Cold Weather Starting?

"mazda616" (mazda616) 02/15/2015 at 17:05 • Filed to: Winter sucks

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Old man winter is giving us Kentuckians a big ol' "Screw you!" Almost a foot of snow tonight and below zero temps all week. This is the later forecast for this week.

This is what we'll be dealing with this coming week. We only have a one car garage at our (current) house, and the CX-5 will probably get that. I am worried that my car won't start with it that far below zero. The coldest I have seen when I started it was 2 degrees. I don't have a block heater, of course, because it honestly hardly ever gets that cold here. This might actually be a record. Is there anything I can do to help it be able to start?

E. Julius > mazda616 02/15/2015 at 17:48

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A cursory reading of the wikipedia article for block heaters said that people in 30s used to pour hot water over their engine blocks or drain the oil for warm storage overnight.

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > mazda616 02/15/2015 at 17:59

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My 4Runner started when it was -40 outside without a block heater. That's just my experience.

71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors > mazda616 02/15/2015 at 18:30

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http://www.weather.com/weather/tenday…

It's 70 degrees here, sorry about the cold.

mazda616 > 71MGBGT Likes Subarus of Unusual Colors 02/15/2015 at 19:04

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I've never had warm weather envy, since our winters aren't usually that bad. This is a truly freak occurrence.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > mazda616 02/15/2015 at 22:23

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You should be fine starting it up. Any gasoline vehicle in reasonably good mechanical condition shouldn't have much trouble starting when it's that warm cold out. It might crank a bit slowly the first couple tries, especially with an older battery or one that isn't built for cold weather, but I've never had a temperature-related no start situation down past -40. But give it a minute or two to warm up before driving. My rule for warming up is that it's good to go when the air coming out of the heater is noticeably warmer than ambient temperature.

TheD0k_2many toys 2little time > mazda616 02/15/2015 at 22:26

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Well my DSM takes at least 2 times to start when its 45+ outside. Only took five tries today.