How to start a car engine in cold weather
Tips for motorists

How to start a car engine in cold weather

        In Ukraine, the climate, of course, is not Siberian, but winter temperatures of minus 20 ... 25 ° C are not uncommon for most of the country. Sometimes the thermometer drops even lower.

        Operating a car in such weather contributes to the rapid wear of all its systems. Therefore, it is better not to torment either the car or yourself and wait until it gets a little warmer. But this is not always and not for everyone acceptable. Experienced motorists prepare for winter launches in advance.

        Prevention can help avoid problems

        With a sharp cold snap, even the very possibility of getting into the car interior can become a problem. Silicone grease will help, which must be applied to the rubber door seals. And spray a water-repellent agent, for example, WD40, into the lock.

        In the cold, you should not leave the car for a long time on the handbrake, if you do not want the brake pads to freeze. You can defrost the pads or the lock with a hair dryer, unless, of course, there is a place to connect it.

        Engine oil and antifreeze

        At the end of autumn, engine oil should be replaced with a winter version. For Ukraine, this is enough for the south. If you have to drive mainly for short distances, at which the unit does not have time to warm up enough, then the best option would be.

        Mineral grease becomes too thick in severe frost, so it is better to use synthetic or hydrocracked oil. Change engine lubricant at least every 10 thousand kilometers. New spark plugs should be installed every 20 thousand kilometers.

        To prevent the coolant from freezing, replace it with a more frost-resistant one. If the antifreeze is still frozen, it is better not to even try to start the engine, so as not to run into expensive repairs.

        Electrical system and battery

        Carefully check all electrics, clean the starter and battery contacts, make sure the terminals are well tightened.

        Replace the high voltage wires if there is damage to the insulation.

        Check if the alternator belt is tight.

        The battery is a key element during a cold start of the engine, so special attention should be paid to its condition. On frosty nights, it is better to take the battery home, where it can be warmed up, checked for density and recharged. With a warm and charged battery, starting the engine will be much easier.

        If the battery is old, then it's time to think about replacing it. Do not save on quality and make sure that the purchased battery is suitable for operation in your climate zone.

        In case you need to light another car from the battery, purchase and store a set of wires with “crocodiles” in the trunk in advance. There should also be spare spark plugs and a tow rope.

        In winter, fuel quality is especially important

        Refuel with high-quality winter fuel at proven gas stations. This is especially true for diesel engines. Summer diesel fuel crystallizes in frost and clogs the fuel filter.

        It is absolutely impossible to start the engine.

        Some drivers add some gasoline or kerosene to diesel fuel to make it more frost-resistant. This is a rather risky experiment that can disable the system due to the incompatibility of additives.

        In gasoline engines, ice plugs can also form due to freezing of condensate. The use of all kinds of antigels and defrosters can have an unpredictable effect. If thin tubes become clogged, professional help cannot be dispensed with.

        In frosty weather, the tank should be at least two-thirds full of fuel. Otherwise, a large amount of fumes can make it difficult to start the engine.

        How to start the engine in cold weather

        1. The first step is to revive a frozen battery by giving it a load. To do this, you can turn on the dipped beam for a couple of minutes or 15 seconds for the high beam. Some motorists are skeptical of this advice, believing that this will only permanently land the battery. There is some truth in this when it comes to an old, badly discharged battery. If the battery is new, reliable, this will help start chemical processes in it.
        2. Turn on the ignition and let the pump pump fuel for 10-15 seconds to fill the fuel line. For an injection engine, do this operation 3-4 times.
        3. To reduce the load on the battery, turn off the heating, radio, lighting and all other consumers of electricity that are not related to starting the engine.
        4. If the car has a manual transmission, it is better to start it with the clutch pedal depressed in neutral gear. In this case, only the engine crankshaft rotates, and the gearbox gears remain in place and do not create additional load for the battery and starter. Depressing the clutch, we start the engine.
        5. Do not drive the starter for more than ten seconds, otherwise the battery will quickly discharge. If it was not possible to start the first time, you should wait two or three minutes and repeat the operation.
        6. On subsequent attempts, you can slightly press the gas pedal to push the previous portion of fuel with a new one. Do not overdo it, otherwise the candles may become flooded and will need to be dried or changed. If you screw in well-heated candles, this will make it easier to start the engine.
        7. When the engine starts, do not release the clutch pedal for another couple of minutes. Otherwise, the engine may stall again due to the fact that the oil in the gearbox is still cold. Release the pedal slowly. We leave the gearbox in neutral for a few more minutes.
        8. The engine must be warmed up until it reaches operating temperature. You can not turn it off for at least an hour. Otherwise, condensate will form in the system, which will freeze after some time and will not allow you to start the car.

        What to do if the engine fails to start

        If all systems are normal and a clearly dead battery does not start up, you can use a start-charger by connecting it to the battery and plugging it into the network. If the starter-charger is autonomous and has its own battery, then the network will not be needed.

        If the battery voltage is normal, you can try warming up the engine with hot water or a special electric blanket. Water should not be too hot, as a sharp temperature drop can lead to microcracks.

        Lighting up

        This method uses another vehicle's battery to start the engine.

        In order not to damage the electrical system, electronics and battery of both cars, you need to follow a certain sequence of actions.

        1. Stop the engine and turn off all electrical consumers.
        2. Connect the plus of the donor battery to the plus of the battery of the car you are trying to start.
        3. Disconnect the wire from the “minus” of the dead battery.
        4. Connect the "minus" of the donor's battery to the metal on the recipient's engine.
        5. We wait three minutes and start the donor engine for 15-20 minutes.
        6. We turn off the donor motor so as not to disable the electronics.
        7. We start your car and disconnect the wires in the reverse order.

        Start from the "pusher"

        This method is only suitable for cars with a manual transmission.

        The driver of the slave car turns on the ignition, then, after a smooth start of the leader, squeezes the clutch and immediately turns on the second or third gear.

        Release the pedal only after accelerating. When the engine starts, you need to squeeze the clutch again, hold it for a couple of minutes so that the input shaft disperses the oil in the gearbox, and then slowly release it. Before moving off again, you need to warm up the engine well.

        Autostart system

        You can get rid of all the above problems by forking out for an autorun system.

        It starts the engine depending on the temperature of the coolant, and in summer it can turn on the air conditioner in advance.

        At the same time, you must be prepared for increased fuel consumption. In extreme cold weather, the engine will start repeatedly during the night.

        Don't forget to chock your wheels so your car doesn't go anywhere without you.

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