Last night the temperature got to negative numbers, I walked out to start my car ( I work nights, it was parked outside all night) and It did not want to start.
It cranked over yet nothing fired. It started once, ran for about 30 seconds then died, this happened twice. I then went back into work and spent about 10 minutes on hold for the ford emergency roadside service, I was about 5 miles from my dealer I was just going to have it towed. Got very tired of being on hold, walked outside and it fired right up.

Then I went and put a bottle of heat in the tank and filled up.
These cars do not like the cold

 

Yea they REALLY don't like the cold. It makes a huge difference if you have the block heater plugged in. I know sometimes last winter I would have to start it and keep the rpms up for a bit so it wouldn't die.

 

the last thing you should do right when you start your car when its cold (below 50) is rev it up lol. im sure you know that because it would starve the engine for oil.

 

Yeah, best thing is to start the car and let it sit for 5-10 mins. I've been waking up to zero or negative this week and the car really doesn't like it, but then again, neither do I, hehe.

If you rev the engine immediately, most of the oil is in the bottom of the engine due to gravity and not where it needs to be to withstand high rpms.

Also, try to fill up the night before, if your gas tank is low and there's any condensation at all, it'll freeze and clog the fuel line.

And not sure how good this is for the car, but I was advised on it from other (more knowledgable people than I) that if you get in the car cold and turn the key to on, but not all the way to start, give the fuel pump two to three seconds to get going, it'll start much smoother. It's worked well for me in this cold crap.

 

Holding it at a steady 1500 is hardly high rpms. I'm just talking enough so that it doesnt dip down and shut off. Which it would have a tendancy to do.

 

True, 1500 hardly sounds bad. I'm just remembering my high school days in a '90 Escort where I'd keep the rpms really darn high after starting it up. Sigh, silly kids.

 

I noticed it really doesn't want to start either. I didn't drive my car at all last winter but our winter vehicle decided not to start the other day so I'm forced to drive the stang in this winter crap. I've been looking at california though.

 

I know the batteries die, but once you jump em, I've never had a problem with stalling or anything like that. The computer takes care of richening up the mix (in effect choking) the engine till they warm up some. They really shouldn't stall once they're running.

 

Bad gas?

 

Np with my Stang, but my Explorer 4.0 is acting crazy on start ups!

edit: Stang is inside the other two are outside

 

Keeping the Tank topped up in the Winter will stop Water (Ice) from getting into your Fuel System.

In the Winter I go to the Gas Stations that offer 10% Ethanol Mix, this removes any water from the System.

 

Add to that, a mechanic recently told us to NEVER buy gas from Sam's Club. He says there is a reason they can sell it cheaper.

 

I used my block heater last night and the car was warm and toasty in about 3 minutes compared to never getting warm on the way to work.

 

etnix was at Work and didn't have it plugged in.

If he can Plug in at work he should have Block Heater and Battery Blanket,
Good to -30deg C or lower if Gas is Good. Believe Me, got that Temperature
several time this Winter already. -20 almost every Night now.

Just sounds like Bad Gas.

 

etnix was at Work and didn't have it plugged in according to his post.

If he can Plug in at work he should have Block Heater and Battery Blanket,
Good to -30deg C or lower if Gas is Good. Believe Me, got that Temperature
several time this Winter already. -20 almost every Night now.

Just sounds like Bad Gas.

Maybe pour some Pepto in Tank.

 

Heh, -30 wouldn't you have to block off the grill opening so the incoming air doesn't freeze the internals? Grandfather's diesel Mercedes gelled up in -30 temp in Chicago back in 1984. He got it towed and warmed up and same thing happened on the way back home.

 

I only use BP gas... IT was just that **** cold I guess

 

I used to block the Grill off, but I haven't done it for About 10 Years.

It did let the engine and motor cavity warm up faster and did offer some protection from the wind.
It would also overheat the motor if you drove on the Hiway or left them in when the temperature rose.

Gas will not gel like Diesel, Just make sure there is no water in the Fuel System, Its the Ice That Kills.

Also the Newer Fuel Injected Cars start much better than the old Carbed models.

The SporTrac runs well at -30 but its hard on the Vehicle and you can tell It does not Like it.
That why The Mustang is not coming out of Hibernation til April.

 

Good to know about gas vs. diesel.

And if you have that kinda weather up there, I can certainly see keeping the Mustang in the cave. Every time I start it up at 0 degrees or less it sounds like it's whining and pleading to not start that day.

 

I'm in North Dakota. Monday morning when I went to work it was -40 actual temp. With the wind chill it was -65. Drove the Mustang of course, it is my daily driver. Got lucky and when I got to work there were still a couple of electrical outlets still available, so I got to plug it in. Wouldn't have been a big deal if there weren't any outlets. It's started before at those temps without being plugged in. Just tough on them is all. Synthethic oil is a must in extreme cold. A lot warmer tonight -18 with a wind chill of -34. Tomorrow we have a heat wave coming. Forecast high of 15 above.