Cold weather start up

It's got down to -15 the last 2 nights with a high of 10 during the day. My 99 3rz has been acting kinda funny. When you first go to start it, just makes a turning over/grinding noise but it won't start. Wait about 3 seconds to try again and it will fire up sluggishly like it normally does in colder weather. I changed my oil 3 weeks ago and added some of that local oil additive and it is pretty thick stuff. A friend of mine said that it was no good for below freezing Temps and could be doing me more hard then good. Also I noticed my air bag light came on, first time that's happened. It will come on after about 10 minutes of driving. It does go off when you shut the truck off however. Haven't tried the horn, truck doesn't have cruise. I also noticed my ebrake light went off and it's usually always stuck on. Is it just me or is this cold doing some weird things to the truck. Battery and Alternator are new, oil and antifreeze is good. Tonight is suppose to be the last night of this extreme cold so I guess I'll find out if it's the cold or something else is going out or needs to be looked at.

 

Honestly I would do more research about owning a car or truck and this extreme weather I know when batteries get below a certain whether when are the acid batteries they don't start, I know any sort of lubricant when it gets below a certain level it will thicken up and it won't run right Unless the right stuff.

 

The Lucas stuff is prolly not doing much good. In that cold, I'd run 0w-40 Mobil 1. Wait, I guess I'd recommend that for all weather, lol. But definitely for you.

 

I'm betting you got a loose ground or power cable somewhere.

Check all the ground cables closely. There is one in back of the engine that is easily overlooked.

 

It doesn't normally get to single digits or colder here. Had the truck 2 years and it wasn't this cold last winter, nor did it have any of these synptoms/problems.

I put lucas oil stabilizer in with my oil and it's super thick. I checked the oil after its warmed up and all seems well. I also put a bottle of heet in last night with my fill up to help with any moisture possibly freezing.

I also have one of those ultragauge readers and I noticed the airbag light would be lit very dim even when the key is not in the truck and off. The light would never be on when the truck was on and running however. Now it comes on after a bit of driving and is very bright red, not to the blinking state yet.

It's just annoying, I already have a Check engine light that I can't figure out, ebrake light is usually on but for whatever reason it decided to turn off the other day.

To my understanding the airbag light just means it will not deploy which is fine by me. As long as I can still drive the truck I could care less about not having an airbag, the light is more annoying.

Always something with this damn truck, if it ain't 1 thing it's another constantly...most troubled toyota I've ever owned easily hands down. I swear it has an electrical gremlin in it somewhere...

 

Uhh, its 17 years old. It still gets you from point A to point B.

I expect my first gen to have issues. I still trust it to haul me across the country

 

If it was connection or power I don't think it would start period...it's just like the 1st time you try it breaks or frees something up for it to fire the 2nd time. It runs and drives fine. I've checked grounds and cables as I just replaced alternator and battery tested 3 weeks ago. Battery new puts out 500 cold cranking amps and mine is putting out 475 which should be plenty. Just weird how the first turn of the key does nothing but make a weird grinding sound, yet 2 seconds later when you try again it will start...and it only does it when it's super cold out and engine temp is cooled all way down to outside temp. It starts right up when engine is warm or halfway warm like it always normally does.

 

If it got down to -15 I would be looking into a battery warmer, block heater, and oil pan warmer.

 

Has the starter ever been replaced?

The contacts in the starter are known to go bad. About $15 to rebuild your starter to make the starter like new.

There is a how to here on the site.

 

Basically everything but the motor and starter has been replaced on this truck the last 2 years. I theater very good care of my stuff and am anal about maintenance. This truck has been decent, but it's been a big pain in the ass more times then I care to count. Just so much little petty shit always breaking or going out, then there's the occasional major thing once or twice a year. Always been a Toyota fan, just saying this truck in particular has given me the most problems by far, both mechanical and electrical...

 

Or lay a goose down bag over the hood and a small space heater below. It works well when we had single digits couple years back

 

How do people in super cold places deal with this kinda stuff?? Not everyone has a heated garage or a way to plug stuff in outside. I've never heard of plugging in a gas station either, I thought that was only for diesels?

 

Damn phone...plugging in a gas automobile*

 

Something is definitely wrong. A gas Toyota should be able to start no trouble at -25 with no issue. It will be a slower crank but it will start with no double key cycling.

 

That's what I'm saying...usually when it's cold I know it'll be a bit slower starting but I've never experienced this double starting it deal. Just not exactly sure what it is.

 

In my mind what I'm seeing, as I read the slow start stuff, is the starter solenoid not fully engaging the bendix. Then on the second attempt it's able to turn the engine over. Or maybe the relay is sticking, the buzzing you hear, and then it finally works... I dunno, just some ideas.

 

That's what I'm thinking kinda is that something is just stuck from being so cold that the first attempt just frees something up. It's not like it's dead, it makes noise but it's like a grinding sound. As soon as I hear it I'll turn the key back off, wait 2-3 seconds and it will do the whole sluggish start from being so cold that you usually encounter/expect. It gets up to operating temperature of 180 degrees fairly quickly within 5 minutes or so of idling and it drives fine and runs fine. I guess I'll see here in a couple days as it warms up if the problem continues.

 

I have to run to the store here soon, I'll video it this time and see what happens. If I can get it to upload here I'll post it, although not to sure on video/sound quality.

 

I have never garaged my truck. It's been below 0 quite a few times last winter and single digits this winter already. I use synthetic oil (5w30) but even with the remote starter it could take a few more cranks to get going. I just replaced the battery about a month ago.

as others have mentioned, if it sounds like the starter is "grinding" then it's not getting enough juice. if everything else has been replaced and good you may have worn starter contacts. I've contemplated replacing mine but as it usually cranks I've avoided ripping it down.

 

-15 f or -15 c?
thats only -26 here in canuckastan and i dont even plug my truck in then. -30c or colder and i plug er in!
i just run 10 30 in the old girl and shes fine. other then the ball joint situation.....