Any one got any tips to help me get my car started in this cold weather. It normally starts straight away so i'm assuming its refusal to start now is just because it's been so cold for so many days in a row. I didn't start the car over the weekend and for the last two mornings she just wont go. The engine is firing, but not enough to get it to tick-over. Is there anything i can do to stop it getting so cold or to get it started when it is this cold?
Cold weather
- Thread starter AndrewSchofield
- Start date
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What vehicle is it, Andrew?
If its a diesel, try using the heater plugs twice - if its petrol, there shouldn't be any problems if the battery is good.
John
If its a diesel, try using the heater plugs twice - if its petrol, there shouldn't be any problems if the battery is good.
John
Ford Fiesta 1.3l Petrol. Battery seems to be ok as i've been turning it over for a good 5-10mins for the last two mornings - I've been half expecting the battery to give up - but its still going strong.
Our diesel Peugeot is proving to be happier in the cold weather!
Our diesel Peugeot is proving to be happier in the cold weather!
You don't say how old the car is, but if its the earlier Kent pushrod engine then it would certainly benefit from new plugs, HT leads, distributor cap and rotor arm.
If its the later one then new HT leads and plugs are all you can fit.
On the later models there is a coolant temperature sensor (CTS) which instructs the engines ECU to inject more petrol for a happier start up. Maybe this is below par.
John
If its the later one then new HT leads and plugs are all you can fit.
On the later models there is a coolant temperature sensor (CTS) which instructs the engines ECU to inject more petrol for a happier start up. Maybe this is below par.
John
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I followed you whilst you were talking about rotor arms, distributor caps and plugs, but totally lost after that! Its a '52 plate?
I guess that will be the 1.25 litre duratec engine then, so new plugs, CTS and HT leads - if it has the single coil pack.
John
John
.................and plenty of WD 40.
ha ha, my Dad has just told me to attack it with WD40!! He says more likely to be damp than cold causing a problem.
But make sure the ends of the plug leads are well away from what's being blown out out of the plug holes.
The things we used to do! I remember my dad in the 1960s having an E93A "sit up and beg" Ford Pop. 6V electrics and knackered battery meant it would never start in cold weather, so he had a changover switch to power the ignition with a couple of lantern batteries, and hand wind the engine. If that failed out came the plugs as above! He used to bung a rug over the engine at night as well, but I wouldn't recommend that.
To the OP I reckon your dad's right. Plenty of WD40. . .
I had one of those in the '50s, I knew a chap who used to make and repair batteries, he made me an 8 volt one using 2/3 of a 12 volt case, never had any trouble starting it after that and you could see with the headlamps.
Peter
Peter
Dad would have liked that! You reminded me that later on we used to jump it with an old (probably gave about 8V!) 12V battery. Jump leads were two pieces of welding cable, two mole grips, and me holding the other end on the battery! Battery charger was a "home brew" with large selenium plate rectifier.
Dad wasn't really tight, but he wouldn't buy anything he could scrounge or make!
Happy memories!
Off for me Christmas dinner now!
Dave
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