Cold weather guys, educate me

trifelife

trifelife

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What's up everybody?

Here in Dallas the temp has been about 20 degrees all week, and I have not driven my car since Saturday. I really can't remember a time when it has been that cold for this long around here, and I have normally had to drive my car every day no matter what, so this combination of circumstances has me a bit curious of what to expect when I do go out to start her up. Still about 20 degrees here now.

Any precautions/steps to take?
 
trifelife said:
What's up everybody?

Here in Dallas the temp has been about 20 degrees all week, and I have not driven my car since Saturday. I really can't remember a time when it has been that cold for this long around here, and I have normally had to drive my car every day no matter what, so
this combination of circumstances has me a bit curious of what to expect when I do go out to start her up. Still about 20 degrees here now.

Any precautions/steps to take?
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Maybe you should tell them that all the roads are frozen with about two inches of solid frozen ice & that it's not just 20 at night it's been getting about 9 & the highest it's gotten is 23 but it's been like 14 the rest of the time. I couldnt drive my ls out of my house's front street. It's up a hill & it could not get up the hill for nothing. It took me like half a hour Just to open my car on wed.
 
It doesn't get cold here either, but I see no reason to expect any problems.
 
Angel12 said:
Is this a joke??
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It probably sounds naive, I know. But I seriously have never seen it be this cold this long or had my car sit unused in temps like this for this long. If it was anything but a LS I probably wouldn't have the question, but you have to admit this is a picky vehicle.
 
rofl

Get a pair of choppers?

stormy_kromer_deerskin_chopper_mittens%5B1%5D.jpg
 
It's minus -33 with the wind chill here. My car is mad when I start her up in the morning sometimes it feels like I might get a coil miss fire but luckily she get's through it.
 
Hey Angel, you do have to mention thats in celsius right? :)
 
Angel12 said:
It's minus -33 with the wind chill here. My car is mad when I start her up in the morning sometimes it feels like I might get a coil miss fire but luckily she get's through it.
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Wow. I never want to experience that kind of cold.
 
trifelife said:
Wow. I never want to experience that kind of cold.
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lol trust me,you dont want to, its horrible here, just got 15 inch of snow yesterday! but i dont think you should expect anything wierd from your car when you start her up.
 
Tony Starks said:
lol trust me,you dont want to, its horrible here, just got 15 inch of snow yesterday! but i dont think you should expect anything wierd from your car when you start her up.
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Almost had to break out my jacket this morning. It was 44° when I got to work this morning; and it's 58° now! Thankfully it should be ~75° by Monday!
 
+20 is like a heat wave around here! Everything starts and runs fine at +20. Now I start to worry when its -20(no wind chill) in the morning. All the pumps make crazy noise for at least 5 minutes. I hate starting anything @ -20. The LS would not start that -20 day,new battery all better now.
 
Right on the Mark said:
+20 is like a heat wave around here! Everything starts and runs fine at +20. Now I start to worry when its -20(no wind chill) in the morning. All the pumps make crazy noise for at least 5 minutes. I hate starting anything @ -20. The LS would not start that -20 day,new battery all better now.
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+1 I hate starting up any engine when it's that cold out. The 10-30 in my truck is like molasses when it's that cold. Not good.
 
will start up great. the heated windshield rests are great for keeping the ice from buiilding up on the wipers. it's clearly meant to be driven in snow (within reason), but your tires are important, and you need to know how to drive a RWD in this weather. if you put on snow tires, you're probably ok. i've got all seasons. the car has weight, and a close to 50/50 weight so you don't have to worry about weight in the back. i turn the ATS off once i push off to keep the inertia, and to generate it. but definately have it on for the rest of the ride.

but with the dusting we got here in tulsa, i wish i had a 4x4 second car. but i get around ok, and a lot better off than my mustang and other RWD counterparts. not including the friend with the 5 series. he's doing good too.
 
ViC said:
will start up great. the heated windshield rests are great for keeping the ice from buiilding up on the wipers. it's clearly meant to be driven in snow (within reason), but your tires are important, and you need to know how to drive a RWD in this weather. if you put on snow tires, you're probably ok. i've got all seasons. the car has weight, and a close to 50/50 weight so you don't have to worry about weight in the back. i turn the ATS off once i push off to keep the inertia, and to generate it. but definately have it on for the rest of the ride.

but with the dusting we got here in tulsa, i wish i had a 4x4 second car. but i get around ok, and a lot better off than my mustang and other RWD counterparts. not including the friend with the 5 series. he's doing good too.
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Thanks Vic. I've done winters in a Mustang GT and my Lincoln and never got so much as sideways. I don't mind driving in it at all. But even when we had our record snowfall here it was never this cold. But listening to everybody else it sounds like I need to fire up the grill lol practically t-shirt weather here compared to what others are dealing with.
 
If anything, you might have a dead battery if you haven't started it in a while just because of the cold temps. Other than that, you shouldn't have a problem.
 
I'm on the Ft. Worth side, and it HAS been unusually COLD in D/FW. Not Canada cold, but cold for us. 9*F is pretty cold no matter where you are.

I've left my wife's 03 LS V8 and my Jag S-Type sit in the garage this week and been driving my F-150. Luckily, my wife has been working from home this week. I just finished replacing some of the plastic cooling system parts on the LS Sunday right before the big freeze hit! Glad I got that done last weekend.

As far as starting the car when it's cold, or leaving it sit for a long time, don't worry about it. 20*F isn't that cold considering the design paramaters of any car. And letting one sit for even a few weeks won't be a problem if it was healthy to begin with. I have a few collector cars that go 2-3 months without being fired, with no adverse effects.

JD
 
I took the LS out today and went all the way up to Arlington and 360.

I gotta say i didnt have any issues and did not get stuck anywhere. I actually did better with traction contol off versus it being on. And i also havent ran the vehicle in 3 days and it took longer to start up but it started right away.

And i have summer tires on it and just a sub box in the trunk.
 
Right on the Mark said:
+20 is like a heat wave around here! Everything starts and runs fine at +20. Now I start to worry when its -20(no wind chill) in the morning. All the pumps make crazy noise for at least 5 minutes. I hate starting anything @ -20. The LS would not start that -20 day,new battery all better now.
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Car might struggle a bit but guess what ... they start LOL ... and they are fine...

Think about those who live further north and have real cold weather and snow.

I'm getting tired of those in the Midwest bitching about this past storm. Not like we haven't had them before. If it wasn't for the damn 24 new programs needing to make it seem like the world is coming to an end.

It's winter guess what ... It gets cold and it snows. LOL ... If you don't like it move south.

Only wish we could get away from the damage that the salt causes on our cars.
 
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