[Puffy]

Ok I did a search, so don't castrate me but, my symptons are a little different...

So, it's like 3 degrees here in Buffalo and in the morning when I go TRY to start my car...it cranks...cranks...cranks...cranks...starts very sloooowly looks good for a second and then dies...It does this TWICE until i just decide to give the bugger some gas(which i never do and hate doing) and it finally stays on. Theres a burning smell for a couple of seconds and then the rpms stay at around 1600 for a couple seconds then abruptly drops to 1250rpms(usually it goes down smoothly) Any suggestions? Batterys about 10 months old, just did the plugs, tb/wp, o2's. The oils got about anotther 1000 miles before its supposed to be changed, and it drives absolutely fine after i start it up.

Another thing is that i have the RangerJoe CAI sitting in my bumper and am afraid the filter will freeze...does a K&N filter freeze? its practically brand new, i just got it less than a month ago.

 

[bl420]

well its definitely not going to freeze unless its made of water

 

[blah]

if it does it again, check your exhaust for smoke, and oil. you might have w warn piston ring on one of the cylinders, letting oil out cause its so bloody cold. colder the ring is, the smaller it gets, the more oil it can let by. i im guessing that its letting oil into the combustion chamber causing the car to, in a way flood.

 

[Black 91 LS Coupe]

Give it GAS

What's wrong with giving it a little gas?

With the weather that cold, everything is slow; the oil is thick, the rubber parts are stiff, and mechanical parts with springs, etc. react slower. You probably NEED to give it a little gas to help it crank and kick in the automatic choke until the engine warms a little. The automatic choke is giving the engine more gas until warm. This is also why the rpm's are high after starting - the engine is COLD. After warming up a little, the rpm's adjust to normal. Not giving a little gas upon starting the engine in very cold weather is also very hard and draining on the battery (crank, crank, crank, crank).

Go ahead.........give her a little gas in the morning, it's like coffee for us humans to get started.

:2cool:

 

[Herb]

Not normal. Mine starts the same in the winter as in the summer.

 

[blah]

as i said, my guess is a worn piston ring letting oil by on start up, run a compression test and tell us waht you find

 

[Puffy]

worn piston ring?!where do i get a compression test? does it affect the drive? it smells like burning rubber or paper when it starts...as opposed to the usual slight gasoline smell...=[...ive only had him for a year, i dont want him to die!

 

[TatNg]

if it does it again, check your exhaust for smoke, and oil. you might have w warn piston ring on one of the cylinders, letting oil out cause its so bloody cold. colder the ring is, the smaller it gets, the more oil it can let by. i im guessing that its letting oil into the combustion chamber causing the car to, in a way flood.

Yes... it does sound like low compression in couple cylinders.
My old Celica GTS was like this when later found to be low compression in 2 out of 4 cylinders.
Try lower octane gasoline... like 87. Lower octane gas is easier to combust and will help you to start in the cold weather. Try it, it really help.

Good luck.
-Tat

 

[blah]

dont worry, a worn piston ring wont kill your car, itll just make it use a little bit of oil. basicly with a worn ring, your car just has a lower compression and just doesnt run as good. maybe not anytime soon, but eventually your cars compression can get to low it wont run anymore. then you A rebuild the motor or replace it. youll just have to call around to a few shops and ask who does a compression test, it shouldnt cost more than 30-35 bucks

 

[Jetdoc]

What you described is normal for 3 degrees. You dont have a worn piston ring. Not worn abnormal anyway. It's just cold as hell. You don't need to test anything.The engine sensors adjust the mixture for different temps. The fuel pump may be a little slow due to the cold temps. Don't even consider worn piston rings until you get 200K+ miles unless you have driven the hell out of it. Personally I've never seen a tougher bottom end(pistons, crankshaft and block) than this one. My 92 had 265K on it and didn't "smoke". Most all Legends that smoke, smoke because of leaking valve stem seals. He's fine..........Just COLD......burr

 

[blah]

ill have to disagree, only because he says he smells burning, which would make me think that the car is burning a lil oil on startup. and it cant hurt do have a compression test done, itll tell you if you have a HG prob or a bottom end prob

 

[Jetdoc]

it smells like burning rubber or paper when it starts...as opposed to the usual slight gasoline smell..

Everything in the car gets tight when it gets that cold. I lived in Minneapolis for 6 winters. That kind of cold, like Buffalo causes cars to do weird things when the deep freeze hits. Any moisture at all will freeze in the power steering fluid. This will cause the pump to be locked up for a few seconds at start up, hence the burning smell.

 

[Puffy]

yea my baby doesnt even have 90k on it yet...and i dont really drive it hard...thank god im leaving buffalo for good in a week...we'll see how it fairs in the less frigid temps of nyc. thanks for all your help and ill keep u guys updated

btw i was talking to my boss today and he was telling me something about a batterys CCA cold crank amps? whats the correct CCA for our car and has anyone got a juiced up one? any comments about this?

 

[Jetdoc]

Bye Bye Buffalo...in the winter....

Battery- specs say 61 amper hour for 5 hours. I would think you need at least 600 cold cranking amps for cold weather starting. More is better.

 

[Alperovich]

if you only have 90k on ur car then its not the rings unless one is broken but then it would have the same problem after it wormed up, i would say it just way too cold...

 

[blah]

ya at 90k you shouldnt have any bottom end probs. so it sounds like it could just be the realllllly cold weather

 

[ntujyug]

yea my baby doesnt even have 90k on it yet...and i dont really drive it hard...thank god im leaving buffalo for good in a week...we'll see how it fairs in the less frigid temps of nyc. thanks for all your help and ill keep u guys updated

btw i was talking to my boss today and he was telling me something about a batterys CCA cold crank amps? whats the correct CCA for our car and has anyone got a juiced up one? any comments about this?

Leaving Buffalo for NYC would make a different?

 

[Puffy]

Leaving Buffalo for NYC would make a different?

Yes, Make big different.
Well the weather calmed down a LITTLE, instead of 4 its been like 20. I let it sit with the power on and I added a little coolant, suggested by Imran, and it starts a little better. I'm glad its not a worn piston.