Sorry 'bout that I believe it's the V-power DIESEL fuel is what I meant about primo fuel usually on sale for the winter months. Not much good for gas cars.

 

finally someone with knowledge.. lol thats hilarious.

 

RE: cranking power .
I have had a battery blanket on a few vehicles in Winnipeg.
If we get a cold snap that lasts for a few weeks, the battery does not charge fully on short urban trips with all the winter interior options running.
At minus 35, on a cold morning the engine would crank slowly, but plug in a battery blanket and the engine cranks like a June day. Huge difference. The warm battery also accepts more of the charge. In a pinch for the short term, I have heard of parking a trouble light close to the battery(not too close).

 

I fully agree with petzl!
Synthech oil & darn good battery is your best bet (let it snow, let is snow...)

 

if you rely on a block heater, you are missing the point of ANTI-FREEZE... as long as you change your glycol (coolant) regularly it should retain a freezing point of around -45 to -50c. Invest in a pan heater and battery blanket, you should be fine.

 

You are absolutely right.
After the cold snap I just wanted to check the battery when we enjoy plus2 right now so I put it on a charger at 15Amps and it was charging for 3 hours.
So this means that my battery was down to 50% capacity during the cold. With the blanket it would ba a different story.

 

I hear you.

I added diesel fuel conditioner because they add ether to it, so I was going to test it. The car was not plugged overnight at minus 38 front to the wind.
It started in 60 seconds.

My a6 the same conditions, same engine, without diesel fuel conditioner started in 30 seconds.

 

Gasoline has a Flash Point of about -40C. The flash point is the lowest temperature at which combustion is supported. If it won't ignite because of temperatures, you've got bigger problems, like frozen water mains. Generally lack of starting at low temps is like the others have said, low cranking amps on battery which is a very temp sensitive device with respect to power output. When I had the way up North experience I found block heaters and trickle charge on batteries worked great. If you've got power source for a block heater, then add a slow, trickle charger on battery and you'll always start. Most gasolines today have some methanol or ethanol in winter to prevent any fuel line problems. As you approach the -40C temp though, the fuel vapour pressure is very small and that is why a "lighter" higher vapour pressure fuel like methanol really helps when added to the gasoline. Another factor, is that the higher the engine compression ratio, the harder it's going to be to start at low temps and lower fuel vapour pressure. Don't confuse fuel vapour pressure with fuel line supply pressure. Oh, one last aid device, if you're really up North and -40C is balmy. Try electrical heat tracing tape for fuel line as far as you can in addition to above. My favorite all time winter starting option was the guys who lit small bonfires under their big Caterpillar earth movers and graders to keep them warm out in the bush.

 

"I added diesel fuel conditioner because they add ether to it"

Sorry Adam, there's no ether in diesel fuel conditioner. No matter how much you sniff, you won't pass out.