-25f tHANKSGIVING 1983 My '53 Willys Overland Wagon
Lowest temp you ever started an engine.
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-17 the car had sat for two weeks and it had SAE Mobil 30 in it. Won a bet with my dad on that one.
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Right on Bluestream, I know what your saying I am from PA.
All this talk about 0w oils.
If it went down below 0 F we just didn't go. It wasnt because of the oil it was because of the fuel. Alot more problems with gas line freezing then motor oil.
Unless you lived it, you don't realize that hypotheticals don't mean alot.
All this talk about 0w oils.
If it went down below 0 F we just didn't go. It wasnt because of the oil it was because of the fuel. Alot more problems with gas line freezing then motor oil.
Unless you lived it, you don't realize that hypotheticals don't mean alot.
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-27 with my 2011 Jetta tdi no block heater. Turned over slow and ran rough but started. Read out for radio was really slow. Drove about 50p miles got good heat after a bit fuel mileage was off about 15mpg.
-5*F at Sierra Summit ski area. Stayed for a week and were advised to get going as a white out was coming in. Mom's Volvo 144 on 10W-30. Fired right up. Cranked slow, but fired after a few turns.
Started my Audi many times many 0*F
The opposite is more of a concern to me. What's the highest outside air temp you ever started a vehicle. Mine is 126*F in the afternoon in Borrego Springs. Almost to hot to touch. Fire it and let A/C run for 10 minutes before getting in ...
Started my Audi many times many 0*F
The opposite is more of a concern to me. What's the highest outside air temp you ever started a vehicle. Mine is 126*F in the afternoon in Borrego Springs. Almost to hot to touch. Fire it and let A/C run for 10 minutes before getting in ...
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Don't remember exactly but I know it was in the negative single digits. Didn't start up as nicely as it would have in 70 degree weather but it started without issue. I wouldn't remember what brand oil it was at the time but I do know it was a 5w30 conventional oil...probably Pennzoil as that is what I typically used around that time.
Coldest was probably -22 F but more regularly about -11 F. Started car today and wow...did not sound right at all...very loud once on..i usually have block heater plugged in at least 4hrs. Next week or so will have highs of -5 and lows down to -20.
I only live here because my family does...however ai do wonder why any settlers ever bothered settling down here..lol..i would of been like..im going to find somewhere warmer!
I only live here because my family does...however ai do wonder why any settlers ever bothered settling down here..lol..i would of been like..im going to find somewhere warmer!
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Anyone noticing some similar yrs, months, and dates to this collection of experiences. January 19-21 1985, January 1994, and I would bet Christmas Eve and day 1983 will be in these experiences as well. These three times it was the coldest it has gotten in the lower 48 and Canada in the last 3 decades. Going back just a bit further in climatological history there were certainly some very cold times in the late 1970s. And in Alaska in 1972 the coldest temperature ever recorded in the US was observed at -72°F I believe. And going way back another major arctic outbreak was in January 1940.
Having said that the coldest temp I have had to start a car was in January 1994 at -4°F. There have been other times recently about that cold in my area. January 2014 and February 2015, and this past January 2017 it was right at 0°F or just below -2 to -4°F in my area.
Coldest my father ever had to start a car in was January 21, 1985 when it got down to -12°F during that massive cold outbreak. It got down to -34°F at Mountain Lake in southwest Virginia that same morning. The all time coldest low temperature observed on record for the state.
Having said that the coldest temp I have had to start a car was in January 1994 at -4°F. There have been other times recently about that cold in my area. January 2014 and February 2015, and this past January 2017 it was right at 0°F or just below -2 to -4°F in my area.
Coldest my father ever had to start a car in was January 21, 1985 when it got down to -12°F during that massive cold outbreak. It got down to -34°F at Mountain Lake in southwest Virginia that same morning. The all time coldest low temperature observed on record for the state.
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-5ºF a few years ago in the Lincoln LS after sitting all night in a car port.
At the time I was using Mobil 1 5W-20(I do 5W-30 now). Block heaters are not common here, nor would I have had any way to plug it in. The engine spun fairly well, but needed probably 3 revolutions to fire.
There were several other days with temperatures around that, although I think that was the only below zero day. It was the same story pretty much every day-a few rotations then it started right up.
I'm not big on warming up engines, but when it gets that cold I usually let things run a minute or two before moving.
At the time I was using Mobil 1 5W-20(I do 5W-30 now). Block heaters are not common here, nor would I have had any way to plug it in. The engine spun fairly well, but needed probably 3 revolutions to fire.
There were several other days with temperatures around that, although I think that was the only below zero day. It was the same story pretty much every day-a few rotations then it started right up.
I'm not big on warming up engines, but when it gets that cold I usually let things run a minute or two before moving.
My '67 Suburban at about -5F, 3 years ago during the 2 ft. snow we had here. Original points ignition and Rochester 4GC carb. fired right up without protest. Too bad the brand new New Holland Workmaster 75 wasn't as cooperative - 25 hrs. on the hour meter and all it did was click.
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Hard to say but it was probably my 1994 Cadillac STS. Left for school after sitting outside overnight. I believe it was around -23 that morning without wind chill. Anyone who knows northstars knows they take a lot of juice to get cranking. I left it running all day after that.
Probably running 10w30. Who knows.
Probably running 10w30. Who knows.
I usually used a block heater years ago.
In 1996 I got trapped out of my driveway by drifting snow (better than not being able to get out!) The driveway was 300 ft long. My 1976 Nova with the I6 started the next day at -27°. Hard seats, stiff ignition, but it never let me down on cold starts. 5w30 Valvoline white bottle back then. That was a cold couple mornings - not being able to run back in the house while warming up.
-15 on Wednesday this week. The Silverado 1500 5.3 started no problem. Things are better these days.
In 1996 I got trapped out of my driveway by drifting snow (better than not being able to get out!) The driveway was 300 ft long. My 1976 Nova with the I6 started the next day at -27°. Hard seats, stiff ignition, but it never let me down on cold starts. 5w30 Valvoline white bottle back then. That was a cold couple mornings - not being able to run back in the house while warming up.
-15 on Wednesday this week. The Silverado 1500 5.3 started no problem. Things are better these days.
Got to the hotel late in Timmins, Ontario and all the block heater outlets were taken. This is just down the road from Kapuskasing Ontario where GM has a cold weather test site. It was -45C, and I was driving a 1980s gasoline 460 cu. in. cube van. It started after a few seconds of cranking. Probably 10W-30 in the sump.
Originally Posted By: Bluestream
You people in the south who think 32F is cold, don't know cold. I have seen -40F three times in my life. Starting is more dependant on battery condition, and state of engine tune than oil. We had -40 for four days on a snowmobile trip to Quebec in the 90's, and my high mileage Dodge van with a carbureted six started every morning (on 10W30) Some guys from the US had a Chev Suburban that started up, but the tranny was frozen and wouldn’t shift. They jacked up the rear axel and let it idle in Drive for four hours before it thawed out. It you have never been in those type of temps; it's like going to another planet.
True, battery power is very important in extreme cold starts. I mentioned my 77 V8 Nova with 10-40 Valvoline and how hard the engine was to fire, and when it did the entire valve train was clacking. That winter I was persuaded to try M1 5-20(1978) and the difference was amazing. Much easier cranking and no valve clatter at all. Battery and oil can make a huge difference in cold starts.
You people in the south who think 32F is cold, don't know cold. I have seen -40F three times in my life. Starting is more dependant on battery condition, and state of engine tune than oil. We had -40 for four days on a snowmobile trip to Quebec in the 90's, and my high mileage Dodge van with a carbureted six started every morning (on 10W30) Some guys from the US had a Chev Suburban that started up, but the tranny was frozen and wouldn’t shift. They jacked up the rear axel and let it idle in Drive for four hours before it thawed out. It you have never been in those type of temps; it's like going to another planet.
True, battery power is very important in extreme cold starts. I mentioned my 77 V8 Nova with 10-40 Valvoline and how hard the engine was to fire, and when it did the entire valve train was clacking. That winter I was persuaded to try M1 5-20(1978) and the difference was amazing. Much easier cranking and no valve clatter at all. Battery and oil can make a huge difference in cold starts.
About 40 years ago I drove my '68 Dodge van upstate New york to visit friends, It was about a 240 mile drive. Next morning the temp dropped to 35 below f. The motor with 10w40 would only tick the next day, until it warmed up to 0f. Then it started. I've started my Harley at 17f and went for a Polar Bear ride. Heated gear is worth every penny they charge for it.,,,
Started my Audi several times in the -10 to -15 range, using usually Mobil 0w-40. Always seemed to handle it really well. The Cherokee cranks kind of slowly at anything around or below 0, even with Pennzoil Platinum 5w30. Weridly I've actually noticed my Audi was noticably more noisy starting in chilly weather on Magnatec Blend 5w30. Probably only a summer fill from now on.
-38F 1972 Plymouth Fury 318, 10-40 dino. 2 buddies at college needed saturday morning jumps for their vehicles. Dashpad cracked in 4 places when I shut the door. Took 15 minutes to get it to run normally. Neither of the others started.
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