Prepping Car for Cold Weather (Northern Ontario) - Comments/Suggestions

[Chef Pa]

Need to prep a car going from Ohio to Ontario Canada - actual location is near North Bay. From weather.gc.ca the historical info I'm seeing is limited, but there is a fair amount of snow/cold temps. It looks like -30C (-22F) is pretty common in coldest months, but again info I'm seeing is only back one year. Locals say -40 isn't seen regularly, but it does happen. Not exactly arctic conditions, but it does get nasty.

Car: 2011 Accord, 4cyl, approx 50k mi. Car will sit outside, no shelter for a week or two at a time. Will be low mileage use most of the time, on weekends, etc.

Plan on doing the following at a minimum
- Install factory block heater. Heats coolant in block. 120v power supply through cord that extends to exterior of car, through radiator grille.
- Replace 50% antifreeze solution with 70% mix. Prestone jug says good to -84F
- Engine oil, no change. Factory spec is 0-20 multi-vis. Currently running Mobil 1 0-20 synthetic.
- Battery maintainer/charger. Would like to use solar if practical.
- Other?

Comments/suggestions appreciated - thanks.

 

[dave1949]

Tires? Studs if allowed maybe, otherwise good snow tires.

I would start and drive the car until it is warmed up at least every other day during really cold spells.

Make sure you have a fresh tune-up. Even a fully charged battery isn't going to give you many chances at those low temps unless you can keep the battery itself warmed.

It's good that the carburetor days are over. :laughing:

 

[pitw]

It's good that the carburetor days are over. :laughing:

How so?

 

[Chef Pa]

Tires? Studs if allowed maybe, otherwise good snow tires.

I would start and drive the car until it is warmed up at least every other day during really cold spells.

Make sure you have a fresh tune-up. Even a fully charged battery isn't going to give you many chances at those low temps unless you can keep the battery itself warmed.

It's good that the carburetor days are over. :laughing:

Thanks. Going to hold off on tires for now, easy enough to have changed up there if needed. Just had new all seasons with pretty agressive tread put on the car a couple months ago (before deciding to send car north...).

One or two locals mentioned battery warmer, but I have no experience with these, and not sure if it would be necessary.

 

[MossRoad]

How so?

EFI works better than carbs.... until your computer dies of course.

 

[Dr Dave]

New battery, battery warkers help alot.use them along with your engine heater.

Winter wiper blades, they have a rubber boot over the blade frame.

Winter survival kit, blanket matches, candles, shovel, energy bars, etc.

Dave

 

[Egon]

The 50/50 anti freeze will be good.

Check tire pressure a little more frequently.

Have a ice snow brush scapper and shovel available.

A few extra warm clothes in a bag.

Plan your parking so it's easier to get out if snowed in.

Notes: consider installing remote start for convenience.

 

[dave1949]

How so?

EFI works better than carbs.... until your computer dies of course.

Engines start and run much better than they did before EFI.

It was not uncommon to see people removing the air cleaner cover to manually work their "automatic" chokes, really cold engines relied on pumping the accelerator before cranking. This dumped raw gas into the intake manifold (from the accelerator pump in the carb.) to create a super rich starting mixture.

Engines that just did not want to start in very cold temps were not uncommon, you could run out of battery cranking power fairly easily while fiddling with the temperamental engines. Some of that was poor maintenance, some age, some just poor designs. I don't miss it.

 

[smstonypoint]

Engines start and run much better than they did before EFI.

Agreed -- and I would add electronic ignition.

Steve

 

[buickanddeere]

No need to start and warm the vehicle every other day . Just unplug the block heater, start the engine, clean the windows if required and drive away. Extended idling and warming up is only required if or when there is no other way to keep the windshield clear.
Anybody that tells you all season tires are winter tires. Take that person, kick their dumb ***** and ignore anything else they say. If the tires don't have the mountain and snowflake symbol. The rubber just turns stiff and slips like the hard plastic wheels of a child's toy on a hardwood floor.
As previously stated. Winter wipers,a battery warmer, shovel and warm clothing.
Use the lowest rated windshield washer fluid you can find. -45C or colder.
Don't use the parking brake.
Wash the salt off your vehicle after returning south.