cold in alabama and the car won't start

[kokenm]

My 82 911 was capable of getting me home in a hurry wednesday night and the temperature dropped to a mild 18 degrees. Next morning and all morning she would not start. This evening after it warmed up to a balmy 24 degrees still no joy. if I floor it during start she spits and pops and acts as though she is interested in coming to life but only drains the battery..

Any help would be appreciated.

[beamonk]

Does your car have a pop-off valve? If so, make sure it isn't stuck open. don't flood it.

[kokenm]

Yes it does have a popoff valve and I will go out and check it.

Too late on the flooding part. held the barn door open a little to long and flooded it out.

[javadog]

Charge the battery to full capacity. Change the plugs.

Put the shift lever in neutral. Push the clutch pedal in all the way. Crank the engine with your foot OFF of the gas pedal. Keep your foot off, no matter how tempting it might be to "help" the engine start.

If it fails to start this time, tow it to a shop as it should start at that temperature and failing to do so indicates that something isn't working correctly. It could be a lot of things, just let a good tech sort it out.

JR

[kokenm]

PopOff valve is not a problem.
tried to start it this morning after opening and closing the valve and same thing.
acts like it hits on two cylinders and then just starter, two cylinders and starter.

What that tells me is that I have spark (maybe not on all cylinders) and I have gas.

Could be timing, plugs, or unknown to me at this time. Plugs should be in today. Will try to get at it tonight or tomorrow morning.
We just went into a heat wave 35 degrees, possibly 45 by mid afternoon. Whew might have to get some sun screen.

[M.D. Holloway]

I bet you run 20W50 don't cha? I bet when it gets above 50 you won't have an issue...

[RarlyL8]

It is supposed to be in the mid 60's this weeked. If you are still having trouble give me a call and I'll see if I can help.

[Paulporsche]

Sounds an awful lot like an out of spec WUR. Check cold control pressure and look for vacuum leaks. Check AAR and AAV.

Could be many things: ignition wires, bad spark, timing, plugs,; maybe even that heavy oil (although mine starts in 20F w/ 20W/50).

Also, try several short key cranks, say 1 sec each, to start, rather than one long one.

[billybek]

Is the car in a garage or carport?
You could throw a trouble light under the case to add a little heat.
Won't work if you are out in the wind though..
Hope it warms up, I know I am not driving mine until at least April...

[kokenm]

Yes I am running 20w50

And it was outside when the temperature dropped.

I was thinking of putting a heater in the garage and knitting a blanket for the car(haha).
Maybe a hot totti or two before I put her to bed.

I guess I will have to move my 69 midget project that is in the garage over and make room for my baby.

[SCWDP911]

I hope you get it sorted soon. I am north of you in Jackson, TN. Been the same temps here too, but luckily no start issues here...

Maybe you can join us one day for one of our MTFR's (Mid TN Fun Runs)

Good luck,
Shane

[kokenm]

Shane,

Would love to join you one day soon. Hopefully I will not be riding my bicycle when doing it.

Mike

[M.D. Holloway]

Let me know if it does start when it gets warmer. I had the same issue many many years ago and all it was - the oil just got too plain thick!

[boyt911sc]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

Let me know if it does start when it gets warmer. I had the same issue many many years ago and all it was - the oil just got too plain thick!

It was 18°F this morning in Philly and the car started at first try with frost all over the windshield. And I'm also using 20W50 motor oil. The oil viscosity at this temperature is not significant to prevent the car from starting. There is something out of spec in your CIS causing it not to start.

Check your system and control fuel pressures (cold), WUR, CSV, and source of vacuum leak. Bad fuel supply and ignition problem could also cause this kind of trouble but don't blame the oil!!!! Not unless you are in Northern Canada. Just my two-cents.

Tony

[M.D. Holloway]

Tony - nope, can't agree. Viscosity can increase 10 fold from operating temps down to freezing. I have personally witnessed it with my own car as well as hearing plenty of others say the same. That oil can actually "freeze" the pistons as well as the oil pump until it thins out.

[kokenm]

well it is 48 degrees and I went out to give it a shot. same problems. After trying for some time I smelled the gas so I know that it is getting fuel for sure.
wants to try to start geting spark and coughing a bit but still no joy.

I cannot imagine that it is the oil since I don't think it would do much for turning over if it was frozen..

Any comments are appreciated.

Should have new NGK plugs and vacuum hoses coming in this evening or tomorrow...... Hopefully.

that should narrow things down a bit.

[calling911]

Originally Posted by LubeMaster77

Tony - nope, can't agree. Viscosity can increase 10 fold from operating temps down to freezing. I have personally witnessed it with my own car as well as hearing plenty of others say the same. That oil can actually "freeze" the pistons as well as the oil pump until it thins out.

Oil won't "freeze" pistons. This is just nonsense.

[pozee]

kokenm,

Just for the heck of it, before you get too deep into diagnostics...remove your distributor cap and take a look inside. Is it damp? Is the cap old and brittle? I bet there's a crack in the cap or it is defective.

[kokenm]

I replaced the spark plugs with some NGK's . I was not running bosch or NGK and I suppose that I have just learned a valuable lesson.

I am seeing a little black splattering from the exhaust on the ground and am worried about maybe having a head gasket problem or something.

I am going to reset the timing tomorrow and readjust my mixture and see if this changes.

I don't see the spattering on the ground when she warms up.

[RarlyL8]

The black splatter is likely exhaust carbon picked up in the condensation of a cold muffler. You had a lot of unburned fuel go through the engine which will disolve the carbon.