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Cold startups

Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 9:21 pm
by ckretvix
My car usually starts after the first crank. Now it seems really nice but when its cold I can hear the engine as oil pressure starts to build. Would it be beneficial to have the engine crank over for a little to build oil pressure before actually starting?

Re: Cold startups

Posted: Sun Dec 06, 2009 3:06 am
by 98vtec
ckretvix wrote:My car usually starts after the first crank. Now it seems really nice but when its cold I can hear the engine as oil pressure starts to build. Would it be beneficial to have the engine crank over for a little to build oil pressure before actually starting?
in the colder weather yes. The oil is harder to move in colder weather and its possible that allowing the engine to build a little pressure before starting it would increase longevity a little. But there are always variables.

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 1:05 am
by xenocron
Simple answer, if you think your oil is the problem, use better oil in colder weather

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 3:28 am
by Bindegal
I concur, use oil that works for the season/temperatures at hand. Although I find the basic point valid. Admittedly I´m a bit geeky in these matters, but if I a car of mine has not run for 3-4 days or so I´will routinely pull the ECU fuse, crank it, and wait for oil pressure. You´d be surprised how many seconds it can take on an older engine before the oil pressure light goes out sometimes. BTW I have found that some oil filters are better than others to retain the oil and not let it return to the sump so quickly (apparantly there´s a valve in there). You might try using an original Honda filter, they seem to work the best for me. /Allan

Posted: Mon Dec 07, 2009 12:07 pm
by Almighty-Si
I was going to mention oil filter as well. I used to notice a lot of noise on cold start ups in the mornings and then I switched filters, problem solved. Also what weight oil are you using? It's a good idea to use a lighter weight oil in colder climates, though I have never had a problem with using 5-30 all year round.