cold weather starting
01-22-2005, 08:19 PM
#1
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cold weather starting
Since it has been very cold out lately, I've noticed that my XB does not start very well. It seems that at around 20 degrees F or below the engine turns over about 5 or 6 times before it starts. Normally in "warmer" weather the car fires up right away. Just wondering if others have noticed this.
01-22-2005, 10:00 PM
#4
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Don't quote me on this, but I believe it's the battery. They lose a bit of charge when they're super cold. This goes for all batteries (my iPod will show "no battery" if it's fully charged but frozen).
I've had the transmission issue as well. The first shift jerks me a bit if the engine is really cold, but by the time I've gone about a quarter mile everything's smooth and dandy.
I've had the transmission issue as well. The first shift jerks me a bit if the engine is really cold, but by the time I've gone about a quarter mile everything's smooth and dandy.
01-22-2005, 10:45 PM
#5
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I've noticed this as well, especially since the temperature dropped a lot more recently. The engine takes a while to start. Also, since the engine is "frozen" it takes super long to warm up. I've also noticed while the engine is cold, it revs higher at idle, and accellerates very poorly. All this goes away once the engine is warm though.
I'm not sure what it has to do with though. Right now supposedly its warmer than some of the other days it didn't happen.
I'm not sure what it has to do with though. Right now supposedly its warmer than some of the other days it didn't happen.
01-23-2005, 02:54 AM
#9
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You guys crack me up! Could you ever imagine long ago in a land far away, cars had a thing called a carburetor and a choke. A finely tuned car would still often stall when started in cold weather. If the choke stuck or was inop things went downhill from there! As for your Xb, remember that 87 octane is the best for cold starting (and everything else for that matter!)and higher octane will result in harder starting. 5-W30 oil is the proper oil to use also. If all this is correct, the car will start as easily as it can and if it takes a few extra spins in sub-freezing weather, read the owners manual while waiting to better utilize your otherwise wasted time. 
01-23-2005, 03:00 AM
#10
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Carlanga,
Mine takes about a second (4, 5 turns) to start. To make it warm a bit faster. Here is what I do. 1 start the engine, turn the tempereture control to cold, ____ to "D" with hand brake set (make sure the hand brake is tight or the car will move). The engine will be completely warmed up within 4 min. I usually lock the door and rush myself back to house and have a coffe while waiting. I have two keys.
Mine takes about a second (4, 5 turns) to start. To make it warm a bit faster. Here is what I do. 1 start the engine, turn the tempereture control to cold, ____ to "D" with hand brake set (make sure the hand brake is tight or the car will move). The engine will be completely warmed up within 4 min. I usually lock the door and rush myself back to house and have a coffe while waiting. I have two keys.
01-23-2005, 03:15 AM
#11
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COLD WEATHER STARTING TIPS
Since the temperature dropped to 20 degrees Fahrenheit (and below) here in NY
I notice that my xB was hard to start too.
I just got a remote start installed (a worthy investment) and noticed something interesting.
When the remote start activates, it turns the ignition circuit "on" then waits
about 2 to 3 seconds BEFORE cranking the engine over. It is able to start the car
in about 4 to 5 cranks even on the coldest of days. The remote start does much better
than I was doing manually. So I copied the remotes starting procedure.
There's something about that slight delay that makes it work much better
than just sticking the key in and cranking it over.
So, here is the procedure...
COLD WEATHER STARTING TIPS
1. Turn the ignition to "ON" and wait 2 to 3 seconds
you will hear relays click, and the fuel pump and injectors whirr for a second.
2. Turn the key to start and crank it over
If it does not start within 4 to 5 cranks STOP
3. Wait 4 more seconds
4. Start the car again
5. Vroooooommmm!
PS>
I am also using synthetic oil which is supposed to help it start little easier in the cold weather.
I notice that my xB was hard to start too.
I just got a remote start installed (a worthy investment) and noticed something interesting.
When the remote start activates, it turns the ignition circuit "on" then waits
about 2 to 3 seconds BEFORE cranking the engine over. It is able to start the car
in about 4 to 5 cranks even on the coldest of days. The remote start does much better
than I was doing manually. So I copied the remotes starting procedure.
There's something about that slight delay that makes it work much better
than just sticking the key in and cranking it over.
So, here is the procedure...
COLD WEATHER STARTING TIPS
1. Turn the ignition to "ON" and wait 2 to 3 seconds
you will hear relays click, and the fuel pump and injectors whirr for a second.
2. Turn the key to start and crank it over
If it does not start within 4 to 5 cranks STOP
3. Wait 4 more seconds
4. Start the car again
5. Vroooooommmm!
PS>
I am also using synthetic oil which is supposed to help it start little easier in the cold weather.
01-23-2005, 03:22 AM
#12
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Originally Posted by cartier001
Carlanga,
Mine takes about a second (4, 5 turns) to start. To make it warm a bit faster. Here is what I do. 1 start the engine, turn the tempereture control to cold, ____ to "D" with hand brake set (make sure the hand brake is tight or the car will move). The engine will be completely warmed up within 4 min. I usually lock the door and rush myself back to house and have a coffe while waiting. I have two keys.
Mine takes about a second (4, 5 turns) to start. To make it warm a bit faster. Here is what I do. 1 start the engine, turn the tempereture control to cold, ____ to "D" with hand brake set (make sure the hand brake is tight or the car will move). The engine will be completely warmed up within 4 min. I usually lock the door and rush myself back to house and have a coffe while waiting. I have two keys.
This will ruin your brakes and damage your transmission's torque converter do to the strain your putting on it.
Just hope that parking brake holds and the RPM's stay low enough or it will take off on you.
01-23-2005, 04:29 AM
#13
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Originally Posted by cartier001
Carlanga,
Mine takes about a second (4, 5 turns) to start. To make it warm a bit faster. Here is what I do. 1 start the engine, turn the tempereture control to cold, ____ to "D" with hand brake set (make sure the hand brake is tight or the car will move). The engine will be completely warmed up within 4 min. I usually lock the door and rush myself back to house and have a coffe while waiting. I have two keys.
Mine takes about a second (4, 5 turns) to start. To make it warm a bit faster. Here is what I do. 1 start the engine, turn the tempereture control to cold, ____ to "D" with hand brake set (make sure the hand brake is tight or the car will move). The engine will be completely warmed up within 4 min. I usually lock the door and rush myself back to house and have a coffe while waiting. I have two keys.
That is nuts!!!!!!
01-23-2005, 06:23 AM
#15
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i have the exact same problems with mine starting, and dont blame it on just the weather. i have a 94 metro with 150k miles and it starts on the first crank, no matter if its in my garage or outside in the cold all night while im at work.
01-23-2005, 06:38 AM
#16
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I do believe the revolutions before starting is in the design. I had a '98 Chevy S-10 that started as soon as you turned the key. I've had many Dodges that start just after the first revolution. I had a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-9R that took a couple of turns to start while my friends Honda CBR 900RR started on one turn.
The XB does take more turns than any car I've owned. It makes me worry during cold starts.
The XB does take more turns than any car I've owned. It makes me worry during cold starts.
01-23-2005, 05:38 PM
#17
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[quote="Max2k"]Don't quote me on this, but I believe it's the battery. They lose a bit of charge when they're super cold. This goes for all batteries (my iPod will show "no battery" if it's fully charged but frozen).
[\quote]
Well I have the Optima Red top truck battery in my box, should put out close to twice the Amprage as the stock battery. So even tho i never tested it while it was cold, one would figure that it would still @ 10'deg still put out just the same if not more than the stock battery at 40'deg. But i still have hard starting problems.... Another problem i'm having is it normally idles around 1500-2000rpm when cold.... when i first start, it seems to idle <1000rpm. Like the oil is almost like a cold goo. And when you do a lil rev, the RPMs drop FAST. The worst of all is a few times late for work, i coluld only allow my box to warm up for 30-45sec (just enough to distribute the oil) before i had to drive her... Then i noticed the clutch became very sticky (hard to shift smoothly) When it would engage, it would do very quickly and jerky.
[\quote]
Well I have the Optima Red top truck battery in my box, should put out close to twice the Amprage as the stock battery. So even tho i never tested it while it was cold, one would figure that it would still @ 10'deg still put out just the same if not more than the stock battery at 40'deg. But i still have hard starting problems.... Another problem i'm having is it normally idles around 1500-2000rpm when cold.... when i first start, it seems to idle <1000rpm. Like the oil is almost like a cold goo. And when you do a lil rev, the RPMs drop FAST. The worst of all is a few times late for work, i coluld only allow my box to warm up for 30-45sec (just enough to distribute the oil) before i had to drive her... Then i noticed the clutch became very sticky (hard to shift smoothly) When it would engage, it would do very quickly and jerky.
01-23-2005, 07:59 PM
#18
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Originally Posted by cartier001
Carlanga,
Mine takes about a second (4, 5 turns) to start. To make it warm a bit faster. Here is what I do. 1 start the engine, turn the tempereture control to cold, ____ to "D" with hand brake set (make sure the hand brake is tight or the car will move). The engine will be completely warmed up within 4 min. I usually lock the door and rush myself back to house and have a coffe while waiting. I have two keys.
Mine takes about a second (4, 5 turns) to start. To make it warm a bit faster. Here is what I do. 1 start the engine, turn the tempereture control to cold, ____ to "D" with hand brake set (make sure the hand brake is tight or the car will move). The engine will be completely warmed up within 4 min. I usually lock the door and rush myself back to house and have a coffe while waiting. I have two keys.
01-23-2005, 09:01 PM
#20
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He's basically putting a slightly higher load on the engine so it will warm up faster. How do you figure it will hurt your brakes or torque converter? What are you doing at a stop light (with an auto)? You're still in gear with the brakes applied. Same thing here, but it's the parking brake holding the car. As long as you wait for the rpm's to come down from cold start, you shouldn't burn anything up. Just hope the p-brake is strong enough to hold.