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Coldest Temp You Ever Cranked Over Your Motor?
- Thread starter BumpDraft2004
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When I was at school, we only managed to keep a Honda running and it turned over at around -30*F or so.
My parents started their Toyota in Eli, MN at -36*F or something. While the truck sat out overnight, the windshield broke.
All of these starts had no aid of block, oil, or battery heaters.
My parents started their Toyota in Eli, MN at -36*F or something. While the truck sat out overnight, the windshield broke.
All of these starts had no aid of block, oil, or battery heaters.
Hibbing, MN. Late January in 1996 I remember -45 below some people said it -50. I was at a hotel and was driving a 1992 mustang LX 5.0.
It was the only car in the lot that started. (Barely) I had 5 or more people by my car in a few minutes asking for a jump start.
I know I was running 5w30 Motorcraft oil at the time. Motorcraft battery also.
It was the only car in the lot that started. (Barely) I had 5 or more people by my car in a few minutes asking for a jump start.
I know I was running 5w30 Motorcraft oil at the time. Motorcraft battery also.
-25/-30F.
-26 in Chicago, -38 in the northwoods. Honda Civic w/Pennz dino.
Unaided -27C in New hampshire for a few days a couple years ago. 05 Suzuki Aerio SX. A lot of wood peckers under the hood for a few mins. Hard to see down the road with all the vapour from other cars' exhaust those days. Prob was running 5w-30 Superflo in those days.
Don't really remember off the top of my head.
On winter mornings when the sun is just coming it usually takes 4 or 5 turnovers for the engine to fire to life. The car also rattles a lot until warms up. The stick shift also feels like you're stirring molasses.
I'd say it's generally in the teens. I'm sure I've started it below zeroes, usually with the same results.
On winter mornings when the sun is just coming it usually takes 4 or 5 turnovers for the engine to fire to life. The car also rattles a lot until warms up. The stick shift also feels like you're stirring molasses.
I'd say it's generally in the teens. I'm sure I've started it below zeroes, usually with the same results.
-38F and even with synthetic it is not a pretty sound! What is even funnier is how the transmission would hold 2nd to try and warm up the fluid......I have been riding shotgun in vechiles that where started much colder then that but since I was not fliping the master and pushing start I did not count those!LOL
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My Buddy ran 100% Dexron ATF in his ford 351 LTD beater all the time in the winter. The car never ran better! This is in the ENGINE not trans, Of course the trans took type-F. C4.
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I started a work (gas) F150 at ambient -55, and it wasn't plugged into a block heater (wind chill was around -75). Sounded like the devil was inside it, so I shut it back off. My coat actually froze stiff - it was a fleece-lined job with a nylon type exterior, and it hardened.
-36f
-24 F just the other night
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Heck, I feel so inadequate with (probably) single positive digit starts
As a winter skier and winter tourist.....
Jackson Hole Wyoming, VW 412 w Mobil 1 5W20, mid 70's
-43, started eventually. Only car in lot to start.
Colorado, Several events at -40, always Mobil 1. At high altitude little power is developed , once I had to heat the block with a coleman single burner to make it happen.
Ely Minnesota, a few years ago, -47f, 3.1 litre Lumina apv, Mobil 1 0W20. Absolutely the only vehicle in the area that started that was not plugged in. Engine howled, growled screeched and screamed but eventually all was well.
Failures: Most of my cars stop starting when the cold CCS reaches about 30,000, at this point they pop and fire but no longer make enough power to overcome viscous drag. With 50 years of data, here is what I have:
20W50 Cars stop starting at about - 8f
10W30: Cars stop starting at about -25f
5W30: cars start down to about -34
5W30 Synthetic... fail at about -40
0W20 Synthetic: still starting at - 47F
Reading product data sheets - these numbers seem consistent with the anticipated viscous drag of the various oils.
This also nicely matches one of the first SAE journal
research articles that I ever read in the U of Iowa engineering Library - conducted by General Motors in about 1962.
I have seem some "polar start" oils listed for near arctic areas but have never had opportunity to try them - or no need to I hope!!
Jackson Hole Wyoming, VW 412 w Mobil 1 5W20, mid 70's
-43, started eventually. Only car in lot to start.
Colorado, Several events at -40, always Mobil 1. At high altitude little power is developed , once I had to heat the block with a coleman single burner to make it happen.
Ely Minnesota, a few years ago, -47f, 3.1 litre Lumina apv, Mobil 1 0W20. Absolutely the only vehicle in the area that started that was not plugged in. Engine howled, growled screeched and screamed but eventually all was well.
Failures: Most of my cars stop starting when the cold CCS reaches about 30,000, at this point they pop and fire but no longer make enough power to overcome viscous drag. With 50 years of data, here is what I have:
20W50 Cars stop starting at about - 8f
10W30: Cars stop starting at about -25f
5W30: cars start down to about -34
5W30 Synthetic... fail at about -40
0W20 Synthetic: still starting at - 47F
Reading product data sheets - these numbers seem consistent with the anticipated viscous drag of the various oils.
This also nicely matches one of the first SAE journal
research articles that I ever read in the U of Iowa engineering Library - conducted by General Motors in about 1962.
I have seem some "polar start" oils listed for near arctic areas but have never had opportunity to try them - or no need to I hope!!
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