During the recent cold spell in Chicago, the 2000 TL, 130K miles hesitated on the crank. Battery is 1 year old, 10W30 oil. Will any of the fuel additives help? Any suggestions?

 

Check the battery connections for tightness and corrosion.

 

What kind of temps you reaching?

 

Have the battery tested. The CCA may be too low. What it the CCA on your battery. 10w30 is too thick. Drop back to the 5w30 that the car recommends.

 

Thanks, sorry for the delay in replying. I changed the oil to 5w30 and that seems to help. Lately, we have been hovering around 0 degrees overnight.

 

o_0 .... holy shnozberries

 

It's been really cold here in Western NC. The other day/after numerous short trips around town in cold weather (TEENS) my car would crank over but had a hard time starting. I had to crank it 3/4 times then it finally fired. My battery was run down. I put the battery charger on it 10amps for 1 hour then 2 amps for another hour and all was fine. I checked the cells on the battery and they all were fine. I also cleaned the connection to the starter and battery terminals. Using the heated seats/heater motor on high along with short trips ran the battery down. Next time I'll buy a battery with higher cold cranking power.

 

How did you check the cells?

 

Years ago my father gave me (I don't know what it's called) a battery cell checker=for lack of better words. It sucks up water from the battery cells and with a float device inside tells whether the cell is good or bad. Anyone know what it's called?

 

http://www.ehow.com/how_4964575_use-...ydrometer.html

Battery Hydrometer

 

I know that this may sound weird but...

You have anit-freeze in your radiator right?

 

Run synthetic, have a battery with high CCA, and install a block heater if you don't have one and use it. It all makes a difference in such cold temps. I would know, cause it can get down to -22 F at times here in Edmonton, or worse with windchill.

Example: One day in December the Edmonton International airport got down to -51 F overnight...yeah

 

mines have been lag starting also. like i will start it up first thing in the morning (cold start) and it will crank over 3 or 4 times and then finally start.

part of it has to do with my spark plugs too. they haven't been replaced yet and they are still riding on the originals. so its about time for replacement of those.

 

Yes I have anti-freeze in my radiator!