Just started my new job in Duluth as of today and of corse as I went out to start the wrx I got nothing. Thoughts or idea's to make sure this doesnt happen again, new battery (Went dead after hitting the remote starter about 4 times), fresh 5w30 Synthetic (3200 miles since last change). Any idea's from others that live in this wonderful frozen tundra that seem to help with these 20 to 30 below mornings? Thanks for any and all suggestions.
I would look into getting a dipstick heater instead of block heater, the thick oil has quite an effect on the speed of cranking.
Once again, what does "nothing" mean?? Doesn't crank over?? Doesn't fire?? Does it have spark?? Does it have fuel?? Russ
Don't do this if its especially cold. Most remote starts only crank for a couple of seconds, and when its really, really cold its not enough to get the engine running. Problem is, by that time you've exhausted your battery and won't have enough juice left to crank it over enough any more, requiring a jump start and/or recharging the battery. I ran into the same thing a couple times last year on really, really cold days. Hasn't happened again since getting my new battery, though. Also, you may want to see if the amount of time the remote start will try to crank the car over is adjustable. I know mine is. Setting it to a longer time may just get you past the starting point on the extra cold days. Of course, a dip-stick or block heater would probably make it a non-issue.
By "nothing" I just ment the car wouldn't start. I put on a battery charger w/ boost and after 5 mins charging time the car started just fine. So at least for this morning i think it was a combination of a week battery and using the remote starter. I was just currious of other ideas folks had for these cold mornings.
just make sure you have a good battery, i lived in duluth for 5 years and my remote start worked fine even on the -40 mornings...there are some good guys up there that can help with stuff as well, deride, greyguy, sgttits, chux all good
Well, you are still not answering any of the questions. I am guessing that "the car didn't start" too mean that it is turning over, but did not fire. because would start could also mean that the motor didn't turn over. If the battery was low to the point that the motor wasn't spinning over, then could you hear the clicking of the bendix?? If you think it is a battery, go to walmart and pick up the $25 600cca battery and call it a day. I can honestly tell you that I have installed 3-400 remote starts (worked at Circuit city for many years), and have never had a remote start be the cause of a car not starting. I have also never heard of the crank time being so low that it would also not start. Since about 1994, most good remote starters use a tach signal wire, so they will crank over until it generates a signal saying that the car is running. I have seen starters melt down because of other problems making the motor not fire, but the starter stay engaged while try to crank it over. Russ
Hmm ... my not so old viper has various programmable crank times, default (what I have it at) is like 4 seconds, and with a weak battery on really cold days it would lug trying to turn a few times and not fire then quit. Battery would be too drained at that point. It uses a tach signal to stop cranking, but it still only tries for so long. I'm not even sure, short of looking it up, if it has a setting that is no limit for how long it tries to crank over. But I don't know if that's the OP's problem, just throwing it out there.
Block heater in Duluth is a must. After couple horrible starts last year I got one and I plug it in every night in the winter...works wonders!
The reason was the battery as to why the car didn't start. I had already figured as much since all it took was the remote starter to drain the battery to the point it wouldn't even turn over. The battery had a dead cell in it so I just replaced it and did an oil change. I am also having a block heater installed next week as well. Just was wondering what other folks do with the subaru's to make sure they are making to work monday through friday in this cold weather. Thanks for the advice
If it doesnt start, I fire up the oldsmobile, which almost always starts. However the subaru has yet to let me down on a cold morning.
Does anyone elses interior lights dim in this weather when braking and accelerating? Or is it just a weak battery?
-Good battery -Synthetic motor oil with a low pour point (like -60F), look at 0w30, 0w40 oils but 5w30 is good enough. -Synthetic gear (if 5-speed) and diff oils, again with a low pour point, Amsoil The ability to start will be dependent on the battery. The ability to run happily dead cold will be dependent on the fluids. The coldest I've started my car was -20F last year. I've only seen 0F to -5F so far this year. The battery will go on your first as the temps drop. Crap cold weather fluids will just make your car unhappy till things warm some.
I dissagree with the SYN in the trans, IMO the 5mt is too fragile as it is, syn is just too thin, and will amplify any notchyness or grinds you already have. Ask me how I know. Furthermore Its not as essential as the thickness of the motor oil in the winter, I run 80-90 in my 5mt and its not hard to drive when cold at all.
