I just love those it's going to fall apart sounds when waking a vehicle up at -20F and lower.
For those in the Midwest... RE the recent deep freeze
- Thread starter 14Accent
- Start date
I mostly just get those weird squeaks and rattles once I get rolling... The swaybar bushings get petrified and sound awful, for example!
OVERKILL
$100 Site Donor 2021
Not in your area, but we've had a low of -32C recently (-25.6F) and neither vehicle makes any weird noises. They feel sluggish, likely from all the drivetrain fluids being super thick, but other than that, uneventful. Our old Expedition used to have quite the power steering moan when it got below -20C.
Just whatever our house brand ATF is. I know it's synthetic, but that's about it.
As far as the block heater suggestions, I don't see the point. There's no way a tiny little heating element is going to make a measurable difference at the temps we've seen lately. Warming 10% of the coolant isn't going to change anything. Besides, cold coolant isn't the issue. It's every other fluid that matters.
Something too that I didn't appreciate until I had a car without power steering at all(although a very light car where I don't really notice it most of the time).
It's surprising how much effort it takes to turn the wheels when the car is stationary. If it's rolling even just a bit, steering takes a fraction of the effort. When I'm parking even my little 2000lb car, I try to always leave space to roll a bit when I turn the wheel as it's not only easier but I can't imagine it's good for the rack and pinion and other steering components.
You of course don't generally notice this with power steering, but I suspect you're really beating up your hydraulics or electric motor to do it. It can't be any better when it's freezing cold and the fluid is thick.
Highboy
Site Donor 2022
I use a block heater and it starts like a summer day. There is no plug in at work and you can tell the difference.
South central MN. Vehicles in the signature. Both are almost 130k miles. They stay in the garage overnight and start fine [honestly, probably the biggest factor in their longevity].
If they are ever out in the deep cold such as a day at work, they start fine but definitely complain a bit and need some idling time right after starting and before driving.
The fuel economy diminishes a bit, probably due to winter fuel blend, idling more, and taking longer to warm up.
Both ATF and PS are drain/fill \\ extracted/refilled with Amsoil SS ATF regularly. The Mazda 6 PS used to whine but doesn't anymore; the Mazda 5 never whined as it has some sort of hybrid PS system. The trannies are not noticeably affected.
If they are ever out in the deep cold such as a day at work, they start fine but definitely complain a bit and need some idling time right after starting and before driving.
The fuel economy diminishes a bit, probably due to winter fuel blend, idling more, and taking longer to warm up.
Both ATF and PS are drain/fill \\ extracted/refilled with Amsoil SS ATF regularly. The Mazda 6 PS used to whine but doesn't anymore; the Mazda 5 never whined as it has some sort of hybrid PS system. The trannies are not noticeably affected.
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2024
Those were the days when every car had its own unique technique to get it started in the bitter cold. Press the pedal all the way one time to set the choke, then press half way while turning the key. OR... Pump the gas several times while cranking the key. OR... Cycle the key on and off twice before cranking it all the way, then pump the gas halfway twice. OR... Open the air cleaner lid, prop open the butterfly valve, pump the gas once, turn the radio on and off three times, pump the gas one more time, and finally crank the key. Making ANY mistake while following these procedures meant the car wouldn't start until Spring!
I’ve had leakage from my Chevy power steering pump during at sub 0 F temps. I put up with it for two winters, then replaced the pump. No more leakage. And no I don’t disassemble pumps and put new seals in. The pump had 150,000 miles on it.
My Honda Civic fan blower motor makes a weird noise when the wind chills get around 30 below zero. Last year it started making those noises and I bought a new motor last year and it's still in the box. This year the weather has been so much better and the motor is really quiet but will make a little noise when it's really cold outside. My other vehicles are in a heated garage and they don't have any cold weather problems. It's not like the good old days of jump starts and spraying starter fluid and running a cord with a knipco heater pointed at the engine. LOL!
My old 87 F150'S 4.9 engine copes just fine in the sub zero temperatures. The 4spd manual transmission's shifter does get a little stiff but not real bad. I have 75w-90 in the gearbox so I can't go any thinner. The hydraulic clutch does get slow returning to the engaged position but improves after a couple miles. I am not in favor of letting a vehicle warm up needlessly in the driveway, so I drive off after about a minute. I can't complain since this truck is so old.
Other than my brief cold transmission shutter, my Camry is rock solid no matter how cold it is.
My Jeep YJ leaks like a sieve when it gets cold. The existing leaks stop (output shaft, valve cover), but once it gets around 0, my power steering and radiator hoses shrink up and leak.
I had a 2016 F150 that used to do a high pitched growl for a second or two immediately after starting.
My favorite was when I was in Winnipeg for work and had a rental van with no block heater. It was -54C, and I was thankful the van (Caravan) started, but the screen said: too cold to operate. I had to drive with the windows cracked to keep them from icing up inside, as the van would never warm up. I even jump started a local's car with that van in that cold weather.
My Jeep YJ leaks like a sieve when it gets cold. The existing leaks stop (output shaft, valve cover), but once it gets around 0, my power steering and radiator hoses shrink up and leak.
I had a 2016 F150 that used to do a high pitched growl for a second or two immediately after starting.
My favorite was when I was in Winnipeg for work and had a rental van with no block heater. It was -54C, and I was thankful the van (Caravan) started, but the screen said: too cold to operate. I had to drive with the windows cracked to keep them from icing up inside, as the van would never warm up. I even jump started a local's car with that van in that cold weather.
Starter gear wheel failing to disengage from engine flywheel perhaps?
We keep both our cars in a semi-heated attached garaged. Even on the coldest of days, it's always above freezing in there. I also keep the batteries hooked up to NOCO trickle chargers. Both vehicles are on the original battery and they start just fine, if a little clackety. But they're diesels...
Highboy
Site Donor 2022
The cartridge heater comes on 2 hours before I go to work and on this -5 morning, my water temp was 62 degrees. Load on the car and unplug the heater and have some heat is a great thing. A warm block heats the oil also and the transmission fluid gets some heat by going through the radiator cooler that acts like a heater at those temperatures.
