GR86 Jerky acceleration when cold?

[beorg]

I find the second gear is quite terrible when you apply gentle throttle an the engine and gearbox are not warmed up properly.

The car is very jerky in acceleration in the first 20-30 sec. Ironically, it takes about the same time for Android Auto to connect wirelessly to the head unit with Carsifi

 

[Vistalite]

As a member has previously posted you have to adapt your driving to suit.

Think of it more as taming a wild horse rather than riding a milk float.

 

[leosayer]

As a member has previously posted you have to adapt your driving to suit.

Think of it more as taming a wild horse rather than riding a milk float.

Fully agree with this.

Such a lightweight, great handling, responsive and reasonably priced car will always come with compromises to how good the car is as a daily driver.

 

[midlife_sportscar]

While it definitely requires more concentration than the Fiesta I've just swapped out of I don't really have a lot of trouble with the throttle (or clutch for that matter).
When cold there is sometimes a hint of kangarooing when I go over the first couple of speed humps near me but I think that is as much to do with the involuntary throttle press it creates as anything else.
The only other time it's noticeable really is if I turn the engine off and restart before the warmup has really completed - I try to avoid doing this anyway but sometimes if I need to call at the shop on my way out there isn't much choice.

 

[Bluemanc100]

As a member has previously posted you have to adapt your driving to suit.

Think of it more as taming a wild horse rather than riding a milk float.

I agree also.. I’ve got the weaker clutch spring ready to fit but I’m now wondering whether to bother as I’m pretty used to the car now.. If the difference the spring makes is like night and day then I may do it but the jury is out

 

[Triggaaar]

I don't know if some cars come of the production line worse than others, but I'm having no issue with mine. That's not to say it's the same as other cars, it isn't. I wear trainers with thinner soles (old school adidas), and as long as I'm careful with the clutch and accelerator, it's all good. But the whole car is like that. Road noise is high unless you've found a smooth stretch of road (not sure whether I'll bother with the speaker upgrade, as you can't here it that well anyway), and it's obviously bumpy too. There are plenty of people who don't want that. They don't want a proper old school sports car.

That's not to say they couldn't have been done better (clutch/accelerator), but they're ok.

 

[Hillstormer]

I'm experiencing the same, it feels like the rear suspension is actually too stiff for UK broken roads on sticky tyres. As temps drop your tyres are providing less damping which is why its more pronounced in the cold. It feels like the rear is skipping on power delivery, suspect some adjustable coil overs would solve the it, when its cold you could set them soft to mitigate. A stock GT86 didn't behave like this because the stock primacys where as soft as butter and there wasn't the torque.

 

[Doridori]

what i find is that for the first 30 seconds or so after cold start when the car is idling high, the car will jerk violently however gently you apply the throttle. After the idle drops, the car becomes much smoother /normal to drive.

What I tend to do is to pull away from cold start using the clutch only, refrain from touching the throttle and keep it in 1st until the idle drops, thereafter I put it into 2nd gear and drive as normal. I'm lucky that I live on a quiet estate so not getting in anyone's way by going slow for the first 30 seconds of my drive!

 

[Triggaaar]

what i find is that for the first 30 seconds or so after cold start when the car is idling high, the car will jerk violently however gently you apply the throttle.

Mine doesn't do this.

After the idle drops, the car becomes much smoother /normal to drive.

What I tend to do is to pull away from cold start using the clutch only, refrain from touching the throttle and keep it in 1st until the idle drops, thereafter I put it into 2nd gear and drive as normal. I'm lucky that I live on a quiet estate so not getting in anyone's way by going slow for the first 30 seconds of my drive!

Strange. Maybe I'm just going so slowly for the first 30 seconds I haven't noticed the issue that you have?

 

[beorg]

what i find is that for the first 30 seconds or so after cold start when the car is idling high, the car will jerk violently however gently you apply the throttle. After the idle drops, the car becomes much smoother /normal to drive.

What I tend to do is to pull away from cold start using the clutch only, refrain from touching the throttle and keep it in 1st until the idle drops, thereafter I put it into 2nd gear and drive as normal. I'm lucky that I live on a quiet estate so not getting in anyone's way by going slow for the first 30 seconds of my drive!

That's exactly what happens with mine. I tend to idle for the first 20-30 seconds, or avoid touching the throttle in that time if I set off right away.

It would be interesting to see if everyone else's experience aligns with ours.

 

[ZN8]

You will get funny business when you set off whilst the car is in cold start idle. You can literally set off without touching the accelerator in first and second when this is happening in winter and the car will shudder and back off when it comes out of it. You are best of letting the car complete the cold start or drive fast enough that it doesn't affect low speed driveability.

 

[Noel McC]

I’m ok throttle wise cold. If find it can kangaroo badly in 2nd, 3rd sometimes 4th when hot on medium (not light/not heavy) mid range acceleration. It can pogo accelerate between 2500 to 5500 rpm especially if going easy then transfer up to moderate driving. Seems ok hammering it. I think is fuelling or throttle response. Liveable and I bet tune fixable. Anyone else.

 

[sbc_uk]

I have to say mine does not do this.

Initially I had some jerkiness.... but tbf that was me and getting used to a manual again and the (can be) tricky clutch.

I have had the oil changed twice. I only use Shell VPower. I have learned to not baby it, you have to drive it firmly. And I'm just shy of 6k miles. It may be coincidence, but mine is now smooth and a true joy to drive.....

 

[Triggaaar]

I have to say mine does not do this.

Initially I had some jerkiness.... but tbf that was me and getting used to a manual again and the (can be) tricky clutch.

If I don't make a mistake, mine is always smooth (and has been since new).

I have learned to not baby it, you have to drive it firmly.

What do you mean by 'firmly'? If you're in traffic, you have to baby it don't you? Or do you just mean that every so often you let the engine rev a bit to keep it running smoothly?

 

[sbc_uk]

If I don't make a mistake, mine is always smooth (and has been since new).




What do you mean by 'firmly'? If you're in traffic, you have to baby it don't you? Or do you just mean that every so often you let the engine rev a bit to keep it running smoothly?

I mean it's a car that needs to be 'driven' imo. My other car is a performance Golf GTi . I can be very lazy when driving that and it lets me get away with it. With the GR I need to be deliberate with the gear change, deliberate with the steering etc. I love it. It demands to be driven, as a proper sports car should Best explanation I can give. I know what I mean

 

[GRistopher]

Having lived with the car for a while I've changed my vote to, "Jesus Christ its annoying, just stop it, stop it now!"

I'm entirely blaming the cold start for this, as its only during the cold start procedure that it happens. the throttle reacts so inconsistently until its finished.
Can someone please tell me the benefit of warming up the Cat sooner if it means you have to sit with your engine running on your driveway for an extra minute until the exhaust ports stop flaming out? It's so stupid, but I guess it works on a superficial emissions test on a rolling road so were all really winning.
I'll be looking at getting the cold start removed as soon as there's an ECUTEK tuner in the UK that can do it.

 

[SJR202]

Having lived with the car for a while I've changed my vote to, "Jesus Christ its annoying, just stop it, stop it now!"

I'm entirely blaming the cold start for this, as its only during the cold start procedure that it happens. the throttle reacts so inconsistently until its finished.
Can someone please tell me the benefit of warming up the Cat sooner if it means you have to sit with your engine running on your driveway for an extra minute until the exhaust ports stop flaming out? It's so stupid, but I guess it works on a superficial emissions test on a rolling road so were all really winning.
I'll be looking at getting the cold start removed as soon as there's an ECUTEK tuner in the UK that can do it.

That is exactly how I feel, the cold start or even the first 3-5 minutes in the winter is just a miserable driving experience. Mine is one of the first batch of cars from early 2022 build, is that the same as your or are you one of the second wave of 2023/2024 cars?
I disconnected the fake noise generator which has made it slightly easier to drive (though not removing the actual physical issue with it) as I dont think the noise/engine/revs are actually in complete sync with each other!

The fake noise, cold throttle, jerky action has made be seriously consider selling it. Im not using it that often at the moment as working from home, but if I go back to commuting (motorway) then Im not sure it'll be the right car

 

[Silver Fox]

I've probably said this above (but I don't care as I'm of the age now where I'm allowed to repeat myself); I do wonder if some of our cars are afflicted with this issue more than others.

I'm totally happy with mine and this jerky throttle thing has not been a concern for me.

Perhaps it depends what sorts of cars your are used to as well (as per @sbc_uk 's excellent Golf GTI point)? I've previously owned cars with certain traits that required overcoming, which some may well have found infuriating (911 993, Z4 M Coupe, and yes the GT86).

Perhaps the GR86 (or some of them anyway as per my point above) is not a car you can drive smoothly when only part-concentrating. It take deliberate focus to drive it smoothly and coherently. This might not suit everybody all of the time, but that's why I like it.

 

[TR1]

Agree with the cold start comments, I just don't bother moving off until the revs have died down. It just seems that the car isn't happy until fully warmed up and this takes a good few miles. Additionally the 1st to second gear change in the GR86 whilst a bit better than my last BRZ isn't at its best until well warmed up. I fitted a Whiteline positive shift bush (expect gearbox 'whine' if you do) to the BRZ and will do so to the GR86, this helped a bit as did changing the gearbox oil.

 

[Hachi-roku]

Interestingly there seems to be some suggestion newer models differ aside from the addition of iSight on the manual cars. There’s discussion about throttle input/mapping in this video.



If it’s simply a file on the ECU then you would hope our older cars can just be plugged in for an update. Obviously thats on the assumption the presence of the OPF on EU market cars will mean we’re stuck with the current version.