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Old 01-13-2004, 11:03 PM   #1
bruticus
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Default My car probably won't start in the morning due to cold. What should I do?

As referenced here , Friday night/Saturday morning my car refused to start due, I believe, to the extreme cold. It finally started Saturday after warming up a bit.

This evening when I got in to leave my sister's house (the car had sat from ~5:30-10:30) it took 2 minutes of cranking before it'd start. I'm assuming that, in the morning, it will not want to start.

The car sits ~150 feet from my door/nearest power outlet, and there's nowhere warm I can put it anywhere around here. Is there somewhere I can pour hot/boiling water to attempt to thaw a frozen fuel line?

Please help; I can't afford to be out of the office for a day.

TIA

DjB
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Old 01-13-2004, 11:23 PM   #2
SupaSizeFries
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Maybe you can get that engine block heater that is offered by Subaru. Or get a heat gun and warm up the appropriate areas.
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Old 01-13-2004, 11:24 PM   #3
bruticus
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I don't know the appropriate areas.

And, being 150 feet from a power outlet, a heat gun is kinda out.

DjB
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Old 01-14-2004, 06:55 AM   #4
overdose
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buy a meaner battery, our stock batteries are what, 330cca?... mine sits in a garage and fires up great in the mornings, but if i take it to work in sub-15f temps and go to restart after 8 hours of sitting the battery is a bit labored, moreso than cars that have higher output batteries

i just put one of the middle of the road "duralast" batteries in one of my beaters, that thing fires like a champ in below freezing temps even sitting outside for a week
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Old 01-14-2004, 07:13 AM   #5
heffergm
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Dood... you live in NJ, not the Arctic Tundra. There's no reason your car should have trouble firing up in the morning.

Either bring it in to the dealer and make them fix whatever the issue might be, or get a bigger battery like someone else mentioned and hope that solves it.
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Old 01-14-2004, 08:08 AM   #6
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You basically need to get the engine block & oil warmed up. If you don't have 5w30 oil in there, I'd get it changed to 5w30 ASAP; use Mobil1 if possible (though expensive), because it will flow much more easily at cold temps.
A higher-capacity battery (especially something like an Optima or an Exide Orbital) might help a bit, too.
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Old 01-14-2004, 12:30 PM   #7
Stanley
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Question

Are you running synthetic oil? It might help...

My car has easily started in single digit temps a number of times after being left outside all night long. The battery, and everything else for that matter, is pretty much stock. I run Mobil 1 5-30.

BTW, 150 feet isn't that long for an extension cord, is it? Good luck!
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Old 01-14-2004, 12:43 PM   #8
bruticus
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It started this morning but was NOT happy about it. I didn't simply lay on the key for 2 minutes; I used 10-second "bursts" with equal time between of the key at ON position.

FWIW the battery has plenty of juice; the starter cranked good & fast through the whole ordeal. Friday night/Saturday morning it didn't slow down at all until after the 4th or 5th individual starting attempt.

I will phone Subaru and also make an appt for service AFTER verifying that this will all be under warranty AND that I'll have a loaner vehicle for the time it's in the shop.

DjB
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Old 01-14-2004, 03:06 PM   #9
kungfuboi
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try to give it a little bit of gas while you're trying to start it. that can help.
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Old 01-14-2004, 06:20 PM   #10
Stanley
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Have a Nice Day?

Not to burst your bubble, Bruticus, but no dealer is going to assure you that ANY repair will be covered under warranty until after they inspect the car. Just be sure to ask them to get your permission before doing any work to the car that will cost you money. Loaner cars are at the dealers discretion...you are not driving, nor did you pay, for a Lexus. It's sad but true.

You should never need to give a modern, fuel injected car throttle input when starting. Good luck!
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Old 01-14-2004, 07:25 PM   #11
bruticus
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I dropped the car off at Flemington Subaru tonight, checked the "do nothing without my OK" box, and drove home in a miserable POS LancAr. How can ANYBODY drive one of those?

Thanks for all the feedback etc.

DjB
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Old 01-14-2004, 10:30 PM   #12
Mike Wevrick
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good luck ... doesn't sound like a battery problem
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Old 01-14-2004, 11:57 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally posted by bruticus
I dropped the car off at Flemington Subaru tonight, checked the "do nothing without my OK" box, and drove home in a miserable POS LancAr. How can ANYBODY drive one of those?

Thanks for all the feedback etc.

DjB
I was just there on Monday for my leaking fuel rail. Its still not completely fixed. $45 to tell me there is a problem (which I already knew). Gonna be a lot extra to actually fix the problem since I'm over 36Kmi. Funny how Subaru markets the car as an AWD go anywhere car especially in the Winter time and I can't use it when the temp drops below 14F.
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Old 01-15-2004, 12:01 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally posted by overdose
buy a meaner battery, our stock batteries are what, 330cca?...
Actually its 550cca... but I had a 640cca in my wrx and its still wouldnt start. To solve your problem just use Dry Gas (which prevents frozen gas lines), you can pick it up at Walmart for less than $2 for four bottles. Then, either get a battery with more than 640cca (cold cranking amps), or a portable jump starter and see if that helps.
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Old 01-15-2004, 01:39 AM   #15
sleepygreggy
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FWIW, It has been the arctic tundra in NYC for the past 2 weeks and especially yesterday, when he first posted from NJ.
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Old 01-15-2004, 08:47 AM   #16
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my car has been doin the same thing for the past 3 winters, and no one can fix it.

Now Laugh: So at night I start my car at
11PM and run until 11:20 then at
3AM until 3:20 then I warm it up again at 6:40, and leave for college at 7:00

max
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Old 01-15-2004, 09:00 AM   #17
bruticus
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Quote:
Originally posted by Max Umbarger
my car has been doin the same thing for the past 3 winters, and no one can fix it.

Now Laugh: So at night I start my car at
11PM and run until 11:20 then at
3AM until 3:20 then I warm it up again at 6:40, and leave for college at 7:00

max
I thought about doing this, but eventually decided I shouldn't have to play "German tank commander in Russia" with a car not even a year old. If it'd failed to start at any point this week I would've gotten on the phone and made my reaction to Saturday's circus seem like a gentle remonstrance.

DjB
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Old 01-15-2004, 09:28 AM   #18
evo2rex
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I was surprised my car started this morning... It cranked right over on the first try. My battery was at 12.3v before I started it (I installed my turbo timer just to monitor the battery voltage and temp). Oh and it was -15C in the car under the dash, probably colder outside.
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Old 01-15-2004, 09:57 AM   #19
Max Umbarger
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nice poetry!
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Old 01-15-2004, 10:42 AM   #20
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my car has the same problem...whenever it gets close to or below -20 C, it just HATES starting. Last year, it would take me like 10 minutes it start it...it would sputter and die,, then I'd start it again....after a while, it would be ok.

But last nite, it was somehting like -29 C and it wouldnt start at all! I got the engine to turn over a few times....but it woulndt catch. Then it just turned over once when I turn the key.

I'm gonna try to start it today again...what should I do to avoid totally killing the battery or flooding the engine?

its a MY00 2.5RS by the way
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Old 01-15-2004, 10:50 AM   #21
Mike Wevrick
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In Montreal you really should have a block heater. For now try putting a space heater under the engine. Or just get a jump start--your battery sounds pretty run down.
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Old 01-15-2004, 11:17 AM   #22
heffergm
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-29C? I'm surprised PEOPLE function in that kind of cold, never mind your car... get block heater or forget it.
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Old 01-15-2004, 12:15 PM   #23
GooseMan
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yeah....I thought I had a block heater..but I dont...either way, I cant plug anything into my house, cause I cant have wires running across the street or sidewalk! A snow plow will come by and drag my car away

But, luckily, I got a boost from my fathers truck, so it started right up. And I'm charging the battery right now in the warm garage..so its all good.
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