My Focus did not like that cold start.

[KrisZ]

That's really the first time when it took so much cranking to start the car.
The previous day was -23C (-10F) all day and I parked the car on the street so that my wife could park in the garage. It sat there for about 4 hours. I just started it and moved to the driveway, it started up fine then. Perhaps that's why it was having such a hard time to catch?

The power steering pump, filled with Mobil 1 ATF, did not sound great either.

 

[Quattro Pete]

That sounded painful, indeed.

 

[Ramblejam]

What oil?

 

[pair of Blazers]

my work KIA turned right over and stalled about second and half later, turned again and it ran. 5*F in NYC

 

[Errtt]

Hows the battery?

 

[Drew99GT]

My Corolla and every other car we've owned is weird like that. Some mornings it starts great even at -10F; other times starting at 20F it starts and runs worse.

 

[gregk24]

Ouch =/ That cant be good for the starter, your car idles down quickly though. My Accord jumps to 2K rpm on a cold start then stays around 1500 for almost a minute then works its way down to 1100ish. Cold starts here in FL have been in the teens some mornings, but usually in the low 30s

 

[Chris142]

Thats only 0F. You need a battery or a charger if its run down.

 

[KrisZ]

Originally Posted By: Ramblejam
What oil?


Valvoline 5w30 conventional

Originally Posted By: gregk24
Ouch =/ That cant be good for the starter, your car idles down quickly though.


Probably, but it's not a common occurrence. Normally the car fires right up. This start, from all that I could've filmed, is an oddity so far.

 

[JimPghPA]

Sounds like the starter is sized to save weight and cost, yet still be just enough to get the job done. I am not one of the engineers who design cars, but it is obvious that the engineers who design vehicles now days have to shave every ounce of weight they can to get the most MPGs, and that also applies to the starter. Iv'e heard slower cranking engines on cold days that still started but you are right in being concerned because there obviously is some cold temperature where that engine is not going to start, I just wonder how close to that temperature you were when it did that slow start?

 

[[email protected]]

My 2002 Bravada started the same way when it was -15f here last week, except mine flooded and I had to end up holding the pedal to the floor to get it to start. I run Mobil 1 5w30 in it.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: Errtt
Hows the battery?


That's the wonderful thing about something like the Battery Tender Plus I use ($47 on Amazon) -- regardless of temperature, you get a battery that's perfectly charged...automatically.

"While a battery is being charged, it is important that the charger absorption and float, maintenance voltages closely match the recommendations of the battery manufacturer. The absorption voltage match is important for quick charging. The float, maintenance voltage match is important for long term, storage charging.

Batteries are sensitive to temperature. Recall the number of TV ads showing how tough a battery is when it can start a vehicle in sub-zero temperatures. Cold temperatures tend to reduce a battery’s ability to deliver current to a load. High temperatures not only increase a battery’s ability to deliver current to a load, but also increase a battery’s internal losses. Temperature compensation is a way to change a charger’s output voltage to maintain optimum compatibility with the battery’s charging requirements. The way it works is that the charger senses the ambient temperature. Then it increases the charge voltage when it is cold and decreases the charge voltage when it is hot. Typical values for temperature compensation for a lead acid battery are minus 0.0025 to minus 0.004 volts per degree Centigrade per 2-volt cell. For a 12-volt battery, that would be minus 0.015 volts to minus 0.024 volts per °C. The reference temperature requiring zero charge voltage compensation is 25 °C or 77 °F.

How important is temperature compensation? Like with most everything else about batteries, it depends on the application. For industrial, critical load, standby power applications, where the batteries may be connected to a live charger for a number of years, then temperature compensation can have a significant influence on battery life. In many consumer applications like SLI, deep cycle marine, etc., temperature compensation will increase long-term battery performance, but it is probably not essential in all applications. Where it is most beneficial is in helping to minimize the negative impact of a battery’s self-discharge characteristics in high temperature environments. Deltran Battery Tender Plus Battery Chargers Overcome the Negative Impact of High Temperature on Battery Performance.

The self-discharge rate of a battery is directly dependent upon the ambient temperature of the battery environment. At higher temperatures, the chemical reaction rates that determine self-discharge will also increase.

When a battery sits idle, its self-discharge characteristics will reduce its ability to deliver power on its next use. If the battery either sits long enough, or if the ambient temperature rises high enough, then the battery may become fully discharged. In fact, it is possible for the battery to be over-discharged to the point where it cannot be recovered.
The Deltran Battery Tender Plus battery chargers overcome the negative impact of higher ambient temperature and battery self-discharge in two ways. First, the Deltran Battery Tender Plus battery charger applies a safe, float, maintenance voltage level to the battery to overcome its internal losses and counteract the self-discharge phenomena. Second, the Battery Tender Plus battery charger automatically compensates the amplitude of its charge voltages for changes in ambient temperature. It reduces the amplitude of the float, maintenance voltage as the ambient temperature increases and it increases the amplitude of the charge voltages in colder temperatures. In mathematical terms, this type of compensation scheme is called a "Negative Temperature Coefficient".

The temperature compensation ratio employed by the Deltran Battery Tender Plus battery chargers is approximately minus 3.67 millivolts per battery cell per degree Centigrade of temperature rise above 25 °C. Stated another way, the output voltage of the Deltran Battery Tender Plus battery charger will drop 0.022 volts, or 22 millivolts, for every degree Centigrade temperature rise, when it is connected to a 12-volt battery.
In the event that the temperature would rise enough so that the Deltran Battery Tender Plus battery charger voltage output drops below the what would be considered a normal operating voltage for a 12 volt battery, then the Deltran Battery Tender Plus battery charger automatically disconnects itself from the battery via an internal solid state mechanism, affording an extra measure of safety in a very high temperature environment."

http://batterytender.com/resources/frequently-asked-questions/

 

[JimPghPA]

If that was the fan for the cabin heat running in the background, you can turn it off the next time you video a cold start so the recording gets more engine sounds and less fan sound.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Mine cranks a bit quiker than that, but makes scary noises when I let out the clutch.

 

[JimPghPA]

As battery temperature decreases the actual cranking amps that a battery can deliver decreases. Remember that most chemical reactions double or half for every 10 degree C, or 18 degree F, so expect the available cold cranking current to half for every decrease of 10 degree C. And while this is all going on the oil is also getting thicker as the temperature decreases, and that combined with tighter fit of the moving parts with temperature decrease means that there is some temperature below which it simply ain't gona start.

I saw a show about the motors on formula 1 cars and one part talked about the fact that the clearance between the pistons and the cylinders is soooooooooooooo tight that the motor has to have hot coolant circulated through it before it can be cranked. Without the pre warming the friction between the moving parts is too tight to allow cranking. Now there is some crazy pre start requirements.

 

[Ramblejam]

Originally Posted By: JimPghPA
As battery temperature decreases the actual cranking amps that a battery can deliver decreases. Remember that most chemical reactions double or half for every 10 degree C, or 18 degree F, so expect the available cold cranking current to half for every decrease of 10 degree C. And while this is all going on the oil is also getting thicker as the temperature decreases, and that combined with tighter fit of the moving parts with temperature decrease means that there is some temperature below which it simply ain't gona start.


k1 = 0.61 + 0.0082*temp - 0.0000417*temp2
k2 = 0.61 + 0.0082*ccatemp - 0.0000417*ccatemp2
newcca = k1 * (cca/k2)

http://www.bgsoflex.com/ccatemp.html

 

[tig1]

Sounds fine to me, except a little slow turning over. Switch to Mobil 1 0w20 and that may help. My Focus started right up at -10F and sounded fine.

 

[rjundi]

That car sounds a lot better than my wife's 2005 Subaru Legacy GT. It makes all sorts of funky sounds but then again its supposed to, its a Subaru.

Exact sample of its noises but a WRX with the same engine:

 

[wander2039]

Sounds similar to mine at the same temps but it's a SPI/SOHC. It caught a few strokes quicker is about it. I have Maxlife/Mercon V mixture in the PS, small amount of whine. Mine I know would do better with 5w20 made the mistake of putting 5w30 in, a whole another car rattles and all. I may stick it out with 0w20 actually but it's only been 2k and hate to waste the $$$. I'm just happy I have cars that start in the cold.. had a few over the years that wouldn't.

 

[charbaby]

Man, what's it sound like at -40?