Minimum environment temp for BMW

[t_marat]

Hi!
Today it is about -32C (-25.6F). The car did not start. Everything was completely frozen. Back door did not close after openning, the lubricating oil seems to have frozen. Clutch pedal very heavy; comes very slowly to its original place after releasing.
Starter turned the engine very slowly at start, but then got faster. There were some signs of engine coming alive, but after trying for about 6 mins I gave up.


Does anybody know the minimum temperature e34s were tested to operate?

[winfred]

sounds like time for a block heater and a battery blanket

[Dave M]

In temps like that I have had luck with an oil pan heater. As I'm not partial to starting it routinely in temps that low, I just bought a cheap magnetic one that must be rigged to attach to the aluminum oil pan of the M50. Of course, ensure your battery is up to snuff as well.

I have started it successfully in -40 C. Mind you, I cringed while turning it over. Better than draining the oil and sleeping with it (as seasoned bush pilots will attest to doing when overnighting in the north).

Good Luck, let us know how it goes, or doesn't :)

Dave M

[t_marat]

Several hours ago I went and tried to start it again, but it didn't. Starter in the end started to sound like the battery is low on power.

I think I will not use the car for the coming 3-4 days. The weather is forecast to be not better than this, even worse.

[ryan roopnarine]

what did you do to winterise the vehicle? (ill say this politely), but that isn't cold enough to not allow your car to start with some regularity. where are you located?

[t_marat]

Atyrau/Kazakhstan.
http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/KZXX0003_c.html?force_units=1

I did not do anything. Engine oil is Mobil Super 10W-40. Too heavy for winter?

[632 Regal]

Thud Thud Thud...

go get yourself some mobil one 0w-40 and go to work.


Atyrau/Kazakhstan.
http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/KZXX0003_c.html?force_units=1

I did not do anything. Engine oil is Mobil Super 10W-40. Too heavy for winter?

[angrypancake]

jesus. high of -25. i would never get out of bed.

[MBXB]

In addition to using 0W40, pull the battery before you retry starting, bring it into a warm area and charge it up if you can.
Install it right before you restart.

[t_marat]

I read that freezing temp for Mobil Super 10W-40 is -33C. Is it dangerous to start the engine at about -30C with that oil?

This temps aren't usual. Usually it is about -20C to -15C max. Police is putting roadblocks on roads leaving the city.

[ryan roopnarine]

ok. though i've certainly never been to kz, i know that your temperatures are quite variable. am i not correct in assuming that there are some points in the country that might be at -1C or so right now?

anyway, just making sure that you weren't some jackass from somewhere normally warmer bitching about how cold it was.

I used to live in canada. in the last winter I was there (1996), the temperatures where i was got down to -62 degrees C. for the farenheight people, the farenheight scale is "colder" per degree until about -40, at which point, celsius becomes colder.

we had a (somewhat sucky) 1986 dodge caravan, with the mitsubishi 4 cyl. less than 100 hp for a 3800 lb vehicle. anyway....
that winter, the temps were regularly in the -40s. I KNOW that the place that was servicing the vehicle was putting in pretty damn thick stuff, probably 15w40 or so. many days during the -40s, the car wouldn't start, but it was because of the batter, not the engine, per se. I believe we had to get a batt replacement that year, but after that, it started pretty regularly with the block heater (no battery blanket) only. this was not a strong vehicle, the battery replacement making things better says a lot. my 10-13 year old self (at the time), was given a copy of the car key by my mother so that i could go out in the morning and start it 15 minutes in advance, usually pumping the peddle a couple of times before (carb) made starting easier. anyway....

the battery should have had its water level checked before the cold. m50 is kinda a power hog on the starter compared to other cars, and having a mediocre battery doesn't help. the car should have had an Inspection II done before the winter in such a climate so that the brake fluid is fresh (no water), the gear oil changed to as light a fluid as you are comfortable with, antifreeze strength checked....and, as in your case, your locks probably would have done well to have been lubricated beforehand (as on the Inspection II list on bruno's site). my 10 year old self used to put vaseline on moving parts/rollers (i was 10, laugh if you want) like dooors, but it seemed to work ok in the cold . YMMV.

conventional motor oil usually freezes around -30 or -40 C/F. synthetic usually goes to about -50 or so, some even greater than that. however, having a heater usually eliminates the need for this, as our van did ok, even if it wasn't plugged in at (my mother's) workplace during the day. it might be wise, if you have a garage for the car, to do a quick check/maint session to make sure that everything is ok on the car if the weather there is going to stay that cold.

[t_marat]

In KZ temperatures vary considerably
http://weather.yahoo.com/forecast/KZXX0047_c.html?force_units=1

M50 is indeed an energy hog at start up. car had been idle for two months, repairs after crash. batteries were discharged. mechanics put in a battery from a toyota Rav4, which was working fine. But it didn't even move the starter in BMW!

antifreeze is new, 50% dilution. supposed to freeze at -40C (vavloline af extra)

Mobil Super 10W-40 freezes at -33C, Mobil 0W-40 at -54C.

today I have seen some people using direct fired heaters to heat the engines oil pan. Dangerous, any chance of burning something (even if you are accurate)?

[632 Regal]

your dino oil is like molasis when that cold, M-1 0w40 will be thicker than when warm but will "pour" out at that temp. Im tellin you you wont believe the difference once you switch.

[t_marat]

http://forums.yellowworld.org/archive/index.php/t-1136.html

good article on mineral and synthetic oils

[t_marat]

I will change the oil to 0W-40 as soon as I get the car moving. While changing, draining the old oil and putting the new is enough? Any need to add any engine flushing staff?

[632 Regal]

have you found and changed to the mobil 1 0w-40 yet? I guarantee with a decent battery it will turn over like it was summer. I personally experienced this yeras ago and after I got ride to work, changed the oil and filter to the M1 and it cranked like it wasnt even cold...ill never use dino oil again except a new ring/cam break in.

I used it in 800hp race engines that time the m1 5w-30 was the whip, gained 2 tenths in a 1/4 mile too and no oil related wear.

change it before 8k miles, after it seems to use more.

[shogun]

http://www.canadianpolarpad.com/

[Qube]

Sounds like me, a few days ago. Need to lube all around...