Won't start when cold

[Britty05]

My Z34 won't start if its cold outside and has been sitting there for more the 2 hours outside. Anyone kno why that is? I try to start it and it sounds like it wants to start but then it wont.. after about a lot of trys my battery gets low and i have to stop trying then i let it sit again and try again a couple more time and it starts.. but i dont want to get stuck at work in the cold nor do i want to go out every 2 hours to start the thing and let it run for like 10 mins.. anyone kno why it wont start in the cold? cause when its warm it starts up right away! plz help plz

[jeffcoslacker]

Get the battery load tested. Sounds like it may be on the way out. You should be able to crank that motor for 10-15 minutes before it starts to bog down. If it's running down after a few tries, it's had it...

[jeffcoslacker]

Then once you determine if the battery is fine or not, there are some other things to check like crank sensor or fuel pressure, but start simple and work up.

[Britty05]

yah i had my battery tested its fine.. it only happens when its cold outside.. like just last week we had a very cold day here and my car sat outside for like 5-6 hrs cause i was at work and it wouldnt start but the next day it was like 15 degress warmer plus the sun was out and it started perfectly.. man o man.. i dunno hehe

[jeffcoslacker]

How cold we talkin', and what weight oil you using?

[Britty05]

umm i would say about 20 but it was very windy so it felt like 10-15 it was our first cold day here in Minnesota.. and 5W-30 thats what you wanted right? haha im a girl and not into cars.. haha just like them running

[Britty05]

umm i would say about 20 but it was very windy so it felt like 10-15 it was our first cold day here in Minnesota.. and 5W-30 thats what you wanted right? haha im a girl and not into cars.. haha just like them running

[jeffcoslacker]

Yeah, that's what I needed to know. Just making sure you didn't have crankcase fulla 20W-50 molasses.

So when it cranks, normal or sounds draggy or slow?

[Britty05]

umm sounds normal.. it just wont turn over.. and if you try to much it starts to drag cuz its draining my battery...luckily i get to park my car in the garage during the winter or id be screwed.. this happens ever winter so far.. the car used to be my boyfriends but now he has a new one so i got his.. and it has happened to him 2 winters now and now this is the 3rd winter

[jeffcoslacker]

Try getting a can of ether (starting fluid) and shoot it before cranking it next time and report back what happens. Spray a good 3 second shot directly into where the outside air enters the air cleaner box.

I wanna see if it's fuel related, ignition, or what. That'd be the quickest way to tell. If it pops right off and runs, but dies out, there's a fuel delivery problem. If nothing happens, the spark is absent or weak, most likely.

If it starts and runs fine after hitting it with ether, I'm a little stumped, but we'll continue to work through it.

[jeffcoslacker]

If yours has an IAT (intake air temperature) sensor, that may be suspect. They are cheap. I'll try to find out.

What year is your Z and how many miles?

[Britty05]

Hehe alright my car is 1993 Lumina Z34 and umm.. 65,xxx.. not to sure what the excact is tho.. so not to many miles on the big old beast.. sorry took so long to reply gone for the holidays...

[jeffcoslacker]

Need to get a can of ether and try firing it on that like I described when the problem occurs.

Need to know does it start and run, start and die, or not start at all despite the ether in it.

[Britty05]

mmk.. not good with cars.. what is ether and where do i put it?! hehe

[Britty05]

and oh yea.. it hasnt been that all cold here yet so it has been starting just fine.. but when it gets colder out it probably wont start