Cold Weather or Engine Problems?

[Ermworld]

Hey so i bought my teg in October and has worked wonders up en til late December to now. When i sit in my car and turn my key in the ignition all my lights start up like normal and usual my heating so i turn that down but when i turn the key the car goes silent and doesn't do anything. It pauses before starting up sometimes short or sometimes long. My negative battery wire is on as tight as it can but still i can manually wiggle it loose but has never come off by itself. I live in Saskatchewan so the temperature in the winter here can get to -45, i am wondering if the cold causes the particles of my battery posts or something to contract and therefore lessen the connection or what. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thank.

 

[rob1570]

Have your battery tested. But that sounds like you need a new starter to me

 

[blaketeg]

-45? holy shit my teg struggles to start when its like 15 degrees here

my guess would be that you have a weak battery, go get it tested and if its good, than its probably your starter.

 

[jdmjim]

fix that battery terminal first

 

[mirrorimg]

Get a new terminal. Either a strong crimp, or one you can bolt down. I have one similar to this on my negative terminal

I got it from walmart. They have a "heavy duty" silver one, but the portion that clamps onto the wire distorts and does not provide a good clamp. You can always upgrade your positive terminal to show you how many volts you are putting out also.

 

[aquamann87]

i'm having the same problem except i'm in mississippi but the only way i get it to start is to have the key engaged and push the gas at the same time...weird.

 

[Ermworld]

-45? holy shit my teg struggles to start when its like 15 degrees here

my guess would be that you have a weak battery, go get it tested and if its good, than its probably your starter.

Haha yeah i don't particularly like driving it in the weather up here.

Anyways, I am going to buy lead tape so that I can increase the diameter of the negative post and make sure its right tight, also clean the discharge of the positive post.

So i am hoping that is the case, if that doesn't work I'll have to get the starter checked but i hope it doesn't come to that.

 

[SpooledupRacing]

I would cut off both the positive and negative cable end and put on two new ones, then because u are in a colder region I would get a bigger CCA battery..

 

[suspendedHatch]

i am wondering if the cold causes the particles of my battery posts or something to contract and therefore lessen the connection or what. Any suggestion would be greatly appreciated. Thank.

Huh what? Are you trying to invent a new science? Everyone knows that batteries are weaker in the cold. That's why they're rated in "cold cranking amps". Also, cold engines are harder to start. You can see that this is a bad combination.

At -45 you're going to need to look into a block heater and a battery heater.

Don't put those cheap clamps on your battery wire. They don't compress enough to grip the battery post, they encourage corrosion, and the wire pulls out easily. New OEM battery negative is pretty cheap.

 

[SpooledupRacing]

Don't put those cheap clamps on your battery wire. They don't compress enough to grip the battery post, they encourage corrosion, and the wire pulls out easily. New OEM battery negative is pretty cheap.

I've been using these

for years and I live in Michigan.. I have NEVER had a problem with corrosion or with the wires pulling out..

I still say new clamps (like above) and a bigger higher CCA rating battery

 

[Ermworld]

Huh what? Are you trying to invent a new science? Everyone knows that batteries are weaker in the cold. That's why they're rated in "cold cranking amps". Also, cold engines are harder to start. You can see that this is a bad combination

Every material in this world contracts when its cold and expands when its hot. And i know about batteries ha. All I'm saying is maybe its contracting so the connection has weakened. I'll know whats up when i get into town to buy some stuff so i can work on my teg.

Also i do understand the colder the weather the better the battery, but its good and charged and when i turn the key the car goes silent but eventually turns on, quite quick when it kicks in.