starting up in the cold

[silverbullet05]

Hey guys I got a question, when it is super cold, like 10 degrees out (I live in colorado) my car make a grinding noise, I dunno if that because the oil is just all drained into the pan. I am running rotela t6 5w-40. Any ideas?

[mattg]

I would get a block heater if I was you.

[silverbullet05]

That's what I was thinking

[RJS5689]

Do you really need a block heater on this car? I'm up in central Maine and have never had issues without a block heater. I also don't know anyone who uses them except some diesel truck owners.

 

OP: How long does the grinding last, what does it sound like, does anything affect it, how often does it happen?

[Madjik_Man]

I live in Colorado also and my car sounds like my grandfather trying to get up out of the barcolounger when I start it in the cold.

 

It's fine, IMO. In fact every vehicle I've owned sounds "rough" when you start it up in really cold temps. It's part of the physical world.

[Living Legacy]

There are some threads about strange noises during start ups in the cold. Many people think that it's a starter related issue and not somthing that is related to oild temperatures/circulation during cold start ups...

[Max Capacity]

IMO don't worry about it. Mine makes a few noises just after I return the key to the on position. It's been doing that on/off for years. It's the starter just hanging up a bit.

[rweezy]

I live in Co not that it should make a difference and the past week ive noticed the same kind of thing. On start up it doesnt sound very healthy and there is a bit of a squeal although that might be due to me changing the belts recently and not tightening them up after they wore in. But regardless it didnt seem to do it last year in the cold. Maybe tommorow ill record it on start up and post, assuming I remember.

[EstateSleeper]

My car has done this maybe two or three times, but only when it's been sitting for a couple days in temps well below freezing(10-15F). It only lasts for a second at most, but it does sound kinda harsh. I think it's a lack of oil circulation just for brief second as the whole system comes to life. I'm not worried about mine because it really doesn't sit very much, so it rarely happens. If it's happening to you on a regular basis, you should get a heater and see if it goes away. That can't be good if it's happening a lot. I've been using Mobil 1 5-30

[Noeladams]

I don't live in that cold of temps but last winter my car made weird sounds on startup and it turned out to be a starter.

 

I use to have the video on youtube but must have deleted it.

[ehsnils]

Cold weather do make things change shape and get more stiff so it's not necessarily a problem.

[silverbullet05]

Well now im kinda thinking its just the fact that there is that brief time oil is not in the system with a combo of the starter. The noise sounds like when you engage the starter when the engine is already running, just more mellow.

[n888aw]

this is interesting as well, i swear mine sounds like its the starter not disengaging properly.... could the starter be going?

[silverbullet05]

this is interesting as well, i swear mine sounds like its the starter not disengaging properly.... could the starter be going?

 

I hope its not the starter, well I just hope its nothing major. I just got the car and I need to do the brakes already, a starter is not in my budget right now, I am a poor college student, but I'm graduating next friday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[rage557]

Well now im kinda thinking its just the fact that there is that brief time oil is not in the system with a combo of the starter. The noise sounds like when you engage the starter when the engine is already running, just more mellow.

 

I had the same problem in my RS. It turned out that the starter solenoid was not engaging properly and the gear was not extending to be in full contact with the fly wheel. A new starter fixed the problem for me. Although the cold did not appear to have any effect on the occurance.

[silverbullet05]

Yeah like I said, the noise only happens when it is cold out

[farberio]

Mine will make a noise in the extreme cold as well, to me it sounds like the starter is not retracting fast enough.

[rweezy]

Was gonna record the sound this morning but it was to warm so it started like normal. All this talk about the starter has me thinking now. Im taking mine in on monday for the 60k service ill prob mention it and see what he thinks.

[Max Capacity]

Just because it's the starter doesn't meant you have to replace it. I still have the oem starter and mine has been doing this noise on/off for years.

[croll326]

sounds like a cat might be stuck in the engine compartment? mine squeals a little sometime.

[silverbullet05]

So it wasnt as cold today, so the noise wasnt as harsh, but it is definetly the starter. It is like the gear is making contact with the flywheel for too long and not retracting. Still kinda weird to me but with the way it sounds it sounds somewhat normal.

[frank_ster]

mine started fine last winter at -35 c ! everything is stiff but not too many weird noises besides the pistons clacking

[ehsnils]

this is interesting as well, i swear mine sounds like its the starter not disengaging properly.... could the starter be going?

 

It may be as simple as the grease that the starter gear slides on that's getting too thick in the cold and that's delaying the release of the starter.

 

Remove starter, clean and re-grease with a thinner grease.

[gethoht]

I live in colorado and my car does this as well in the cold. A quick 1 second squeal on startup, especially if it's been sitting for more than a day and under 15 degrees farenheit. Sounds like it's coming from the passenger side of the engine bay. I only run fully synthetic, normally mobil1 5w-30 and change it every 4000 miles.

[Arctic]

For cold starts I would install an engine block heater to save wear and tear on your starter and engine. It's probably not a big deal in milder temps above zero, but when you drop into the -20 F range (kind of where "cold" starts around here in N. Minnesota) it starts to matter, and when you get into the -40 F range and below it becomes VERY important.