It was 14 degrees F out this morning and our 2002 Protege, always rock solid reliable, wouldn't start. (I know, I know, 14 degrees is WARM in Alaska, Canada and Michigan, but it's friggin' cold down here in NE GA).

So I had to go our and fire up my 85 GSL to give the MP5 a jump.

The Silver One one started right right away of course and now both are out in the driveway warming up.

Damn I love Nikki's.

 

Good one Ray. When I had my old SA Bridgeport with the 600 Holley, I never had any issues cranking that old girl up

 

ditto on the 600. sup guys? sam there's a new guy in sylva posted in the intro section.

 

Thanks Micheal.

 

lol, now imagine that cold weather lasting 8 months, and you're getting close to life in Michigan.

The Bimmer refused to start a few days ago, with a nearly dead battery. I couldn't use the 7 though, because the motor is out waiting for me to decide on a clutch.

Hang in there Ray, go make a snowman or something. lol...


.

 

nice! peepers likes the cold too... starts right up @50F

 

Really, this cold is for the penguins. We aren't getting back into the 50's until early next week, but at least we don't have any snow, yet. (I'm not missing making snowmen that much, made plenty in my youth).

I've dealt with cold starting issues in the past, but this is the first time the 7 is the only car in the driveway that starts when it's cold. I'm really liking the Silver One, she's turned out to be one fine car. Here she is at the OGTA meeting last Tuesday:



And some bundled up OGTA's:



By the way, there is a secret to starting a GSL on a cold morning:

DON'T GIVE IT GAS OR CHOKE UNTIL AFTER YOU'VE ENGAGED THE STARTER FOR A FEW SECONDS!

My routine is to put it in neutral, disengage the clutch, then start it spinning for 3 or 4 seconds, THEN pull the choke out and give her a little gas.

Zoom zoom every time!

 

starting in cold weather with the clutch in has always been a routine for me. and with the richness of the holley and the shot from the AP is like 5 times that of the nikki so there's no need for a choke either. in fact, it's actually been removed.

 

this is my method for the Dellorto, only I haven't removed the choke juuuuuuuust in case.

 

I've always had my cold start problems when I pull the choke before the engine is spinning, especially if I pump the accelerator a couple times before it starts to fire. Then I have to do the deflood procedure, no fun anytime but especially at 14 degrees.

So the Nikki is delivering too much gas, not too little, when it's cold.

 

"We aren't getting back into the 50's until early next week"

Gee, you're breaking my heart you lucky bastard!

 

I always put the choke on, don't touch the gas, put it in neutral and it starts up no problemo on a cold morning. every time. No excessive spinning wither. all choke

 

Wow Ray! My 02 protege starts every time, might be because of the 900w CCA battery or something.

The Rex stays in the garage during the winter. Charlotte is HORRIBLE with snow. If it rains and it is 45* outside they will salt the living hell out of the roads.

 

i hadn't had a problem with cold starts (except for my removed choke on the stock nikki) so i have to rev for a while. But the last few days the highs have been in the low 20's. Every cold start my car would act as if one of the rotors wasn't firing, lots of backfire and very sluggish until it warmed up a bit and it was bugging the crap out of me.

Today while eating breakfast it finally hit me. I had removed the sub-zero assist, but the temperatures haven't been below freezing in NC for a long time so i never needed to plug the nipple for it. At the same time i remembered that our cars are from Japan so they use the cool metric system and not the crazy english system, therefore the nipple opens up at 0*C not 0*F haha, but its fixed now.

 

Yeah, you gotta watch out for those cold nipples BD, I've had some problems with them myself.

I don't have the cold assist system anymore either, I took it out and capped it off at the carb plate. You don't much need it in NE GA, that's something for the folks up in Michigan.

Tomorrow morning is supposed to be another 14 degree morning here in Jefferson, I think I'll go out and video tape the start up to show ya'll how it's done.

Stu, I'm being unfair to the MP5, she still has her original factory installed battery from back in '02. It'd be nice if I could get another year or two out of it if we can just get through this cold snap (highs in the 50's, lows above freezing coming on Wednesday).

 

I've determined that batteries have half life of about 5 years. Once your
past that 5 year mark any kind of stress can cause them to fail.

My Dell starts great in the cold. Just pull the choke about halfway, then
turn the key, give the pump a few seconds to get the bowls filled, then
twist the key. Usually starts in a couple of rotations.

 

Out of courtesy to the OP, I won't provide a weather report for January in CA.

I did go diving yesterday, though. The water temp was 53deg at 60 feet.

 

Yeah DD, but what about all those earthquakes, Santa Ana winds, mudslides, forest fires and man-eating great white sharks? Not to mention all those people running around preaching about how hyperbaric oxygen makes you young again?

But I'll bet that diving was fun, got any video?

We'll be back in the 50's on Wednesday here in Georgia, a bit of cold weather just makes you tougher and appreciate the warm weather more. And the GA DOT was mercifully sparing with the road salt.

The Protege now has a new battery, problem gone, and the Silver One continues to start right up even when down in the teens, so it looks like we'll survive the cold snap.

I tried to get a video of the cold start up but I accidentally pushed the stop button on the camera when I pulled the choke and ended the movie just before she fired, so that didn't work. That movie is a two person job.

 

Didn't take a camera this time; first time in the water for a while, and cameras are distracting at the best of times. Actually had more fun looking around for a change, instead of trying to "find good shots."

But yes, was good fun. Saw an electric ray the size of a city manhole cover, among other notable sights. Couple a old, well-known wrecks, too,as well as the remains of the 'old steel pier.' Good day with friends.

 

I have yet to figure out why but the Dual DCDs on the widebody like the cold weather and it's starting easier at 10-15* than it was this past summer. I can literally start and go with no warm up at all. It's even starting quicker than the 2nd gen with FI.