Cold Engine Oil Can Make It Harder To Start Your Car
When you try to start your car, the engine may turn over slowly and then stop. This could be because the battery is weak, but part of the problem might also be that the engine oil is too thick. If you have your battery and alternator tested and both are fine, engine oil could be the culprit.
Cold weather causes oil to thicken, making it harder to pump and causing additional strain on the starter and battery when trying to start the engine. This problem could be exacerbated if you use the wrong type of oil in your engine.
Car Wont Start In The Cold What To Do
Posted on May 31, 2022
The outside temperature is dropping, and now your car doesnt start as you attempt to ignite the engine. What could be wrong? Also, what can you do in this situation? We researched some possible solutions for you, and heres what we found.
Take note that the reasons for a car failing or having difficulty starting in the cold often vary. These problems may originate from a range of underlying concerns, from a discharged battery to thick motor oil. You should be able to use a fitting solution upon knowing the source of the issue.
Continue reading as we talk about some of the reasons why your vehicle doesnt start in cold weather. Well also tackle some possible solutions that can give you long-term results. That way, you wont have to warm up your car for a long time in the winter before you can start using it.
Before you continue reading, let us say we hope you find the links here useful. If you purchase something through a link on this page, we may get a commission, so thank you!
D Care For Your Battery
Before winters start, get a thorough battery health check from a professional car repair service like RepairSmith.
If your battery is more than three years old and you only use your car for short trips, charge your battery once every week. And if it still fails to hold a charge, its best to get a new battery for a safe winter driving experience.
You can install a battery with the highest cold cranking amps rating. Cold Cranking Amps or CCA is a rating used in the battery industry to define a batterys ability to start an engine in cold temperatures.
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F Call For Assistance
Unless youre well-versed at auto repair, you shouldnt attempt fixing your car issues yourself.
Alternately, you can get hold of a mobile mechanic thatll come to your home when you cant start your car on a cold morning.
In that case, your answer is RepairSmith!
RepairSmith is a highly convenient and affordable mobile auto repair and maintenance solution.
With RepairSmith:
- All repairs have a 12 months/12,000-mile warranty
- You get affordable pricing with no hidden costs
- Only high-quality replacement parts and tools are used
- You can easily book your auto repair online at guaranteed prices
- RepairSmith offers its services seven days a week
For an accurate cost estimate of car starting repairs, fill out this online form.
Knowing how to troubleshoot is one thing, but itd be better to avoid having a cold car in the first place, right?
Faulty Starter Motor Or Alternator
After battery, two main components of the starting system of a car are the starter motor and the alternator.
A starter motor is also called the cranking motor. Its function is to provide the initial push to the pistons from the rest position.
When you press the ignition button of your car, the starter motor pushes the piston heads and the air-fuel mixture in the cylinder will be compressed. At the end of the compression cycle, this mixture is ignited and the engine cycle is started.
If you have a faulty starter motor, then an initial push cannot be provided, and the car wont start.
On the other hand, an alternator is responsible for charging the battery when the car engine is running. If the battery is not charged properly, then it will not be able to power the starter motor and spark plugs and the car wont start.
Though an alternator is also responsible for providing current to the electrical accessories, it is not vital in the starting process of the car.
How To Fix:
The only way to fix a bad alternator or starter motor is to replace it. You need to take your car to a skilled mechanic for diagnosis. If it is confirmed that your car is posing starting problems due to a faulty alternator or starter motor then it needs to be replaced.
Fixing Cost:
Replacement of an alternator can cost you between $500 and $1,000. The cost of a new alternator is around $300 to $700. While the labor cost for alternator replacement is $200 to $300.
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Top Reasons Why A Car Wont Start In Cold Weather
- Battery: Your batteryâs electrical current simply isnât as strong when the temperature gets low due to the slowed chemical reaction required to produce electricity.
- Thick motor oil: When oil canât flow around the engine as smoothly as usual, this places additional strain on the battery. If your battery is already struggling, this can make things even worse.
- Blocked fuel lines or carburetor: While a bit of moisture usually doesnât have a big effect, ice can quickly stop up your thin fuel line. Youâll only need to worry about this if you have an older vehicle.
Your Car Is Fitted With A Carburetor
If you drive a car manufactured more than 30 years ago, itd likely have a carburetor fitted inside. The carburetor mixes fuel from the gas tank with air to make it combustible in the engine block.
The small nozzles on carburetors are highly susceptible to dropping temperatures and can easily get clogged with ice, preventing the engine from powering up.
In this case, heres a possible solution:
Note: If you own a modern car, it wont have a carburetor. However, most new vehicles today use a fuel injectorto eliminate this hassle.
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Wrong Choice Of Engine Oil
Motor oil with different viscosities are available in the market. The most common ones are 10W40 and 5W30. The first number in the code of engine oil represents the cold viscosity, whereas, the second number represents the hot viscosity.
If you are using the engine oil of high cold viscosity, then chances are that your engine parts will not be able to move easily in winter.
How To Fix:
If your car wont start in winter due to thick oil then you simply need to use an oil with lower cold viscosity. The best way to go about it is to see the vehicles owners manual. There you will be able to find a suitable cold viscosity for your engine.
Additives are also available in the market that can make your motor oil thinner. You can try those as well.
Fixing Cost:
You just need to choose motor oil with the correct viscosity that wont cost you anything. However, the additives can cost you $20 to $30.
Why Won’t My Vehicle Start When Its Cold
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If your engine doesn’t start, try these tips:
Subsequently, question is, how do you fix a cold start problem? Method 1 of 4: Preventing cold-weather starting problems
Moreover, why won’t my car start when its warm?
If there’s nothing wrong with your coolant levels, your motor oil, or your battery, and your car still won’t start in hot weather, it could indicate a deeper issue with your engine. Your coolant temperature sensor might be broken, for instance, which means that the engine will think it’s hotter than it is.
How often should you start your car in winter?
Owners should start their car daily in zero-degree temperatures. Auto mechanics may advise starting a vehicle once a week to ensure continued battery life, but this is under the best circumstances.
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Your Car Engine Oil Changes In Cold Weather
What happens to the water in your bottle if put in a freezer?
Thats right, it freezes. It changes its form from liquid to solid. And just like any fluid, your car engine oil also changes and becomes thicker in cold weather. It wont flow easily through the engine block and will put additional strain on your car battery.
And if your battery is already slow, youll have to deal with two problems.
How To Start Car In Cold Winter Weather
Starting your car in winter is a huge task. If you want to avoid a situation where you face problems while starting the car, then you should follow these winter car maintenance tips.
1. Maintain Your Car Well
The only key to avoiding problems is to maintain your car well. If you are toping up the engine oil in time, battery fluid, and other fluids are checked regularly, then chances of encountering starting issues become very low.
2. Turn Everything Off
Before starting your car on a winter morning, turn off all electrical accessories. Things like windshield wipers, dash lights, stereo, and headlights should be switched off.
3. Avoid Using Weak Batteries
The battery is the main equipment that causes starting problems in winter. You need to have a strong battery before the start of winter.
4. Give Time for Warmup
Do not rush into starting the car. Give the engine some time to warm up. Old cars taking 3 to 5 mins before starting is pretty normal. You need to be patient.
5. Consider Indoor Parking
Never park your car outside in winter. It will let the cold weather sit in the engine. Later this will cause problems for you.
6. Use Breathable Car Covers
Even with indoor parking use breathable car covers. These are special covers that will allow air to pass through, but your car will be safe from scratches, moisture, and snow weather.
7. Use Start Assist Fluids
8. Keep Pressing Clutch for Sometime
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What Should I Do When My Car Won’t Start After Fueling
One of the first things you’ll want to do is check your battery. There is an odd chance that your battery cable become disconnected since you last started and stopped the car. This is honestly fairly unlikely â but it’s also one of the easiest and free fixes available.
If your battery cable isn’t disconnected, see if you can move the vehicle away from the pump. Getting the vehicle someplace else makes it more convenient for the gas station â and for you, and potentially a tow truck.
You should try to just start the car again to see if the first effort was a fluke. If not, consider calling a tow truck to either bring it to a mechanic or take it to your garage for further inspection.
Tried All This And Your Car Still Wont Start In The Cold
It might be time to throw in the towel and call a mechanic. They can give you a jump-start, or they can provide a much more accurate and reliable diagnosis while giving you tips on how to prevent this situation in the future.
When driving in winter, its essential that you always have your breakdown recovery providers contact details to hand. You dont want to find yourself stranded, broken-down in the cold in the middle of nowhere. Read our essential winter driving guide here.
Finally, remember that accidents are more common in the winter thanks to the low visibility and slippery surfaces. When the weathers particularly bad, dont make any journeys that arent absolutely necessary. And dont even leave the house without a good new driver car insurance policy.
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What To Do If Your Car Wont Start In Cold Weather
Its another cold day and you are in a rush to get somewhere. You climb into your car and try to start it up. But nothing happens. What do you do?
In this guide, well explore some common reasons cars dont start in the cold, how you can put it right and how to avoid it becoming a recurring problem.
How To Fix An Alternator
The alternator is connected to the battery and the engine, so, unless youre an able mechanic, replacing one is a job best left to the experts.
It shouldnt be difficult to source a new part, or you can opt to have your existing alternator reconditioned. The job shouldnt take a garage more than two hours.
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Preparing Your Car For Cold Weather
Since nobody looks forward to being stranded with a car that wont start, its important to make sure your vehicle is ready for winter. Just as you winterize your home and get out the sweaters and snow boots, your car needs a little extra attention to make sure its ready for winter.
One of the best things you can do for your vehicle is to give it a warm place to park at night. Being able to maintain above-freezing temperatures will make it easier for your car to start .
If your garage has heat, turn it on, but even an unheated garage is going to help mitigate some of the cold. If you dont have a garage, an insulating cover for your hood or a battery blanket can both help protect your car from the cold.
Two other options are a plug-in block heater, which will keep your coolant warm overnight, and a trickle charger that will keep your battery charged.
Timing Belt Needs Replacing
The timing belt is an internal component of your car that controls the rotation of the engine’s components.
If it fails, your vehicle will not start. Instead, you may hear the engine start but not turn over or hear a ticking sound under the hood.
Although this issue is uncommon, a timing belt might break while the car runs. The only solution is to have a replacement done by a mechanic.
Some cars have a timing chain instead of a belt. This type of component usually lasts longer than a rubber belt. However, if the chain breaks, you’ll still have to get it fixed by a mechanic.
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Try An Engine Block Heater
Engine block heaters come in 3 different types:
- Block heaters that are installed in the cooling system
- Frost plug heaters
You can install these yourself if you do some research and make sure you have the right style for your particular application.
When doing research to write this post, I found that Amazon had a built in guide to help you find the right one for your engine. Just type in the make, model and year to find the right fit.
No matter what style of engine block heater you have, an hour should be enough to warm the engine once it is plugged in. There are timers you can purchase that can be set for an hour before you need to start your car that will save you money.
Because they create heat, all of these heaters draw quite a bit of current and should be plugged into a 20amp breaker that does not have other appliances.
Invest In A Block Heater
As you know, your car wont start in the cold. So, remember to keep your car warm. In other words, keep the engine hot like a kettle filled with water. With ample fuel and no pollution, your car should be able to maintain its temperature. Ample fuel also offers you warmth and comfort during your travel, and all the more, there is significantly less power consumption in the process.
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How Do Cold Temperatures Affect My Car
Cold temperature and other adverse weather conditions can affect your vehicle in many ways:
- It reduces your batterys ability to hold a charge
- The engine oil thickens, which leads to friction in the starter motor
- The alternator belts become prone to cracking in the cold
- The fuel system gets contaminated with ice
- Your tires can deflate when the air inside contracts due to the cold
- The rubber on the windshield wipers gets damaged, and the cold glass of your windshield can ice over
My Car Still Won’t Start Now What
This is an introduction to cold weather car starts, not a complete guide. Always refer to your vehicle’s owners manual and back that up with the advice of a reputable mechanic.
Modern auto mobiles often stay on the road for 200,000 miles and are complex in design. Sometimes even the professions have problems troubleshooting issues.
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Heet Fuel Additive Yes Or No
Gasoline Engines
Modern fuel contains an ethanol mix of 10% or more, so you shouldn’t need to treat your fuel with HEET gas line antifreeze.
Diesel Engines
If you have a diesel engine, you should use a fuel conditioner at the recommended rate. It is also beneficial to keep your tank past half full to minimize condensation in your fuel tank.
Water lowers the octane of the fuel and causes poor performance. Additives such as Sea Foam motor treatment can boost octane and remove water for better overall performance.
