Cold Starts...: )

[Mustang Shar]

Ok you can tell I'm defianetly not used to having a car outside. In the OLD days....we used to religously start our cars in the evening and letting them warm up when temps went below zero.

But nowadays, I don't think that's done anymore + it actually drains the battery more from what I've read. So....having a V6, is there anything I need to do special that would help ensure starting in the morning? It started OK this morning..a tad slow, but started up. Or with newer cars is it much of an issue? See I'm remembering the 60's...LOL

[blackpony04]

Nothing special needed Shar. But they're like everything else in the deep freeze--slow and sluggish. Allow extra time for it to warm up and don't freak out when the starter sounds like an old claxon air raid siren! My truck could have woke up the entire neighborhood this morning! Whhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! !!!

[mot250]

Nothing special needed Shar. But they're like everything else in the deep freeze--slow and sluggish. Allow extra time for it to warm up and don't freak out when the starter sounds like an old claxon air raid siren! My truck could have woke up the entire neighborhood this morning! Whhhhhhhhhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!! !!!

Was it the starter or the power steering unit? Power steering tends to scream in the new cars at these temps as well.

With my beater 82 pick-up, I added a coolant heater in the lower rad hose and a stick-on oil-pan heater to aid starting it outside in weather like this. With those two things plugged into the house, it starts up like it were 50 degrees outside and I get heat instantly inside the cab. Now if I only did something to warm up the manual trans, it would shift smoother right away too.

[Ambenz]

I too have a coolant warmer on the Buick.
It's a big + on night like these.
Reminds me to go plug the darn thing in!

[mot250]

Yeah, it don't work if it ain't plugged in...:poke:

Heard an old farm trick...hang one of those clamp on work-lights with the regular bulb and the 8 inch cone type reflector in the engine bay and close the hood, making sure it does not come in direct contact with anything. It should throw off enough heat to take the bite out of a cold start.


I too have a coolant warmer on the Buick.
It's a big + on night like these.
Reminds me to go plug the darn thing in!

[ShadyNinja]

my work beater sits out side
It used to crank over very slow when it is cold out.
but now since I started running 0w30 in it is starts much easier, and the less I have to crank it to start the easier it is on the starter & battery.


Yeah, it don't work if it ain't plugged in...:poke:

Heard an old farm trick...hang one of those clamp on work-lights with the regular bulb and the 8 inch cone type reflector in the engine bay and close the hood, making sure it does not come in direct contact with anything. It should throw off enough heat to take the bite out of a cold start.
if the oil pan is magnetic,,,
http://www.amazon.com/Kats-1153-Hand-Heat-Magnetic-Heater/dp/B000BOABS6

[Mustang Shar]

Ok then it was perfectly normal slow crank up. All things considered under these extreme temps, this ride rocks! Cept for the windshield washers are frozen!! I go into the dealer for my remote start and I'm going to tell them they must not have enough de-icer just fix it....I have a bottle of de-icer windshield washer fluid in a spray bottle in my car! This SUCKS! One of my friends suggested that...great idea!

[blackpony04]

My driver's side washer on my 05 F150 never works right in the winter until the truck has ran for like 2 hours! Bad Ford design I think as the passenger side works everytime. I just drive with my head out the winder.... :003:

[Mustang Shar]

My driver's side washer on my 05 F150 never works right in the winter until the truck has ran for like 2 hours! Bad Ford design I think as the passenger side works everytime. I just drive with my head out the winder.... :003:


NO!!!! My Drivers side USED to work now neither side. Hey CDC makes a wiper conversion...its for Stangs BUT why couldn't be used to relocate on the Escape??? It relocates the washer to the wiper blade assembly....I wonder???

[mot250]

I add a small (12 oz) bottle of 91% or 99% Isopropyl alcohol to a gallon of normal blue windshield washer fluid in these temps and it typically keeps it running out the squirters pretty good.

They sell brand name WW fluid additives for cold temps, some of which include some other stuff like a little detergent or other surfactants, but the Isopropyl costs at least half as much.

[Mustang Shar]

I may have to do that....this is crazy Thanks guys

[ford9050]

I add a small (12 oz) bottle of 91% or 99% Isopropyl alcohol to a gallon of normal blue windshield washer fluid

I would not recommend that. That can't be good for the clearcoat and it isn't good for the wiper blades

[Mustang Shar]

What I have done < and they work now>, is to keep a spray bottle with de icer windshield fluid in the car..in an upright position so no leaks. That way when this happens again I am ready! Sucks tho....too darn cold.

[ford9050]

flip up the wipers when it is gonna snow and sleet to prevent them from freezing to the windshield

[Mustang Shar]

flip up the wipers when it is gonna snow and sleet to prevent them from freezing to the windshield


Holy CRAP!! That is GENIUS! I'll get this outdoor car thing under control yet! Thanks Larry!!

[ShadyNinja]

here you go Shar :)

http://www.topoftheline.com/winter-windshield-cover-snow.html

[Mustang Shar]

here you go Shar :)

http://www.topoftheline.com/winter-windshield-cover-snow.html


Hmmm...I have bookmarked that. I saw one but it was like $39...thought about it. But for this price might be worth a try. Thanks Jody

[ShadyNinja]

Hmmm...I have bookmarked that. I saw one but it was like $39...thought about it. But for this price might be worth a try. Thanks Jody
when I was in high school I had this big piece of a old conveyor belt I would throw over the windshield, it covered about 3/4 of the window, saved me a ton of scraping and time