Isn't it incredible.

flying belgian · Jan 2, 2010

Got down to -28 here in Mn. this morning. It's -13 as I write this. Yet this morning the wifes 2008 car started right up as did my cargo van a few minutes ago. It's a 2001. Forty years ago hardly anything sitting outside in this cold would start. Except maybe those old six cylinder Chevys. I'll tell you. Thank goodness for modern engine technology. Wife had to be to work this morning at retail. Now that the van started I'm going to run into the grocery and get some cream to make some fresh oyster stew and have it ready when she gets home at 6:30. I know. Isn't it pityfull that we live in a society where I jump in the truck and drive 6 miles round trip just to get a few grocerys? That's why were running out of energy and why we need to build roads across our good farm land. I'm as guilty as the next.

Gun guru · Jan 2, 2010

I havent seen -28f in my part of Michigan ever......The lowest I have ever seen it was -20f in 1994 I think. Where in Minnesota do you live?
Are you staying warm with a wood burner or a pellet burner?

Right now in my part of Michigan it is +18f or so and I have my pellet burner running and it is 70f.

Dean · Jan 2, 2010

My first car was a 1947 Pontiac with 239 CI flathead 6 with nearly 150K miles. I was around 11. My father taught me how to start this car (and others) in extreme cold.

So long as the battery, cables and ignition were good, it would reliably start in -20F temperatures IF the operator know how to do so.

I remember starting it myself in the winter of 61 at -28F when I was 12. The trick was to prep it before cranking and DO NOT FLOOD it. Of course, ALWAYS depress the clutch before and during cranking.

That said, I expect that very few folks (myself included) could start the same car today in similar conditions with modern gasoline.

Things are mostly under control of the computer these days, and if the program does not result in a successful start before the battery energy is expended there are no skills that are of much help. Times change.

Dean

Dean · Jan 2, 2010

By the way, in those days, my Father used nothing but straight 30W oil year around, and that is what was in the 47 Pontiac in the winter of 61.

In very cold weather one usually had only a single chance, and you had better make it good.

Dean

Angle Iron · Jan 2, 2010

We had a 49 chevy 6 it would almost always start, the bad part was setting there holding the clutch in the cold for a few minutes so it could warmup enough to turn the tranny without killing the engine. Also remember starting the H with the loader and blocking the clutch for awhile to warm up then going back out and bringing it to the house to idle while the trans and loader oil warmed up. I had been told many times not to use the loader right away and of course I blew a pressure hose one 20 plus below morning.
Angle Iron

fixerupper · Jan 2, 2010

My son in Royal Iowa had -34 on his thermometer this morn and for the first time the Chevette wouldn't start. The Chevy minivan in the garage started fine, of course. Were were -30 but that's because we're 30 miles south of him. HA!Jim

kenstrac · Jan 2, 2010

My old 64 Dodge 225 slant six would start no matter how cold it was,then I would go jump start all the other peoples cars. The slant 6 was an unbelievable engine.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 2, 2010

Not to start a war here, but our straight six '51 Dodge was a pooch. Every fall Dad had to give it a thorough tune-up if it was to have any hope of starting on cold winter days (NE WI). Our v-8 Chevies, on the other hand, would ALWAYS start, sometimes going for years without a proper tune-up.

In college I had a '74 Monte Carlo while living in the dorm. On below zero days I went around the parking lot giving free jump starts to every kind of car imaginable.

I am no expert, but I cant see how anything could start BETTER than our old V-8 Chevies.

Glenn F.

flying belgian · Jan 2, 2010

I'm in so. central Mn. I'm staying warm with propane. Now that I no longer have livestock except a few hobby animals the cold weather don't change my life much. But I remember when I had a lot of hogs and when I was a kid growing up we had steers, hogs and chickens. Wow, it would take all day just to do hour and a half worth of chores. What with out side waterers freezing up and getting a tractor started to grind feed or move hay and straw bales. I don't envy you livestock guys one bit. But Pa used to say " just keep putting one foot in front of the other and you will eventually get done"

Anonymous-0 · Jan 2, 2010

-22 here in Monticello this morning.Typical weather for this time of year. Seems like in the 80's when they got fuel injection and HEI ignition figured out life got a WHOLE lot easier in the winter. Used to be if you could get your car started you would spend the rest of the day jump starting everybody else's car. Thous where the day's.

Wilson · Jan 2, 2010

which monticello Ind or utah or other>>>

Anonymous-0 · Jan 2, 2010

Minnesota

GordoSD · Jan 2, 2010

Deer hunting yesterday evening. My own property. Left the house at 3:30 pm walking, snowshoes on,(18 inches of snow and 4 foot drifts Christmas day) and it was sunny and calm and seemed warm. Dressed to "C" level, "A" being for sub zero. Wanted to fill one of my muzzy doe tags.
Sitting in the snow on a foam pad, it seemed pretty cold. Then my feet began to ache, and my hands went numb. About 5:15 a nice big dry doe saunters out , but I know I can't get it done,and dragged home on the plastic tobaggan, because I was cold! Thought, man, you are a wimp even for 70 years old.
Walked the 1/4 mile home in the near dark, At least there was a full moon and the walk home was a beautiful sight. Somewhat primordial with the Hawken, the snowshoes and the utter silence.
Came in the house and poured an elixer, and then checked the weather station. A cozy -19 degrees.
Note to self: Check weather prior to leaving, adjust to plan B.

Gordo

rustred · Jan 2, 2010

and the ashes from the coal htr. went under the oil pan to warm the oil. the batt. got put in house over night also. didnt have power either and those old engines started at -30 to -40.you just had to take the time to prepare it for starting.not just jump in and turn the key.they sure dont make em like they used to thank christ.they are better and improved and do start better than forty years ago!

JBruce · Jan 2, 2010

Dad had a 1936 Ford 1.5 ton truck with v8 flathead in the forties when I was small. He would put the head of a heavy sledge hammer in the stove all night. He would pull the air breather off and lay the sledge on top of the carburater so it could suck air thru the hole and the truck would start like it was summertime.

Hoss In ME · Jan 2, 2010

Dean-- You brought back some memories.In the late 50s dad had a 47 Pont with a straight 8 and on cold mornings here in Maine I can remember hearing some cussing going on over that pontiac. Hoss

E.B. Haymakin' · Jan 2, 2010

I know one thing-this is the coldest weather in the deep south we"ve had in 5-10 years. At least the last 2 years we hardly ever had 32* for more than one night. We are set up for 7 days of freezing nights, into the mid twentys to boot. I don"t mean to beat a dead horse, but what are climate experts talking about? If this is global warming, ha! It just don"t get this cold in Mobile, Al.

Firewood · Jan 2, 2010

What do you mean the old stuff did not start. We had a 1969 Chev pickup with the 350 in it and you could leave it for weeks and start it with out fail.
All you had to do was pump the accelerator a whole bunch. Any other vehicle we ever had would have been flooded big time! Course that old Chev was a heavy drinker all the time! A real OPEC friend but it started.

fixerupper · Jan 2, 2010

Dad had a 49 International KB1 with a Green Diamond engine that was a good cold weather starter. It was kept in an unheated machine shed, but it would start when the outside temp was -20. Then he traded it for a new 69 GMC 3/4 ton (we were in heaven!) with the 305? truck V6. That thing would always start no matter how slow it cranked. Today I wish I had both of those pickups.Jim

mdjd4020 · Jan 2, 2010

Lived in Schenectady, NY. for a few years. It was 78 or 79 I think and it never got above 0 degrees for 16 days straight, even during the daytime. I had a 1962 Jeep Utility Wagon with the flathead 226ci. Super Hurricane engine. I had to choke it, pump the pi$$ out of the gas pedal, and it would start right up. Then I had jump start anyone else that had to go somewhere, because that Jeep was the only thing that would start.

Rusty wheel · Jan 2, 2010

Sounds like you might be related to Jeremiah Johnson. I used to hunt with a 50 caliber Hawkin but it got stolen along with some others. I guess high speed verses carbide and cobalt is just a matter of taste. I've been a machinist for 40 years and I agree for harder tool steel and stainless, carbide works best but for mild steel like 1018 or 1020 cr, high speed tools will give you a better finish. Good hunting and Happy New Year. rw

olgentdc · Jan 2, 2010

It realy ain t that Cold ,, Just ask ALgore ,,, its global warming that allows those motors to start thermometers are defective ,,, All Ford Products in Our driveway would always start -22, unless the battery is on its last leg

730 virgil · Jan 2, 2010

my brother and i had a 49 or 50 pontiac it would start the problem it had the brakes would freeze to the drums.

greenbeanman in Kansas · Jan 2, 2010

Ref 1969---some of us are old enough that we don't consider a '69 as being old. Think '40s.

Anonymous-0 · Jan 3, 2010

I hate to be rude but if you actually paid attention to world news and the scientists that have definitive proof and werent ignorant. You would know That technically its not global warming its global "CLIMATE CHANGE" a slight increase of 1 degree at the United states can cause a 20 degree increase at the polar ice caps that increase of temperature melts ice sending fresh water into the oceans disrupting the natural currents that cause most of the heating and cooling of the earth to remain stable. An influx of fresh water changes the Salt mix ratio causing the currents to change, thus disrupting the climate causing eratic weather patterns thus stronger storms its not necessarily going to get Hotter.....

barn E · Jan 3, 2010

Detroit about 15 below, 54 ford 6 about 10 years old. Starting was easy if, you didn't turn on no lights or radio, kept the clutch down, trans in neutral. But then the clutch wouldn't come up till good and ready. When you got low gear, had to leave it there for 3, 4 blocks, throw out bearing squealing. Watch out on the turns, one of your doors will fly open till warmed up real good. By this time speedometer might start moving-temperature gauge only a little. Ice starting to come off the windows after scraping inside and outside. Make a turn and the steering wheel don't want to come back without both hands if you are strong. Now you have completed half your 15 miles and things are nearing normal. Hate to shut her down. Good ole days. Car only cost Hundred and Ten bucks, port a walls and all.Top speed 85 if you could stay on the road(summer that is)

Lloyd Sorlien · Jan 3, 2010

In th 40's we used to start our 15-30 IHC tractor in the winter witha belt from our H farmall pully to the pully on the 15-30. we would wind up the belt and then let the clutch out and start the old one. We need it to grind feed with. I also had a 48 chevy pannel that started no mater how cold it was outside andit sat out side too.

Isn't it incredible.

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