Acceleration issue - 6MT

[Ever Victorious]

OK... this has happened only once, and it happened yesterday... but it freaked the crap out of me, given WHERE it happened.

So I'm trying to pull out of a street parking space on Western Ave in Seattle, heading towards Broad to get on the freeway. Western can get a bit busy, particularly on sunny days like yesterday (there's an outdoor public sculpture park right where I was)... so I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to get run over by another vehicle.

Revved up a bit and let out the clutch. Not a burnout or a drag launch, but definitely more than my normal launch.

As soon as the clutch was completely out, the car almost stalled... I gave it more gas and it went lurch-lurch-lurch and THEN decided to accelerate like a bat out of hell.

I'm hoping this doesn't become a regular occurance...

[kissfreeek]

curious, do you regularly use fuel treatment ???

[Ever Victorious]

concetrated gumout every 15,000 miles. I've also been working a lot in areas where my normal gas stations are few and far between so I've been using a lot more Chevron and 76 fuels than normal.

[manvan]

i think i had that happen to me once or twice too, but not as severly as yours

[kissfreeek]

try techron, made by chevron, you can find it at wal-mart, and use it every other oil change or every 6000 k, or find a shop that offers BG products, and have the complete service done by them, they will clean the upper and lower intake, valves, combustion chamber, and piston heads, along with treating the fuel system as well, you cant beat BG,

[BBISHOPPCM]

Yikes. I havn't had this problem... yet.

[Ever Victorious]

try techron, made by chevron, you can find it at wal-mart, and use it every other oil change or every 6000 k, or find a shop that offers BG products, and have the complete service done by them, they will clean the upper and lower intake, valves, combustion chamber, and piston heads, along with treating the fuel system as well, you cant beat BG,

ahem...

concetrated gumout every 15,000 miles. I've also been working a lot in areas where my normal gas stations are few and far between so I've been using a lot more Chevron and 76 fuels than normal.

Chevron fuels have Techron in them already. If it was a cleanliness issue, the Techron in the Chevron fuel I've been using recently would have resolved it.

Also, of note, is that it was a tank of Chevron gas that happened to be in the tank when this happened. I normally don't use them because they're quite expensive and I actually often see a fuel mileage DECREASE with them... but as I said, them and 76 have been all that's been available to me for about a month or so (3000 miles).

If this IS a cleanliness problem, I'm going to have a serious issue with this car. NO car, no matter how crappy the fuel I have used, has ever had the fuel system go to crap fom repeated use of low-end fuels, not even back in the days where I DIDN'T use fuel system cleaners. The ONLY fuel related problem I've ever had was a tank of Texaco causing a set of fuel injectors to go "pleh" in one of my (many) Subarus.

If a 12 year old Subaru can get me 40,000 miles on crap fuel and no additives, but this wonderful new piece of machinery can't get me 17,000, even WITH additives, that's not a good sign... so I seriously hope you're way off base with this one. I'm hoping it was a sensor hiccup or something along those lines.

Note: too distracted with work right now to care about sentence structure and grammar. Please feel free to pick apart my sentence mechanics. Rockhound.

[NewToVersa]

To EV, any chance you just put the transmission in 3rd instead of 1st. Happened to me a few times...

[matttail]

My first guess would be that you accidentally got third instead of first - I've done that a few times my self as well. It would also seem likely that your clutch was slipping. The "jump" you describe sounds like what a most people do when learning clutch. You were trying to accelerate , and then the car moved funny, making your foot move on the clutch... I'd chalk it up to a fluke.. unless it happens again

[kissfreeek]

OK first I was downing the fuel you were using or how you treated your vehicle, yes chevron fuel does contain the additive techron but in very small amounts, in the past fuel was processed with much more integrity, now that the demand has become greater the process has been revamped to be able to keep up with the demand, the fuel we use has a large amount of foreign objects that can and will screw up the injectors spray pattern which causes a loss of mpg, by using an alternative fuel treatment it will help with keeping the injectors working their best with what they are being given

[kissfreeek]

P.S. I really didnt mean to pull any chains, seems like you are on the defensive, but iv seen it work and also use it myself in EVERYTHING that I own that uses fuel enen my harley.

[Ever Victorious]

OK...

...Anyone have any USEFUL possibilities?

[corpsecorps]

I was going to ask about 3rd gear, even Mario Andretti missed a shift or two!(the scenario fit perfectly, try a Quick start in third in a similar place) The gears are really low on the Versa

I would rather have missed one shift than have a car problem. (hope I'm not stepping on any Macho toes!)

Has anyone had any problems with versa clutches?

Have you had any work done on the Versa lately?

[Knightro2]

I had that happen on my S-10 back in college. It sounds like the clutch plate is skipping. I had to get mine replaced but that was after 50k miles. That was premature as it was but I had nothing but probs with my S-10 from the get go. That truck was the whole reason I swore off of domestics.

[Frahman]

I've driven manual trannies for coming on for 30 years. Most of it exclusively manuals. You DID get a useful suggestion. Your description exactly fits the wrong gear being selected. Espeically in a low geared car

Reminds me of that line 'You can't handle the truth'.

One time occurrence? Nothing to do with your fuel system. You were trying to make a fast start. You messed up. That was my first impression on reading the OP. It is still my impression. But hey, I'm not perfect.

[Fen911]

This has happen to me as well (several times). Just as you said only when I try to accelerate harder than normal. If I do a clutch peel release it burns rubber and no stutter. I will also like to know what the hell is going on. In case it matters my Versa is 19months old and has 9,200 miles. (Still wet under the ears )

[Ever Victorious]

Knightro - Alright, thanks for the suggestion. That IS a possibility, I know my clutch will probably be one of the first to wear out due to all our fun little hills here that I have to do stop-and-go on quite often.

Fen911 - If I find anything, I'll let you know.

Has anyone had any problems with versa clutches?

Yes, but unrelated problem/symptoms. Early '07 SL's had problems with the ASCD switch moving out of place/adjustment, which would cause the clutches to slip. Versa #1 did that less than 24 hours after I drove it off the lot.

Quote »Have you had any work done on the Versa lately? [/quote]Oil change performed 500 miles ago. Fuel system cleaner and new air filter 1500 miles ago. 12V socket in the passenger cabin replaced 4000 miles ago.

Frahman - If you want to use that line, you had better be sitting in my passenger seat when you make it.

The rest of you - Bury it. The car was turning the correct RPM's for 1st gear. not 2nd, not 3rd, not 4th, FIRST. Unless you can think of some failure that would cause 3rd gear to turn at the same RPM's as 1st gear, at the same speeds, that doesn't involve slippage of the clutch.

[gotak]

I would also suggest the possibility your drive by wire throttle got confused, if the clutch thing isn't the issue.

[BBISHOPPCM]

This did happen to me in my Frontier; it was water in the gas. Throw in a bottle of drygas and see what 'appens.

[Kolk1]

Maybe you put it in 3rd on accident??

[Ever Victorious]

Maybe you put it in 3rd on accident??

Just for that, I'm gonna have Kimber squint at you...

Oh, and thanks for the input gotak and bbishop...