Cold weather starting ?

Last night around 9 oclock I was putting up a attenna on the back of the house. When I finished I noticed the therm was reading 12*F so I was curious if my jeep would start in those temps fine. It hasnt been cranked in a week so I know I had to get the gas back up to the top.I pulled the choke and turned the key and she turned over deisel slow .She sounded like she was bearly getting over the hump. After the normal turn over time to get the gas up top she hit and started spuddering to life then died. I taped the gas peddle and tried again , she fired right on up. I let it run till it cleared up then shut her down and wrapped it back up in the canvas.

Does a Fhead normally turn over that slow in cold weather or do I need a new batt? Ive never heard a gas motor turn over that slow in cold weather and crank thats what got me off. Every one I ever heard that slow always died before it cranked but the F head just kept bearly turning.

 

got 10W-30 ?

 

:iagree: Put a 6 volt starter on it, that baby will spin like bald tires on iceR) I kept my original starter when I switched to 12v. ZOOM! Check your battery too. Up here its all about CCA (cold cranking amps)in the winter. 600 is good, more is better.

 

I think I'm runnin' around 800-850 cold cranking at 0*F. I have not trouble regardless of temp getting it to spin; starting is different.

 

Some of you may not believe it but we do occasionally get cold temps in California. A couple of weeks ago I was in the desert during a record cold spell. 17F in the morning. My battery (both of them) are good and it cranked right over. What amazed and worried me was the amount of time it took for the oil pressure to come up.

Used to hot temps, I run 20w-50 in the leaky ol'six. Guess I should have changed it. It seemed like 20 seconds before the gauge responded. A real nail biter. About the time I expected to hear the bearings squeal the oil pressure slowly came up.

 

Get a 100w droplight, hang it next to the engine, and close the hood. On the battery/starter side. Used to do this all the time in the mountains with my little diesel escort. Cheap mans engine heater. Doesn't sound like much, but works great!
(at least when you have an outlet around)

 

CJ Joe,

If 17ºF is cold, you are definitely from California!

;-)

Pete

 

It's cold if you live any where on the flats of this great country from California to Florida, including Arizona and New Mexico and Texas. (Mustn't forget Texas!)

However that is a balmy warm day when you start hitting the mountainous areas of all the preceding states.

There are parts of Northern Arizona and New Mexico that are still getting down there. (45 here in Phoenix right now, Prescott and Payson are both down in the 30's)