's cold, if I do that, it seems like the gears are sticky? I'll go from 1-2, but as I release the clutch I get a thump and the RPM's drop like a rock to where they want to be, rather that gently like they're supposed to. Do I just need to shift sooner in the cold? Like just over 2k RPM's? Do I need to let the clutch out slower? It seems to be particularly prevalent when shifting 1-2 UP an incline, not down. Is this rev hang? I get it sometimes 2-3, but it's much less pronounced.

I'm still new at manual. (sad1)
Thanks!

 

[tddvrrn]

just a heads up: there is a tsb for a motor/transmission mount bolt that can get loose and create a thunking. you'll know when you hear it whether it could be that or not, but just though i'd mention it to err on the side of caution. it was for 2007 ms3s, but there seem to be multiple 2008 peeps who've dropped their transmissons/engines onto the road.
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...EED3-Engine-Mount-Bolt-Safety-Recall-4607F***