What Is the Deal With Starting In the Cold?

[RonRonTSI]

who has trouble and who doesn't have trouble starting in the cold? I want to know why and if theres is something to help that situation.

 

[phillabaum03]

lighter weight oil ha

 

[interex]

Usually if you are having problems starting in the cold it is due to the cold, affecting the spark in the high compression with the thick oil. Most of the time you can just buy new plugs, or check to make sure your gap isnt too much and that will fix it. I've had to make many service calls durring the winter and turned out it was just worn/gapped plugs.

 

[atlguyinbama]

Explain what you mean by "trouble starting in the cold"

 

[Bud92gsx]

I'd say start with upgrading your battery to a higher cold cranking amps than the stock requirement 525 I beleive. If you up to say an optima or check if you have a current draw on your battery after shutdown. Also another option would be upgrading to a higher current starter, making start time decrease, but increases battery drain, so would need a better battery to use this kind of starter. any more ?s let us know...

 

[RonRonTSI]

It feels as if the car just doesnt want to start. It does it every winter. There lack of power through the entire car. Lack of power and of course if you dont have enough power your not going to be able to crank the motor over. Could be spark plugs or oil, im not positive. All I know is that when the tempature is nice the car starts and runs like a dream.

 

[the_mork]

My car has problems starting in the winter too, it turns over fine but then it takes a while to actually fire and then until the car has a chance to warm up I have no power. There is also a noise that comes from the engine bay which sounds kind of like blowing over a pop bottle. This happens for just a few seconds at 30 degrees a few minutes at 10 degrees and about 10 minutes (idling) at -10 degrees. I've never had a problem with it while its warm out.

 

[Bud92gsx]

Ya It is just the cold wheather that makes your car start slower.... If you don't want to complain about nthis happening, get a better battery with more cold cranking amps. You see when your battery is cold all of the molocules are really close together, and actually takes your voltage and takes it away. When the wheather is warm, you really don't notice any hesitation in startup, because the battery is at a normal temp and all molocules are free flowing. Hence the car starting when you want it too.

 

[kris_stewart10]

okay i am sorry but your battery has more voltage when it is cold because the actual water in the battery is expanding and once it expands in tur giving the battery more power


but i think its just the way our cars are my car is just like that

 

[RonRonTSI]

I feel the same way I have a battery relocation charged by a optima and I still get the same problem. I have also owned three 1g's and every winter I can not just get into the car and drive away. It always takes me a good amount of cranking. And when I say that im talking 20 to 30 minutes.

 

[cougarelimin8or]

I had that problem with my 92 and i ended up finding a broken wire going to my coolent temp. sensor. Once i fixed that it started up fine and didn't have any problems staying running. If you can get your hands on a scan tool try to and look at your engine data, see what your sensors are reading and if they're in range. hope that helps

 

[DSM1G90]

Put 5w30 synthetic oil in the crankcase.

For synthetic has a durable flow rate when cold. Dino oils have a hard time with flow rates at a certain temperature. And our motors needs that quick oil flow real bad being so small.

And if it's super cold, put a trouble light with a 100w bulb underneath next to the oil pan to keep the oil warm if the vehicle sits out overnight.

 

[interex]

Just as a note, Don't use synthetic oil on an engine with less than 50,000 miles on it.

 

[DSM1G90]

Don't use synthetic oil on an engine with less than 50,000 miles on it.

 

[PIMking]

Just as a note, Don't use synthetic oil on an engine with less than 50,000 miles on it.

Better call porsche, audi, and all the other high end cars. Like corvette and tell them that they better take out that synthetic oil in their car that has 200 miles on it because you said so.

 

[Hoot]

I had a similar problem in my old 1.8L 1994 N/T. In cold weather (-30 F to 10 F) it took a bit of time to start and then for the first few minuets shifting was difficult to say the least.

As I am sure you have found out by now but to reiterate 5W30 is going to be better in cooler weather and 10W30 for warmer weather. The first number (5 or 10) is the viscosity of the oil prior to warming to the operating temperature of the engine. The second number (30) is the viscosity of the oil after the engine (and oil) has warmed up.

 

[PIMking]

Hell they have this dipstick things at autozone that you plug in that keep the oil luke warm so it keeps the oil fom getting so cold. just remember to unplug it and put the dipstick back in.

 

[BoredDSM]

Better call porsche, audi, and all the other high end cars. Like corvette and tell them that they better take out that synthetic oil in their car that has 200 miles on it because you said so.

Synthetic oil is bad for motors that have not been broken in yet. To break in a motor properly you should always use mineral oil for the first 3000 miles. After that you switch over to synthetic.

 

[PIMking]

Synthetic oil is bad for motors that have not been broken in yet. To break in a motor properly you should always use mineral oil for the first 3000 miles. After that you switch over to synthetic.

I can agree with you there but 50k as the other poster said?

Maybe some of the high end cars have a wierd trick that we dont know about with synthetic oil.