Lowest temp you ever started an engine.

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In a car or truck without the aid of block heaters, etc and setting overnight.

In the 60' and 70's I lived in Maine and the coldest was -32F. My 68 Ford Fairlane 6 cyl barely cranked over but started. However the heater was woefully inadequate at those temps. Oil I used at the time was Valvoline straight 20. Later in 1977 I had a 77 Chevy with the 305 V8. Started it at -18-22F and the engine again would strain to start and when it did the entire valve train clattered terribly. Oil used at that time was Valvoline 10-40.

What say you?
 
-27 Pittston Farm in Maine, 2006. 2003 Silverado 5.3 with M1 0w30 in the sump, sat from thursday at 9am until 6 am sunday. Cranked ok, started with a squeal and a groan from the belt, warmed while we ate breakfast and packed up, about an hour.

A year later, same place, -15 for 3 days, 07 Duramax with M1 5w40, cranked ok, started with much diesel noise, warmed again for about an hour.
 
January 21, 1985. It was -23F in the good old Appalachian mountains of NC (coldest ever recorded to my knowledge) Parents had an 83 Ford F150 that didn't even turn over. Also had a 1978 Ford Thunderbird with the 400 cid engine, but a brand new Sears DieHard battery. After about three tries it fired and ran. (She wasn't happy though) Alternator went out about a week later. Always thought the bearing in the alt. was destroyed by the cold start. Dad always ran Phillips 66 TropArtic 10W-40 in that car. The thought of molasses comes to mind.
 
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My 300ZX sitting outside all night in -4F with Valvoline white bottle 20W50. She started right up immediately,smooth and silent,purring like a happy kitty!!
 
I have snowmobiled at -40, or the temp where celsius and fahrenheit meet. Pulled started each sled with no ether but it was a struggle.
I can't honestly remember the temp when it was time to come home and start our vehicles but I am guessing at least -30.

I remember my buddies Father having to light a small fire under his oil pan on his 87 Chev Wrangler years ago to get it to crank over. There was no hydro where we had to park so there was no other choice. After 20-30 minutes with this smudge fire burning, the truck eventually started.
No idea what oil was used in either instance, however, but if I had to guess, being as it was likely over 20+ years ago, I'd guess 10W-30 of some brand.
 
-27F, 1996 Honda Civic CVCC 1500, store brand 10W-40 in it, early eighties.
Had to pull the manual choke knob all the way out to get it to fire, but it did and ran.
These old Hondas had run you out of the car heaters, so we got in her and went on our way.
I did start one of our '86 Civic Wagons at around -30F, but the car had been in the garage overnight so it didn't see temps that cold on starting.
Yes, it does get that cold here in SW Ohio, but thankfully only rarely.
 
-28F unaided overnight outside 06 Tacoma Green GC Ow30 pretty slow but runs full rich for about a minute smell of raw fuel in the air. Tires are like Stones at that temp.
 
-40 just outside of Wawa ONT, snowmobiled in that temp for several days and when we got back to our trucks they all started. Mine was an '07 6.0 PowerStroke with 10w-30, one buddy had an '08 Powerstroke 6.4 and another had an '04 Chevy gas engine.

The absolute coldest I have ever rode in as we were riding about 250 mi. per day.
 
In recent times: -9*F yesterday, 2014 Silverado 5.3 GDI w/ M1 EP 0w20.

Started it up, put on my gloves, tapped seat heater, tapped radio and drove away gently.

I would venture to say that the coldest is probably in the -12 to -15*F range.
 
Over Christmas we rented a 2017 Jetta with the 1.4 turbo engine. It was VERY torquy and also returned amazing fuel economy around town.
I went to start it at the ski hill after a night of -4F temps, the engine let out a terrible burning smell (car had about 7k miles on it). Probably still on the factory fill.


Originally Posted By: fdcg27

These old Hondas had run you out of the car heaters, so we got in her and went on our way.


I find my BMW has a similar heat from the heater, but most small cars these days don't have adequate heaters in them (Our Focus as many other small cars were similar).

The Lex we currently own also has a very strong heater...regardless of the speed of the fan (ours is usually always on low).
 
Today, -8F here at treasure lake. Started real easy too with magnates 5w20
smile.gif
 
-4 C, no idea what that is in F, I'm not interested. With 15W-40 and 20W-50, no problems, and no warm up.
 
-31F in Madison WI. 1961 VW Beetle with 10W oil started. We then drove to Tinly Park IL. Stopped at the OHARE oases and was told by police that the Wind chill was at -65F. Ed
 
-23'F morning, probably 2003 or so:

Wife's saturn SL, started right up.
My cutlass ciera 3300, cranked and cranked but just wouldn't catch. Had walmart syn 5w30.
1991 dodge dakota 2.5, turned over painfully slowly but caught quickly! Its clutch was wicked stiff though.

All were outside and unaided. I have a garage now which turns -5'F into +15'F, probably through the concrete being a heat sink.

The ciera came to life later that day, smelling flooded.
 
Originally Posted By: irv
I have snowmobiled at -40, or the temp where celsius and fahrenheit meet. Pulled started each sled with no ether but it was a struggle.
I can't honestly remember the temp when it was time to come home and start our vehicles but I am guessing at least -30.

I remember my buddies Father having to light a small fire under his oil pan on his 87 Chev Wrangler years ago to get it to crank over. There was no hydro where we had to park so there was no other choice. After 20-30 minutes with this smudge fire burning, the truck eventually started.
No idea what oil was used in either instance, however, but if I had to guess, being as it was likely over 20+ years ago, I'd guess 10W-30 of some brand.


Now that really made me LOL!

We don’t understand that kind of cold down here in Tennessee!
 
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