running rough in cold weather

Good morning my car is a 99 grand am se 2.4
This weekend in Winnipeg, Canada it is -40 c and with the windchill closer to -50c
I had to jumpstart my girlfriends car yesterday because it was so cold, and today i started my car let it run for a while and its running rough, has less power and smells like its burning oil, and the the exhaust it shaking. oh anf the service engine soon light is flashing. So any ideas before I bring it to my mechanic, any thing at all would help. I,m getting this fixed a.s.a.p.
thanks.

very outside chance that there was a little water in the tank/lines that finally froze up although I dont see why it would not have frozen up earlier. Pour some denatured alcohol or gas line antifreeze in the tank and run it through.

if the SES light is flashing its throwing a code, have the computer scanned ... could be anything from a simple oxygen sensor problem to an engine misfire ... autozones scan for free if there's one around ...

So I had to drive downtwon this morning and my car never warmed up the highest it got was 55 degress only half way to 90 degresss were its normally at. I noticed it was worst when stopped at traffic lights or stop signs, but quiter if I put it into neutral, could it be the mass airflow sensor, i have had my car for 5 years and never replaced this, I hear they can give problems. thanks again

my car does this too did you get your fixed and what was it how muck did it cost i really hate when i have car problems:banghead:

one of your injectors is dead. I bet you will have one of this codes p0301, p0302 p0303 or p0304

canuck-GA, when its that cold, it wil NEVER get up to running temp. Put a piece of cardboard over the radiator in front. This should get the temps back up, but may not be all the way up. If it runs to hot, put a smaller piece in front.

As far as running rough, again when its that cold the TB will ice up. The injectors will freeze full open or closed if moistures in there making it do all sorts of wierd thing.
Really luck it runs at all at those temps :grinyes:

And the ONLY way to know why the SES ligths on is to get it scanned. And no MAF sensors do not go out very often if ever. Well , ... unless it get wet.

Hope that helps and Welcome to AF you newbie's.

Well, the mechanic said it was the coil pack, just worn out, but now the rear oxygen sensor is gone, got that fixed, now one of the sensors for the wheels is gone, becasue the abs and trac off light coem on when i,m driving, is the garage screwing me?
what should i buy next I want a small truck or suv.
thanks for the help

Well, the mechanic said it was the coil pack, just worn out, but now the rear oxygen sensor is gone, got that fixed, now one of the sensors for the wheels is gone, becasue the abs and trac off light coem on when i,m driving, is the garage screwing me?
what should i buy next I want a small truck or suv.
thanks for the help

depends on price if your getting screwed or not ... if you had a bad coil pack then you weren't getting spark on one or two cylinders, then yes the unburnt fuel could make your oxygen sensor go prematurely. If you question that the parts he's replacing are bad, is the car running better now?, always ask for the old parts - then take to another shop to find out if they are bad, or get a second quote before the work if preformed.
If your abs light is on then most likely you have a bad sensor, or the tone wheel has metal shavings on it, or sensor face has metal shavings on it. take it to another shop & get a quote from them, tell the shop that has the car now that you don't have the money for that at this time and will bring the car back when you have the money (if the cars still at the shop, don't tell him you think he's ripping you off).