Give the cars a quick run?

[daves87rs]

Ah...gotta love these snow storms...

Throwing out a quick question though-it looks as if we are going to be in some sub zero temps for the next few days-something we're not used to, even in weather crazy MI...

Since I'm going to be trapped at home for a little while (or until they at least plow our roads,and the very cold temps, our cars will not be going anywhere for a while. And since I do not have a block heater on either car, would it be wise to run outside and start them up, idle for a little while, so that it keeps things moving and keeps the batteries somewhat charged? I was not planning to run them too long, just enough to get them cleaned of snow and back into the warm house....

 

[SuperDave456]

Are their batteries already low?

How long will it keep them free of snow?

My only issue with this is that everytime I do this and go to bed, I've just wasted 30-45 minutes of gas and a lot of energy.

Cars cool off fast, and it will be there tomorrow morning again.

Just saying.

 

[GutsyGecko]

Just leave them. Less cold starts.

 

[daves87rs]

Originally Posted By: SuperDave456
Are their batteries already low?

How long will it keep them free of snow?

My only issue with this is that everytime I do this and go to bed, I've just wasted 30-45 minutes of gas and a lot of energy.

Cars cool off fast, and it will be there tomorrow morning again.

Just saying.



Nope, both batteries are newer autocrafts ones, and no issues with the cold so far, even with a few starts in the sub zero (-5F). But the rest of the time, the temps actually got back into the teens and 20s. If not for the really cold temps, I would not even bother. Or the fact that I could actually drive them somewhere..

In honestly, they should start right up (granted, it might not be the first time) and be fine. But when your cars get a bit older, you tend to worry just a little in times like these...

 

[dparm]

Not worth your time. It won't serve any useful purpose. Millions of cars go many days without being started. Unless you are going to drive it for 20-30 minutes and get the oil up to temp, you're just going to be polluting a lot and pumping thick oil around (accelerating wear).

Make yourself an Irish coffee and enjoy being indoors.


PS, currently -5 F with a windchill of -25 F here in the Chicago suburbs. I have no plans to go start my car until later in the week when I need groceries.

 

[NMBurb02]

Sounds like a recipe for fuel dilution and unnecessary wear as the oil will get nowhere near full temp.

 

[oilmaven]

The Suzuki hasn't been out of the garage since Christmas Eve and I don't intend to start it until next weekend when the weather "warms up" (if you can say low to mid-twenties is "warm").

 

[eljefino]

No. I have a Saturn with summer tires that's been sitting all week through nasty cold weather. It started right up after a -8'F overnight at the end of this spell, though the power steering system sounded angry.

The only angle, though, is the snow removal. If you move your cars to do this to improve your driveway, you've done something positive. And, your cars work for you.

 

[GreeCguy]

I wouldn't do it. While I am no winter weather expert, when I did live in the Great White North during my college days, my car would sit for weeks at a time in the parking lot of a cold Nebraska Winter. When I did need to go somewhere, she'd fire right up, (and this was in carburetor days).

If you're worried about your batteries and the car is going to sit for a long period of time, why not remove the batteries, put them in your shop or garage and put them on a battery charger?

 

[Pop_Rivit]

It's not going to hurt anything, especially if they're parked outside and not in a garage. It would be better to find out if you have a problem now, rather than when you need to leave at 5:00 AM and it's -15 outside.

 

[Eddie]

NO, unless you are going to DRIVE them for 30+ minutes

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
Sounds like a recipe for fuel dilution and unnecessary wear as the oil will get nowhere near full temp.

Yup. And additional moisture condensation.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
Sounds like a recipe for fuel dilution and unnecessary wear as the oil will get nowhere near full temp.


+1

I would consider putting a battery maintainer on it assuming you could keep it dry and out of the elements (or have a waterproof one). A block heater would be best, but since you dont have that, keeping the battery fully charged is the best you can do. To be really extreme, you could remove it and bring it inside, but I dont see the need.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Eddie
NO, unless you are going to DRIVE them for 30+ minutes


This. It's going to take a lot out of the batteries to start the car. You'll have to run them for at least 30 minutes to get the battery charged back up to where it was.

Fuel injected cars, with a good battery, will start after sitting for a long time in some low temps.

Last week, when we got the brutal cold, I did start the Cherokee up and drive it around for 45 minutes or so because I didn't want the battery to freeze. It has some sort of bad battery drain.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Miller88
You'll have to run them for at least 30 minutes to get the battery charged back up to where it was.

I've read somewhere that in many cars at idle the alternator doesn't produce enough juice to even properly charge the battery. Not sure if that's actually true though. I guess it may depend on what other accessories/systems you're running at the same time...

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: dparm
Not worth your time. It won't serve any useful purpose. Millions of cars go many days without being started. Unless you are going to drive it for 20-30 minutes and get the oil up to temp, you're just going to be polluting a lot and pumping thick oil around (accelerating wear).

Make yourself an Irish coffee and enjoy being indoors.


PS, currently -5 F with a windchill of -25 F here in the Chicago suburbs. I have no plans to go start my car until later in the week when I need groceries.


Not quite.
If my car isn't plugged in and its -30 out I've gotta start it and let it run for an hour every 6 hours or it won't start,period.
OP
If you need one of those vehicles to actually start I would run them once or twice daily for an hour. Yesterday my car wouldn't start after sitting for 8 hours.
Once ambient temps increase you'll be fine.
I suggest those who don't actually live somewhere cold to give some actual thought to their answers. If an emergency arises and he runs out there to start that car and it just "clicks" then the whole extra wear and fuel dilution argument doesn't mean much does it.
I wouldn't start both though. Just one,then it can jump start the other if required.
If some life or death emergency arises,God forbid,with the few dollars in few truly matter.

Just saying,coming from a guy whose been living with daily -30 temps and my car wouldn't start when I needed it to.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Miller88
You'll have to run them for at least 30 minutes to get the battery charged back up to where it was.

I've read somewhere that in many cars at idle the alternator doesn't produce enough juice to even properly charge the battery. Not sure if that's actually true though. I guess it may depend on what other accessories/systems you're running at the same time...




At idle my charger is throwing 14.4-14.6 volts with both seat warmers,the rear defroster and heat going full blast
Is that enough to charge the battery.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: Clevy
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: Miller88
You'll have to run them for at least 30 minutes to get the battery charged back up to where it was.

I've read somewhere that in many cars at idle the alternator doesn't produce enough juice to even properly charge the battery. Not sure if that's actually true though. I guess it may depend on what other accessories/systems you're running at the same time...




At idle my charger is throwing 14.4-14.6 volts
Is that enough to charge the battery.


That will charge the battery. But I wouldn't put the charger on unless the battery isn't able to start the car.

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
Sounds like a recipe for fuel dilution and unnecessary wear as the oil will get nowhere near full temp.

Yup. And additional moisture condensation.
Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: NMBurb02
Sounds like a recipe for fuel dilution and unnecessary wear as the oil will get nowhere near full temp.

Yup. And additional moisture condensation.



If the oil reaches 180f is that enough to evaporate condensation.

These threads amuse me. Comments from a bunch of guys who've only seen -30 on the news,and the comments reflect it too.
OP
If you need a car to start no matter what then go out and let it idle for an hour. Let it get hot under hood. The battery will warm and charge and so on.
If you don't and something happens you're gonna look back on this thread and wonder why.

 

[Bamaro]

A total waste of time and money