IS DS temperature/cold engine sensitive?

Wanderer

Member
Messages
5,791
Cold weather bites again and I find the DS being a right pig in the morning when cold until it warms up. Revs rock-steady on idle, 1k rpm or so until warm, engine/exhaust sounds a bit more raucous for some reason (4.7 engine thread on my mind) until after about what 7-10 mins when engine is at proper temp 700/750 rpm or so then all is sweet, silence, smooth changes. Even when cold though engine is responsive and free revving.

Just gear changes are not smooth and sometimes a bit lurchy, until temp is about three quarters to proper temp. Got 20k on this clutch, should get a bit more (first one lasted 98k) but I use it daily, as did previous owner.

It's not THAT bad really, certainly not as bad as my dad's old Sierra on choke on a cold morning, just moaning and paranoid after the 4.7 engine thread lol!

Good thing about QP5 DS now if it breaks get another they're so cheap and a donor car to boot!
 

azapa

Member
Messages
1,300
All sounds par for the course, really. A DS box is like any in that thick oil will make for baulky shifts.
 

CatmanV2

Member
Messages
48,547
Plus you've got secondary air systems making the exhaust sound change until the cats are up to temp

C
 

Wanderer

Member
Messages
5,791
Thermostat mate most likely culprit.
Not so sure about that - heats up quick enough, even in this weather here 0-2c. 10 mins max and I'm at normal 90c or so and car is perfect. 12c here know and if I go out it will be no problem, just the change in temp....
 

azapa

Member
Messages
1,300
Got DS and gearbox oil change next on list, can't see it anywhere in the FSH.....
The 599 that shares the basic same gearbox requires frequent f1 oil changes, does not say much in the Strad maintenance schedule. I changed mine at 10K miles, the main dealer loves me :confused:. To be honest the only difference I can feel is a lighter wallet.
 

Motorsport3

Member
Messages
869
I've changed the gearbox oil in my last service at 40k miles and 15 years. It's not a very expensive thing to do anyway.
 

Zep

Moderator
Messages
9,110
It all sounds pretty normal for an Italian. I’m only half Italian and it takes me ages to get going on cold mornings :p

Seriously though, there is an oil cooler on the gearbox and no discernible thermostat so it will take the gearbox oil quite a while to warm through.
 

Ozmurc

Junior Member
Messages
91
Cold weather bites again and I find the DS being a right pig in the morning when cold until it warms up. Revs rock-steady on idle, 1k rpm or so until warm, engine/exhaust sounds a bit more raucous for some reason (4.7 engine thread on my mind) until after about what 7-10 mins when engine is at proper temp 700/750 rpm or so then all is sweet, silence, smooth changes. Even when cold though engine is responsive and free revving.

Just gear changes are not smooth and sometimes a bit lurchy, until temp is about three quarters to proper temp. Got 20k on this clutch, should get a bit more (first one lasted 98k) but I use it daily, as did previous owner.

It's not THAT bad really, certainly not as bad as my dad's old Sierra on choke on a cold morning, just moaning and paranoid after the 4.7 engine thread lol!

Good thing about QP5 DS now if it breaks get another they're so cheap and a donor car to boot!

Mine is exactly the same. I've not had to warm up a car in years, but I honestly feel uncomfortable with the noise and vibrations on cold start. Its not the variators. I run Millers Full Ester Synthetic oil; I was so concerned I even sent an oil sample of for oil analysis last winter when I first noticed this.

LIke your's even with water temp (which is not oil temp/engine temp) up to 3/4 to the halfway mark, its all smooth and lovely.

The car lurches a bit on gearshift, even in manual mode, until a few minutes of running. That being said, i've recently had new hydraulic oil etc done by AV. Once again, when warmed up, one of the sweetest DS shifts around.

overall, once warmed up the car is an absolute pearl.
 

Wanderer

Member
Messages
5,791
Mine is exactly the same. I've not had to warm up a car in years, but I honestly feel uncomfortable with the noise and vibrations on cold start. Its not the variators. I run Millers Full Ester Synthetic oil; I was so concerned I even sent an oil sample of for oil analysis last winter when I first noticed this.

LIke your's even with water temp (which is not oil temp/engine temp) up to 3/4 to the halfway mark, its all smooth and lovely.

The car lurches a bit on gearshift, even in manual mode, until a few minutes of running. That being said, i've recently had new hydraulic oil etc done by AV. Once again, when warmed up, one of the sweetest DS shifts around.

overall, once warmed up the car is an absolute pearl.
Yeah, when it's warm, paddling up and down at the right time the shifts are imperceptible....