HurleyTSi Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 Last wednesday I drove my car to the gas station and filled it up after work wednesday night then went home. I had nothing to do on thursday so i didn't drive anywhere. Friday morning I try and start the car and it just cranks over sometimes the motor "bucks" like it wants to start. It has brand new NGK BPR6ES plugs and new plug wires so I'm doubting spark is an issue. I smell fuel when t cranks. So good there I assume. Now I tried to jump the battery as thursday night was exceptionally cold here in UT. So I thought maybe the cold weather affected it somehow. Tried the jump. Still just cranks. However I took the battery to get tested and the results were inconclusive because the battery wasn't fully charged. But my question is shouldn't the car have started even with a dead battery when it was hooked up to the other cars battery during the jump? Then died once the jumper cables were removed? Or could the battery be so bad that there's no way it can take a charge anymore? All the lights/electronics still function so there's no way it's "that" dead is there? Oil and coolant are both clean as well. Only odd thing that happened with the car was the extreme cold on thursday night. Other than that it ran fine before. I'm going to get the battery recharged or replaced today but if that doesn't fix it what else could it be? I'm completely stumped on this one. Thanks in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kreal Posted February 14, 2009 Report Share Posted February 14, 2009 Yes cold weather can have an effect on a car battery. I have about 15 cars with dead batteries currently. If you let it go too long without re-charging the battery will be toast and will need replaced. Try charging the battery completely and have it tested again, or put another battery from another vehicle into your car to make sure it starts to rule out any other non-starting issue. You may have a slow drain on your battery aswell. I'd recommend buying a $60 jump-pack, it will be one of the best things you've ever purchased. Sometimes when I need to move a car I don't even have a battery in it. I hook the jump-pack to the cables and drive it that way. They are a life-saver if your battery is dieing, dead, or needs an extra boost to jump-start it. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_C. Posted February 15, 2009 Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 If it is cranking but not starting, then it isn't the battery. The plugs are definitely fouled and the only solve for that on these cars is new plugs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurleyTSi Posted February 15, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2009 That's what I thought at first too but I changed the plugs and the wires just this last week...brand new NGKs....ran fine then like I said 1 uber cold night and bam Friday the 13th and my car won't start lol But today I'm gonna see if NAPA has recharged my battery, I dropped it off to them last night before I went to work. If it won't take a charge at all I'll toss in a fresh battery like Kreal said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_C. Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 It only takes one cold night where it floods out. That kills the plugs. You can try pulling them to let them air dry, but they will never be the same. That is why I don't like the 7:1 stock static compression ratio. Especially up here at 6000 ft altitude. A little compression loss over the years and the car won't start. I recommend using the NGK BPR6ES plugs or one step hotter for your engine. They will run much better in the cold. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurleyTSi Posted February 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 It only takes one cold night where it floods out. That kills the plugs. You can try pulling them to let them air dry, but they will never be the same. That is why I don't like the 7:1 stock static compression ratio. Especially up here at 6000 ft altitude. A little compression loss over the years and the car won't start. I recommend using the NGK BPR6ES plugs or one step hotter for your engine. They will run much better in the cold. Ya NGKs are all I ever put in my mitsus. I pulled the #3 plug today and it had wet fuel all over it. So you think another set of plugs and it should work? #4 was dry but I didn't check the others (had to hurry for work) my next try would be a new distributor cap but the contacts in mine look good still. #4 is still probably getting spark hence the bucking the engine does. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim_C. Posted February 16, 2009 Report Share Posted February 16, 2009 Yes, new plugs all around. Everyone has their own methods it seems, but here is one way I do it on my older StarQuest engines, and even my hot rod that I have the fuel pressure turned up on. The added pressure on it makes it susceptible to flooding too, and it is roughly 7.5:1 static compression ratio. The key is to not let it flood. Mine does better on the first start in the morning in cold weather if I first put the accelerator to the floor and hold it there while cranking. As soon as it starts, I let up, but I keep the gas on it so the idle is higher than the normal 'cold idle' RPM, like 1800 or so. I keep it there for a minute to get some heat built up in the combustion chamber before I let it idle on it's own for a few minutes to get fully warmed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HurleyTSi Posted February 17, 2009 Author Report Share Posted February 17, 2009 Started up just a few minutes ago :party0049: good call on the plugs Tim thanks again my man! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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