Can you even imagine doing this in the winter?

[f355spider]

-20C isn't very cold. None-the-less you're right. Modern oils (0W- and 5W-) have made cold weather starts less of an issue. In the old days most people used 5W-20 oil in winter but I think modern oils are even better. Engines aren't as big as they used to be so that may be a factor too.

I'm getting out of touch with cold starts. For the last 9 years we've lived near Victoria where we hardly ever see -10C. And for the 16 years prior to that when we lived in Edmonton we had an unheated (but attached) garage that hardly ever got below freezing and I had an underground parking space at work that wasn't heated but never got too cold either. It got very cold outside but my vehicles weren't starting in those conditions.

Yes, I think the coldest I would see might be -25 or -30C overnight, and warmer during the day...but still funny to run into an account and come out 40 minutes later and my drink I left in the cupholder is freezing up. lol

 

[wwillson]

Granted, I am only seeing around -20C or so overnight

That's -4F, so not super cold.

 

[f355spider]

That's -4F, so not super cold.

My conversions are off....I was seeing overnight temps of -10F to -15F was typical...this is in mid late January to early February. Not super cold, by what others are posting.

 

[mnmarlin]

When I was (much) younger we had a an 1970 Nova with a 307 in it, it would always start. One very cold winter day it was the only car that would start, unfortunately the coolant was frozen enough the water pump belt broke on the way to work for my dad. He worked at car repair place so he drove it inside and replaced the belt and it we drove it for years afterword, amazingly the radiator wasn't damaged. More recently in the mid 90's we had some severe winters here in Minnesota and one morning it was very cold (radio reported around -50F, my cheap outdoor thermometer showed -56F other parts of the state were reporting -60f, without windchill!). Our early 90's Chevy Cavalier cranked but wouldn't fire. I put an oil pan heater on and threw the battery charger on it and half hour later it fired. This was back in the dark ages of dino 10W30. I'm not sure how cold it really was, but I'm sure we were well past the pour point of 10W30. Fuel injection has been a godsend to cold weather starting. I had a 76 Mercury Vomit with a 302 that one winter day wouldn't start and got so flooded that when we finally did get it to start the excess fuel was burning in the exhaust - it was kind of pretty as there were so many rust holes in the pipes and muffler it made a nice dancing pattern on the snow. Should have let it burn to the ground, would have saved me much frustration.

 

[eljefino]

Antifreeze doesn't just turn into an ice cube one degree below its rating, it makes slush that doesn't expand, and doesn't blow out whatever's holding it. If you have the patience and facilities to thaw it, you'll probably do ok.

 

[Sumboodie]

How can people do this on a daily?

Yes, but it gets cold here. Usually gets down to -50* most winters. Only has been -35* so far though.

 

[ecotourist]

Antifreeze doesn't just turn into an ice cube one degree below its rating, it makes slush that doesn't expand, and doesn't blow out whatever's holding it. If you have the patience and facilities to thaw it, you'll probably do ok.

That's true. On one very cold day my Chevy II suddenly overheated after driving 90% of the way to work. Fortunately I was already at the university. I pulled into the drop off area beside the College of Law (for you U of S fans) and could leave the car where it was for a while.

The radiator was dead cold. I assumed the antifreeze had gelled in the radiator. I covered the grill and let the heat of the engine thaw it out. After a half hour or so the radiator warmed up, the engine ran normally and I continued on my way.

The block heater had probably been plugged in overnight so the coolant in the block had stayed liquid and the heater core had provided enough cooling to almost get to work. There were no subsequent problems with the block or the radiator.

I generally used a mix of 50:50 coolant and water which should have been good down to about -33C/-26F. Must have been colder than that.

 

[antonmnster]

I think 1996 was the last real winter we’ve had around here. My 86 Saab never let me down after my overnight shifts making GM neutral-start switches. I think the coldest I remember was -28f, pretty chilly. The power steering pump wasn’t happy and the shocks turned to stone, but I got home every morning.

 

[John105]

Our monthly utility bill spiked at $190 over the last month, and we have a 94% furnace. What the heck would their heating bills look like

 

[Vil_Riker]

What vehicle is that?

UAZ 469.

 

[edyvw]

UAZ 469.

Lol, as I said earlier, I was asking about VW.

 

[tcp71]

Our monthly utility bill spiked at $190 over the last month, and we have a 94% furnace. What the heck would their heating bills look like

Like this:

 

[TimeFlies]

Hyperbole, eh. Where in Canada did you live?

Block heaters yes. Interior car warmers - not usually. You generally can't run an interior car warmer at the same time as a block heater because if the breaker blows you won't even have a block heater. Oil pan heaters - never seen one.

I have oil pan heaters on every vehicle I own, including the wifes. Also have interior heaters in my pickup, and wife's. I live in central BC.

 

[IndyIan]

Like this:
View attachment 258693

Bringing in a few more pieces of firewood on the cold nights costs about the same I find... I try to be a whole year ahead, so there's no chance of running out.
Just need to split a few more chunks in the spring to restore the firewood "strategic reserve".

 

[Snagglefoot]

Southern Ontario and Calgary are not cold places. In fact people from elsewhere on the prairies move to Calgary because of its mild winters. It does snow in Calgary but then the snow melts, often within a few days.

You might try spending a winter in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Edmonton or Fort McMurray before commenting on how cold it gets in Canada. It does get very cold in those and many other places too. And those places are not even in the far north.

You're right about block heater plug-ins. They're found at every parking place, on the prairies at least. A block heater is pretty much a mandatory "option" for every new vehicle anywhere on the prairies. That's how people get their cars started after sitting overnight or even for a few hours in very cold weather.

I tend to plug in at -5F with my block heater equipped Suburban if it sits outside and a plug-in is available. However, I’m currently running 0W40 in it so even if no block heater it will start. It’s sort of like being kind to your engine to plug in. The start is always smoother.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Yes, I think the coldest I would see might be -25 or -30C overnight, and warmer during the day...but still funny to run into an account and come out 40 minutes later and my drink I left in the cupholder is freezing up. lol

View attachment 258013

Sort of neat when a unopened can of Coke explodes in your cup holder. As me how I know.

 

[mnmarlin]

Another cold weather story, my son had a 2005 Avalanche when he lived in far northern Minnesota and one day after work it wouldn't start, battery was weak. Got a jump from a coworker and as I taught him he took it for a drive to give the alternator a chance to get the battery charged. He then did what I didn't teach him and pulled over and shut the truck off to see if it would start. 25 miles from town, -30 and no go. Fortunately he had his phone and was able to call for a tow. They pulled him to town after the coldest 40 minute wait ever and after testing the battery determined it was just done. I've asked him why he thought he thought he should try to restart the truck out in the middle of nowhere, he just shrugs and says I know better now!