So how are cars starting this morning in midwest?

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My car sat for a day and a half in this cold, and it is kept in the driveway... fired right up with the windchill in the teens this morning
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The only funny noise i heard was what sounded like some ice rattling around somewhere in the engine bay. my car is caked in ice all over, so i wouldn't doubt it
 
I can't believe my luck!

I am borrowing my grandpa's Continental after my shot alternator incident last week. It is -5 degrees right now and it won't start! I have to drive to the airport at 1. Hopefully it will fire up by then!

BTW, PP 5W-30 is in there currently.
 
It was -8 F this morning outside but my garage was still 23 F. PP 5W-30 in the Grand Prix and it fired up no problem. Yesterday after work it was 5 deg F and started up fine then also.
 
Originally Posted By: drewjp
I can't believe my luck!

I am borrowing my grandpa's Continental after my shot alternator incident last week. It is -5 degrees right now and it won't start! I have to drive to the airport at 1. Hopefully it will fire up by then!

BTW, PP 5W-30 is in there currently.


Is it turning over (battery at least good enough)? When it gets cold like this, tune up items come into play in a big way. If you have really weak plugs and wires, fuggetaboutit.

When I first bought my 94 Corolla, it had the original wires, cap, and rotor, and the plugs looked like snot. It wouldn't fire on the first try in below 20 weather. With all new plugs, wires, cap, and rotor, it lit after 1 crank at -15.
 
-3 here this morning. The Ranger fired up instantly. Put some MMO in the tank last time to help out with the cold snap. 5w20PP.. no engine noises. PS and some rattle I've never before.. not worried about it.
 
There's lots of great Dave's Farm type cold start vids on Youtube this morning ; lots of -20 to -30.

I'll say this about import vs domestic; it seems domestic vehicles start easier in the cold. Most imports crank sloooooooooooooooooooooooooooow
 
Originally Posted By: zoomzoom
Just wonder how cars with dino oil start at -30 vs the ones using good syn oils.


Shell dino 10w-30 parked outside in a Dodge Dakota. Thermometer said -3. Took right off and I honestly couldn't tell that it cranked any slower than normal.
93 Aerostar also took right off with Shell 5W-30 dino. Don't know if it's the oil or a good battery, but both took right off and ran flawlessly.
 
-27F this morning. Driveway parked '99 F150 last run 8 hours before. Started fine after a relatively slow crank. No block heater. Running Chevron 5w30 SL (old supply getting used up...). Running the heavy duty battery size. No block heater. Warmed up for 5 minutes, and took off creaking and bum ping like ususal in the cold. Also the usual power steering pump whine for abut 3-4 minutes. Those who've owned Fords in the cold know that sound!

The '97 explorer started fine too, but it was in the garage with the block heater plugged in (wife's car).
 
Acura TSX park outside for 12 hr last night, it's -20C this morning. battery in the car is original about 6 years old, M1 5w-30. slow crank, otherwise car start up fine.
 
-21 here, both vehicles(in an unheated garage)fired up almost instantly, with a barely discernable slower spin. One has GC, the other QS Torque Power 5W-30. Remember the days before fuel injection and engine management systems?

Door springs and suspension have a few creaks though!

PS - You folks quoting wind chill do realize that neither your oil nor your battery are affected, right? Wind chill applies to human/animal flesh ONLY.
 
Both cars started right up at -5°F after sitting outside overnight. 5W-30 dino.

My car creaked, groaned, squealed, and whistled this morning... even though it's in otherwise great shape.
 
The Taurus started on the second try this morning: -10F in Chicagoland. I think the only reason it didn't stay running at first is that the IAC is a little sluggish in the cold. It ran fine with a 1/2 gas pedal application the second time I turned it over. The valve train makes an awful high pitched whine for the first 4-5 seconds and then it runs normally. 5w20 PP in 3.0 12V V6

The only real problem I'm having in the cold is that the Khumo KR21's seem to flat spot in the extreme cold and it takes 2-3 miles before they soften up. I have 35psi in them - pillar +5.
 
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Wind chill has NO effect on temperature. If the temperature is
-20 and the windchill is -40, the car's engine, battery, oil, and everything else is still only -20. Wind chill only affects the RATE of coolng. A higher wind chill causes a body or engine to lose heat faster down to the ambient temperature. But once the ambient temperature is reached, wind chill cannot lower the temp below ambient.
 
Aurora [Wayne's World - A Western Suburb of Chicago] was -26F last night.
Didn't start the car until it was -10. It was OK - the hydraulic clutch felt stiffer.
 
Originally Posted By: drewjp
I can't believe my luck!

I am borrowing my grandpa's Continental after my shot alternator incident last week. It is -5 degrees right now and it won't start! I have to drive to the airport at 1. Hopefully it will fire up by then!

BTW, PP 5W-30 is in there currently.


I'd try some isopropyl drygas in the tank...

No problems starting my Pontiac Sunbird with PP 5W-30 in the sump, but it really hasn't been quite as cold here with no subzero temps as of yet. It was about +6F..
 
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Was -29F here at drive time. '08 Trailblazer (5.3L) started right up on Motorcraft 5W30.

PathFinder and Frontier started right up on Pennzoil Platinum 5W30.

'03 PathFinder has original Battery.
 
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