Ethanol + Freezing temps=Hard starts?

[Jimmy9190]

Forgive me for being ignorant here, but here in Florida we just had a week of the very coldest temperatures I have seen in my 20 years of living here. It was in the low 20's at night and I had a quarter inch of ice on my truck each morning.

We also get the 10% corn juice in our gas here too. Does Ethanol gas cause hard starting when it is really cold like that? It took probably 5 or 6 seconds to get my truck started when it was cold in the morning like that, but in the afternoons it started up just fine in a split second like normal. Does Ethanol cause some kind of condensation in the fuel lines that makes it hard to start your truck/car? I checked my battery, it's fine, 12.6 volts with engine off, 13.9 with engine running.

Normal temps for us this time of year are mid to high 70's in the day and maybe upper 50's at night. Today it was 72 and sunny. I never had any trouble starting my truck before, but I have never seen it this cold here either.

Thanks for any info.

 

[dave123]

NO and it is not cold when it's 30F out side

 

[Jimmy9190]

30 is considered mighty cold here. We even had light snow flurries about 40 miles north of here last Saturday. I don't think my truck likes cold weather any more than I do. And that's not saying much.

 

[tig1]

We have 10% here in Illinois and my cars started fine at -3F.

 

[xxch4osxx]

I wish we had winter temps like that!

 

[AuthorEditor]

In answer to the OP, ethanol actually helps a bit in cold weather because it acts just like dry gas. The ethanol should help to absorb moisture and avoid gas line freeze up. What type and weight of oil are you running in what kind of truck? My Grand Marquis cranks a bit slower at below zero temps but still turns right over with Motorcraft 5W-20 semi-syn. A full synthetic would do even better at cold temps. That's one place where synthetic oil has an advantage over dino.

 

[E365]

No, it shouldn't cause any issues. Minnesota was the first US state (I believe) to mandate ethanol blend. We were at 7.7% in 1997 and 10% since 2003. I've started many times easily below -15F air temp and I'm just in the Minneapois area. Northern Minesota people will start at -30F and colder many times throughout the season. Just don't hear any issues.

 

[Ursae_Majoris]

Originally Posted By: Jimmy9190
30 is considered mighty cold here. We even had light snow flurries about 40 miles north of here last Saturday. I don't think my truck likes cold weather any more than I do. And that's not saying much.

Alaska has 10% ethanol in winter blend gasoline. My cars start fine in -30F. If anything, ethanol's lower flash point might help with winter start ups.

 

[Jimmy9190]

Well maybe my battery is a bit weaker at 20 degrees. My truck started fine, it just took a little longer is all. I asked the question mainly out of curiousity.

It's a 2001 Dodge Dakota with a 3.9 liter V6. Right now it has 10W30 Napa brand conventional and a Proselect filter. I use that or Carquest 10W30 conventional and Carquest re

 

[AuthorEditor]

If you were driving that Dodge someplace where temps were below freezing consistently I would recommend trying something like a 5W-30 synthetic oil in it for the winter. That would help the cranking a lot.

 

[chevrofreak]

Winter gas is a lot more volatile. They may not ever use a winter blend where you live.

I tried to start my motorcycle (still has a tank of summer gas) a couple weeks ago when it was around 15F and it wouldn't even TRY to spark. This past weekend it was about 30 degrees, and it started, but it took a while.

Then I crashed it on a slick street. But that's a different story.

 

[mechtech2]

It's probably because the fuel is not blended to vaporize easily in winter, where you live.
In other words you usually have a 'Summer' fuel blend. Alcohol in gas is a travesty, but is not you starting problem.

This is called the Reid Vapor pressure. Winter blends vaporize more readily, Summer blends need more heat, which cold weather doesn't provide.

Ask Al Gore.

 

[Jimmy9190]

Truck was even slower to start this morning at about 55 degrees.

I think I have narrowed it down to a bad check valve in the fuel pressure regulator. Appears to be a common problem on Dakota's. I will just replace the entire fuel pump assembly to fix it. I think I will look into R&R'ing the bed rather than drop the tank. I think that would be an easier way but neither method will be much fun.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Jimmy9190]

Yep, When I got home today I tested fuel line pressure at the fitting on the fuel rail. I had a good 49 psi with the truck running. Spec is 47-51 psi at idle. But when I shut the engine off the pressure fell to 26 in 3 1/2 minutes.

Looks like I will be replacing the fuel pump, regulator and sending unit as an assembly. I absolutely hate working with gas and this is one job I surely do not want to do twice.

 

[CourierDriver]

had problems with ethanol, I called stabil on their 1800 number, it corrected all the rought idle, missing, backfiring and all ,,cleans carbs, injectors, and all fuel lines,,works for me,,its not just for winterizing ur gas,,it does alot more, read on the bottle,,go to walmart to get it or azone.

 

[Mamala Bay]

Originally Posted By: CourierDriver
had problems with ethanol, I called stabil on their 1800 number, it corrected all the rought idle, missing, backfiring and all ,,cleans carbs, injectors, and all fuel lines,,works for me,,its not just for winterizing ur gas,,it does alot more, read on the bottle,,go to walmart to get it or azone.


Was the problem due to colder temperature. Also what is the age of the fuel.