"jerky" accel/decel Options

[soltrain]

For the first ~10 minutes after I start the car, I get jerky acceleration on about half throttle, and also jerky deceleration when I get off the gas. This is most apparant in 2nd gear. After the oil temp gauge goes to normal, it's much better. I'm hoping this is only because the engine hasn't warmed up.

I've never owned a sports car before, is this how it is? You have to 'baby' it until the oil warms up? I've read on M3s and such, the engine won't let you past 5k RPM until the oil is ready, but I'm getting this at about 4k, and I'd like to think our celica engine is a bit more reliable than an M3.

[sinner96ST]

i think this happens with the celica, mine does the same. i cant reach the end of each gear unless the temp gauge has leveled out.

[Anub1s]

Are you talking about an actual Oil Temp guage that you have installed (aftermarket) or are you talking about the coolant Temperature guage already installed in the dash? My car has no problem working on cold start up, although I only take it to 3k until its completely warmed up to minimize wear.

[Digndoug]

I have an st, so dif motor, but.. I can start mine up cold as what ever, and then take it to what ever it dosnt change, but it is a lot bettter for the engine to wait until it warms up. Also My bimmer did the same, when it was cold it wouldnt let you cruise past certain prms until its fuly warm. them dang smart bimmers...

[turboinduction]

I dont know why you are at 4000 rpms before the car warming up. Its always a good idea to let any car 'warm up' before burying the needle. Think about it. You go sleep, wake up, and someone puts you on a tread mill on level 10! If your just doing city driving, shift in the 2000 rpm range. Anything is just burning gas. Also on super cold starts (I live in Wisconsin) I'll give her a good quick rev to 3500 or so before even moving the car.

EDIT: new plugs/wires and an oil change might help your problem as well

This post has been edited by turboinduction: Sep 17, 2004 - 1:10 PM

[soltrain]

Thanks for the info. Yep, I did indeed mean the stock coolent temperature gauge, it's got something that looks like an oil symbol to me, so I thought it was oil temp.

I'll treat her nicely till she's warmed up - I'm also switching to synthetic, I've heard that this helps a bit as well.

[Kwanza26]

Sounds to me like your O2 is going bad...

[soltrain]

Tryin to bring this back up. I still have this problem... I pay attention to babying the car while it's still just started up, but I really notice that in around second or third, as soon as I get off the gas, the car jerks a bit. Even when I try to get off the gas slowly.

After the car warms up this goes away. Kwanza, are you sure it's the O2? My idle is very smooth.

I guess I could get new plugs / wires?

[erics1one]

What is your mpg?

Really poor MPG could be an O2, just something to look at.

[soltrain]

I'll double check the MPG - my spark plugs were changed at 52k, now I'm at 72k - they should be OK ya?

[Kwanza26]

[soltrain]

Ok, so I'm going to replace my O2 sensor, we have two right? pre/post cat sensors? I'm guessing I want to replace my pre (upstream) sensor?

And any opinions on 1 wire / 2 wire? I'm looking at the Bosch sensors:

http://www.partsamerica.com/SelectParts.as...r=Oxygen+Sensor

universal 1 wire is only 33 bucks whereas OEM 2/1 wire sensors are 177 (owch).
I read somewhere if you get universal, it's very hard to install? Is this correct?

[Jehuty]

Your Celica does have some motorsports DNA but the drivetrain is strictly pedestrian Toyota. Shouldn't be finnicky i the least. That said, let you car warm up to temp before you rev it up or put alot of load on it.

My two cents...

Take out your plugs, one at a time. Inspect them. You should be able to find a few pictures comparing good/bad plugs on the net.

And if you aren't already using it, go to the auto parts shop and get some of that conductive grease for your plugs. You smear a dab of it on the plug (not the firing side!!!!=D) and it improves the connection between the plug and the wire. Belive it or not I've had that alone cure the exact same stumbling problem on another car.

That should be a pretty cheap first step. Good luck, man!

[Newbie]

I agree with all of these people above.. When you have lots of time, warm up your engine fully, then shut it down. Have it cool down until you can put your hand on the valve cover and can have it stay there for a long time, then take one, or all, of the spark plugs out. And smell the electrode part of the spark plug for fuel. If you can smell fuel, then you aren't burning all of the fuel, and you need a tune up. In addition to that, if you want to that is, you can run a highly conductive "ground" wire from the throttle body to a good grounding point, it should improve your throttle reponse by a little. Hope that helps, and good luck.

[bufferdan]

dude...DONT BUY o2 sensors!! Thats not your problem. Everyone has this problem and its usually worse with the GT engines/trannys. These cars for some reason have a jerky drivetrain when the car isnt warmed up. MY g/f has a 96GT and i have a 94ST and both do this. Her's does it alot more abruptly though. Nothing is wrong with the car...just get used to it and be gentle till it warms up.

[wind]

dude...DONT BUY o2 sensors!! Thats not your problem.  Everyone has this problem and its usually worse with the GT engines/trannys.    These cars for some reason have a jerky drivetrain when the car isnt warmed up.  MY g/f has a 96GT and i have a 94ST and both do this.  Her's does it alot more abruptly though.  Nothing is wrong with the car...just get used to it and be gentle till it warms up.
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exactly....my moms 1998 rav 4 does the same thing when its cold....

[x_itchy_b_x]

mine does it becasue my motor mounts are GONE. my motor rocks so bad and u feel the shaking. i dint realize till my car was on the dyno and hte motor was moving hardcore.

[rjbibeau]

mine does the same thing and i have a gt it's fine after it all warms up. i just noticed it too this year when it was getting cold out i was like twf then i saw this post and was like ohh other people have the same problem so i'm not in the dust.