1999 Oldsmobile 88 wouldn’t start in below 30 degree weather. Now that it is 50s it starts right up. I did try starting fluid when it was cold. Nothing happened. I did put heet in it. With the fuel injector cleaner and dry gas. Had it towed to my mechanic. He says it’s starting no problem now. Any ideas about why it won’t start in the cold?
Please help. I’m afraid of the next cold day. And what if I’m driving around it just dies
Oh battery was fully charged at autozone. And I bought it in October. Alternator had done in July of 2018.
Thank you for reading
So wouldn’t start… what does that mean? It would crank but not fire up? It would not even crank the engine over with the starter when cold? Help us out a bit here. How many miles on this 20 year old car?
88k miles. It sounded like it wanted to start. Almost would. It did start one time when I sprayed it with starter fluid for 5 seconds. Cut right off. I heard what sounded like a very low clicking noise when 1st trying to start. You could barely here it. Then it would try to start. But just wouldn’t turn over. I guess crank but not fire up.
A lot of things could be old and tired on this car. The ignition works because the starter fluid made it run. It is the fuel system that isn’t up to the task. I’d suspect the fuel pump and/or regulator and fuel filter if this car has one.
And if you are driving and it just dies, do what everyone else does when their car breaks. Coast to the side of the road and call a friend or tow truck with your cell phone.
But how often do you see -30 ?? Once in 5 winters?
Hundreds of cars didn’t start. Battery, battery connections, engine getting tired. Why the stalling is another issue, but maybe fuel pump getting tired.
Get the battery tested. The fact that it didn’t work in the colder weather indicates it might not be putting out as many cold cranking amps as it once did.
If Autozone charged the battery without testing it, or they tested it and claimed it is fine, I’d have it tested elsewhere. Advance Auto Parts and Pep Boys will test the battery for free, and if you need a new battery, Advance will install it for free (of labor charges, you still have to pay for the new battery).
Said he/she/it had a new battery but really below 30 is not cold. 30 below is cold. The other thing to check would be the engine temp sensor to see what the computer thinks the engine temp is and sets the fuel mixture accordingly. If it just clicks though, that suggests battery or cables or connections faulty.