sm

It's starting to dip into the 20's up here and my starter/motor was slow to turn over this morning - slower than usual anyway. So for those of us without garages and electric outlets for block warmers, what can we do to help our engines out during those critical first moments of firing her up?

Thanks...

Sam Lin

An Optima Red Top does wonders for helping cold starts if your current battery isn't absolutely brand new.

Sam

David Floyd

Getting cold here also,

I have been thinking about a Red Top, but how can we mount it to pass PCA DE tech inspection ?

sm

Red Top battery - noted

But what about something to keep metal wear to a minimum? Any effective portable block/coolant heaters out there?

Mike1982

I was thinking the same thing of a block heater, where to get one. How well they work? Are they fine to use on a daily driver?

Mighty Shilling

I just turn the key....it gets into the 10's here sometimes.

However, I just got a new alternator, battery and starter, so she fires right up....stumbles a little, then goes perfectly

streckfu's

New battery and Iceshark cables.

R.B.

Here are a few things to try:
- make sure your battery is good, have it load tested
- clean the battery contacts
- make sure the grounds are good on the block and bell housing
- make sure the positive cable to the starter has a clean contact

If electrically everything is good:
- try a lighter weight oil. This will make a big difference in starting speed. 20W50 gets nice and thick in lower temps. (Added bonus will be that your fuel economy goes up too)

HTH
-R.B.

hacker-pschorr

I'd like to 2nd this idea - It gets cold in Germany to. Porsche designed these cars for year round use (928 manual shows how to attach snow chains) - make sure you have the right weight oil and DO NOT IDLE TO WARMUP. Start the car and get going.

Mighty Shilling

My last battery had 12 CA's when I had it load tested...this told me it was time for a new one...

theedge

Get your starter rebuilt. Mine fired up on the first crank on a 10 degree F morning. Rebuilt starter and new DieHard battery within the last 10k miles IIRC, with crappy old corroded ground cables. Turned the key, quick Rrrrrr and boom running, in all its cold morning with no exhaust and a slightly bad idle glory. I was sitting there thinking "WTF? She started? WOW.... Time to go inside, this leather is cold"

My friends heard it idling... On the opposit side of their house, with the TV on

In fact, mine fires up on the first turn over on most days.

Tony K

Use a synthetic motor oil at the weight specified in the owner's manual for the given temperature range. I think 10w30 is good down to zero farenheit, but don't quote me - check the manual. Synthetics flow at significantly colder temperatures while still maintaining their cold and hot weight properties, so they are your best common sense thing to prevent bitter cold startup wear. How fast the needle on the oil pressure gauge rises is a vague indication of how slow/fast the oil is flowing at startup.

When the engine is hard to turn over in the bitter cold, part of that is its turning the transmission (in neutral) through that honey-thick gear oil in the back (if you are not stepping on the clutch when you start).

jeeper31

ARe you saying that thicker is not good and 20W50 is too thick?

Mighty Shilling

I use Mobil 1 0w40 in the winter just cuz it can get cold in Colorado... in the summer, it's 15w50

Sam Lin

20w50 in freezing winters is most definitely too thick.

Sam