ot: How start fuel-injected cars in extreme cold?

I'm an old carburetor guy, and a luddite when it comes to the "new" (i.e., recent decades!) fuel-injected cars. With carbs I would pump a few times, crank, pump more, maybe hold to floor, etc., and know by ear what was going to work to start in extreme cold. Last night my wife's PT Cruiser wouldn't start after sitting for about 12 hours in the hospital parking lot. So I dragged myself out into the -22 F. cold . I was fearful of the old-fashioned pumping of the accelerator, but just cranking wasn't working, so I finally held the pedal to the floor and the thing started. What's the accepted (best) procedure for trying to start when just turning the key doesn't work on the fuelie engines? All advice is welcome. Thanks.
 
I'm on my second Toyota pickup. The first would do that every once in a while. It would do it even in the summer. I think the butterfly in the throttle body would stick. If I would mash the pedal just once it would fire right up. It dis it maybe once a year.
 
in the early inj days, the cold method was what you did. Don't touch the pedal try, try again, and if it "flooded" holding it to the floor was supposed to be a "clear flood" procedure. Sometimes when its really really cold, marginal injected engines just don't go.
 
I have good luck by turning the key on, waiting 5-10 sec, and then trying it. I'm told the waiting allows the "computer" to factor in the cold. If that doesn't work after a couple of tries, holding it to the floor supposedly overrides everything.
 
Don"t you Minnisodans have block heaters? The wife at work 45 miles away at a medical facility and her Jeep is plugged in, as are most of the other workers cars and HOPEFULLY starting won"t be an issue when her shift ends in another 3 hours!
 
I suspect if you read the owner's manual, you'll find they say to crank it for so many seconds with your foot off the gas, then if it doesn't fire up give it some gas. I think the assumption is if it didn't start immediately it probably flooded.
 
The computer has to tell the idle motor where to position itself for the cold start. This of course will change slightly after started to obtain correct cold rpm. So, turning key on and waiting a few seconds should help if difficulty is encountered starting.
If it does not start after a few short try's, I would try just a tiny bit of throttle and if that does not get any result, time to put her on the floor.
I think most all fuel injection gasoline engines now are designed to shut fuel off when holding accelerator down all the way. Years ago, I guess this was a real problem when you flooded them as it kept right on fueling the engine even with pedal down. I remember the horror stories of having to pull all the spark plugs out, dry them off, and purge cylinders to get them going. Haven't heard that for many years.
I don't have block heater in either of my vehicles. Wish I did I the pickup now but too cold to put one in and won't need it when weather warms up. Car is in heated garage which is too short for these dad gummed extended cab pickups t hat you cannot find any other kind (used)now days.
I recall some Ford Taurus models that required t hat tiny bit of throttle to start in normal temps. Don't know if that affected a lot of them or if it was just a hiccup on some, but do recall the Ford mechanic telling that to a friend of mine who was having difficulties. That took care of his complaint.
 
Here is what I do on OBD 1 cars. Turn key to start and if it does not start after 6 or 8 revolutions I floor it, if it does not start after 5-6 revolutions I let up and get more fuel in engine for maybe 5-6 revolutions. It should start now but if not floor it again. Flooring it shuts fuel off as long as is petal is floored.
Best try this when you don't have to get some place. Not all cars start exactly the same so you may have to make adjustments to what I said.
My OBD 1 cars will flood before they start if really cold. No guarantees for 12 hours at minus 22 F.. If it works post back. Good luck !
 
Most have a "cold start temperature sensor". It helps the ECM to set the correct fuel mix for starting. Yours could be failing and not sending the ECM (computer) the correct information. To see if your vehicle has such a sensor, go to ROCK AUTO and check the parts list.
Is your Check Engine or Service Engine Light ON when the ignition switch is first turned on and then NOT on when the engine starts?
 
The manual on my '92 F150 says to not touch the gas pedal while cranking it. If it won't start after the second or third time cranking, hold the pedal to the floor and try again. I've done it like that for 20 years now and it does, indeed, work that way.
 
Turn key to run position and leave for 5 seconds, to let fuel pump prime the fuel system. Turn key off for 10 seconds. Turn key to run again and leave for 5 seconds, then crank it. If car is tuned good, good plugs and wires (if there are any wires) good fuel filter if it has that also. Oil also 5w-30, or synethic oil is better, good battery cables clean and tight, clean throttle plate and lower octance gas.
It should start down to -25F with out being plugged in.
I never plug my cars in and they always start down to -30F. I never touch the accelerator pedal.
 
The computer fuel injection uses a lot of the carb fundamentals. The coolant sensor is the choke and as the temp is colder the injector on time is lengthen. On vehicles with the original GM throttle body [two injectors] the computer pulse both injectors at the same time during cranking. the pulse is alternating during normal engine load and then when accelerating the injectors are pulsed together. This is like the back 2 barrels opening.
The reason you push the pedal to wide open after trying to start, is throttle position sensor tells the computer to go lean [clear flood mode] in order to clear out the excess fuel that did not vaporize. The fuel may have been to cold to fully vaporize. I hope this helps some as the my information is from the GM before it become Govt Motors. I was a contract instructor for close to 25 years.
 
All our vehicles in Northern New York, it is:

a) Get in
b) Turn key to start.

No special delay, no foot on gas.

Works for Subaru(s), Chrysler Neon, and Volkswagen Golf.
 
"Most have a "cold start temperature sensor"."

Or NOT!

Modern vehicles have a coolant temperature sensor and an intake duct or intake manifold air temp sensor, that function and provide info to the 'puter at any temperature condition, NO such thing as a "cold start temperature sensor", at least not in common, mainstream US vehicles.
 
Yes in cold temp, just turn key on and let the computer warm up for a few seconds so it can function, otherwise you are getting gas and no spark hence the need to floor it to get started What I have learned
 
You are revealing how old you are Rossow. :)
Most people now days don't remember getting in, pulling the choke then pumping the pedal as fast as you could while turning it over.
Once it coughed to life then feathering the choke as it warmed up.
My Chevy started just fine this morning.
Reached in from the passenger side and turned the key.
Been worried if it would as my battery is 6 years old. If it started today it should last till next fall.
 
It is a Dodge - and a cheap one at that. A failing sensor on a vehicle that is more than a few years old is probably the issue.
 
When you decide to hold it to the floor, push HARD, if not far enough you have FULL THROTTLE not fuel off. Poorly adjusted linkage and or floor mats give you full throttle flooding instead of shutting fuel off.

Just like a carb don't let off key by instinct but hold key till its running.
 
I turn the key to on until the system pressurizes.
When I can not hear it pressurize, I count to 5-mississippi.
Turn key to start.
More times than not, they roar to life.

Wife"s 2001 Isuzu Rodeo can be tempermental.
Local mechanic says we can press pedal to floor, but should be kept to a minimum.
Yesterday (-20F) it was tempermental, but started on the 3rd attempt w/o the pedal.

HTH...Good luck...don t. ...
 
Hello bob,

Or not is right! But there are some applications were there is a cold start injector. Never heard anyone mention them! It must be a mystery to a lot of people,

Guido.
 
They do not seem to be used as much now, but remember them. I have one on my MH44 EFI for starting.
 
Hello rossow (mn),

Just turn the key is the only thing you need to do. When the engine is cold the engine electronic system does not use the exhaust gas monitor circuit, also called (open loop). Once the engine starts the electronics use all the sensors to keep the engine running, (closed loop),

Guido.
 
Hello David G,

Yeap! now days the electronics do the work just fine without them!

Guido.
 
Puter does that "Factoring " in about .05 milliseconds . Only thing to wait for if fuel pump is lagging and slow to build pressure .
 
If you have a borderline battery the PCM will shut down I have seen it a few times on Chrysler's...,,, even tho it seams to crank OK it will not start...

BTW if you could see the fuel coming out of the injectors at those temps its a eye opener...
 

with the Camry I got the wife unit just do not even hit the gas pedal and starts just like 70 deg at -9 deg.

Overall I am glad they do not make them like they used to.
 
what has worked for me is to turn the key to the run position 2 or 3 times without engaugeing the starter to pressurise or prime the fuel system.then I hit the key it seems to work in the below zero tempe we have had around here I also can park facing into the sun so the truck gets a little help from the sun at home if its real bad I plug in the heater
 
what has worked for me is to turn the key to the run position 2 or 3 times without engaugeing the starter to pressurise or prime the fuel system.then I hit the key it seems to work in the below zero tempe we have had around here I also can park facing into the sun at work so the truck gets a little help from the sun. at home if its real bad I plug in the heater
 
I have watched the fuel pour in when below Zero F
on old GM OBD1 throttle body. More fuel is pouring in than I would have thought possible.
 
Read the owner's manual. It will give the proper procedure for starting your vehicle in cold conditions. I think all of our fords say if it doesn't start just turning the key, to hold the accelerator to the floor and try again.
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top