Only when the engine is very cold, like having been off all night, I get some jumpiness starting up in 1st gear. It feels kinda like wheel hop, but I know its not because I don't drive hard at all before the engine warms up. If there is such a thing as "clutch hop", then that's what it would feel like. Any ideas what could be causing it?

 

bump... anyone know?

 

I get the same thing, on my morning commute at the first few stop signs, and I've done the same diagnosis, cant be wheel skip because I'm not driving her hard. I thought for a while it may have just been me driving like a retard, but I'm pretty sure its not that.

 

i used to get that too...doesn't really happen anymore...but i dont know why it happened and why it doesn't happen anymore.

only thing i can suggest is to launch at very low rpms (400-500)

 

I get the same thing when the car is cold. There's no problem after the car has warmed up.

No one knows what causes this?

 

Hope it's not wheel hop cause that ****s your tranny.

 

Are you 5spd?
If so, just learn a little better to drive with it in first gear.
1st gear is always a little hoppy/jumpy.

 

lol - yes, I push a 5 speed, and who knows - maybe I still haven't mastered the art of coming off the clutch.

Oh - I got it...maybe I get better as the car warms up, so maybe I just have to warm up, too

 

Brudaddy - No offense, but I've been driving stick for a while and I don't think that's the problem; especially considering it just became an issue a few months ago, and there is no problem once its warmed up. It does, however, feel like the same feeling as someone that doesn't know how to drive a stick, which is embarassing.

 

i get the same issue but its from 1st to 2nd gear...i think its only when my clutch is up to temp or something cause after a mile or so its kinda smooth after that

 

hmmmmmm......I am confused.

 

exactly.

 

+1 to having this problem no solution goes away when car is warm

 

it's either you not being able to drive stick too good, your clutch is getting worn out, or you got a rear main seal leak which caused your clutch to glaze, which makes it harder to keep the car from jerking because clutch will slip alot more.

 

mine does the same thing, and ive been driving sticks for 7 years so i doubt its me. only when cold and only in reverse/1st. i just thought that it might be a warped pressure plate from the guy who i bought it from, i dont know how easily these oem clutches overheat. but it only does it for like the first 2-3 start from stops of the day and only a couple times a week so i figure ill live with it.

 

oh yeah not surfaced flywheel, or bad pressure plate.

 

I can't believe nobody mentionned chatter yet... I get the same thing and if I ''power launch'' when the car is cold, I dont get it at all. But if I'm not careful, it will do it. I know my clutch assembly is on its way out as I have 297000km on the car but it still grabs really hard.

Anways, it might be something with the 4th gen 5spd trans or just that your clutch, pressure plate, flywheel are a bit scored, warped etc etc... Dont worry about it.

Charancon

 

maybe u should warm ur car up before u drive it. everymornin i start my car and let it chill for few mins before i drive it

 

most of the time I don't have the time to let my car warm up for a few minutes. even if I did, I probably wouldn't do it in this apartment complex. I guess the problem is just that the cluth is cold and that's how it is. I know it isn't me. the problem doesn't seem to exist on any other car I drive.

 

I agree with bullfrog about "not in this area", and I wouldn't normally warm it up this time of year anyways; it's about 80F when I get up so it's not like the engine is "cold". It could very well be the clutch going, but I was told to check and see how the clutch is doing that you should floor it in 5th and see if it slips, as this has the highest gear ratio and will be the first sign of slipping. It then progresses down the gears. I do that periodically and don't have any problems, but I do have 155,000 miles on the original clutch, so...

 

Same thing happens to me every morning

 

I've noticed the same thing when i get a cold start. I know its not my clutch it has about 5,000 miles on it. I know its not my driving because i can drive well. I hardly ever do a "power launch" i usually low rev and then deck it you can pull off the line alot quicker that way.
I think that when you do a cold start the engine idle's a little higher. If you drive it gently at cold start you'll be fine. I Havnt had any problems and im on my second 97 Maxima SE 5psd. If you let the engine warm up a little bit u should be ok.