Cold Cold Start as in below 0 degrees C

[mtnfir]

I just read the thread on reving the engine before shuting it off. Seems as if its a bad idea. Somebody mentioned starting a car in sub zero and then having problems.......this is where my question comes from. I've got an 87 targa with a fresh top end. Not a spare car, we have two cars and two drivers and no garage. The other day it was 11 degrees ferenheit and the car sat for 7 days without driving. When I attempted to start it, it ran like crapola, it smoked and ran on only a few cylinders.....it took forever to start....usually it fires right up......So my question is, what can be done to help that situation out and is it abnormal?
Thanks in advance
C

[the]

you could try a lighter weight winter oil.

[old man neri]

Ya, my car does a bit of silliness when I start it in the real cold. I just keep it at about 2-3K for 30 seconds until it gets it out of it's system. Fires right up though.

Things to help:

-always keep a full tank of gas in the winter time to prevent condensation.
-regular tune up stuff plugs, rotor....etc will help a little.
-as previously mentioned careful what grade oil you use.
-if you are only periodically driving the car use gas stabilizer in with the fuel and make sure the last fill up you did was during the cold season (winter fuels are different than summer fuels)

All I can think of for now.

If you are having problems cranking it, it could be the sign of a weak battery. Batteries always seem to turn south on the coldest day of the year. In fact stuff only goes wrong when it's really cold out and painful to work on your car. Combination of physics and murphy's law.