Somehow truck got unplugged for 24 hours at -35 (at least -35)

Tried to start it, and it cranked a bit slow but not too slow and fired up after a few seconds, but only ran at 1000 rpm for a few seconds and quit (normally would run between 1500 and 2000 when cold).

Plugged it in overnight and it still won't start (still pretty cold out).

It does fire for a second about avery 5 seconds of cranking but just won't light up fully.

Any ideas? Battery is good, cranks well. All ignition parts quite new.

Must be getting some fuel and some spark or it wouldn't fire for a second.

Am going to pull a plug and see if it's flooded with gas - no gas in crankcase.

 

-35F or C?

All the stuff I could think of would have been fixed by plugging it in overnight... fuel line freezeup, thick oil, chunky antifreeze...

 

i see you have an auto so it may be very very thick oil in the torque converter. this last week it got down to -16 and when i tried to start my truck (i'm lazy and always use the clutch start cancel button) it idled for about 3 seconds at 600 rpm and died. if i started it with the clutch in it would be fine and then if i let the clutch out it'd die. it was because the transmission fluid was so cold and thick that the engine at idle couldn't turn the input shaft. so i had to give it gas and let the clutch out so that it could start mixing up the transmission fluid and get some heat in there.

in your case i bet the oil in the torque converter is really thick and it's just too hard for the engine to turn it, maybe try starting in neutral rather than park.

 

[QUOTE=tc;50418965]-35F or C?

-35 C, but it don't much matter as they meet at -40

Cranks fine, oil is 5W30 synthetic.

 

I just had the same problem with my 95 4runner. I plugged it in for about 2 hours and gave it a boost. Before I turned it over,I gave it about 1/4 gas and then turned it over.It started, but spit and sputtered but I kept my foot on the gas. It eventually cleared up and started to idle on its' own.And yes it is cold.....you know it's cold when you see a polar bear................ah there goes one now!!!!Let me know if this works.Cheers!!

 

hey Marc, i had the same problem. my Runner was parked at my Girlfriends, i forgot to plug it in Friday that night it was -47 with the windchill.
anyways my Runner was cranking the same way... it wants to turn over but sometimes i'll rev very low and dies, i ended up flooring th gas when she wanted to stall out, that kept the rpm up, i bet your runners a bit flooded from over cranking. make sure to keep an eye on you Rpm don't over rev it.
once you get a lil' more Rpm's it should rev up to normal range.


-also make sure you have enought fuel in the tank.. if you don't your gas line might be frozen. add some Antifreeze gas line treatment.

-plug it in for at least 2 hours too. that way the block isn't too cold when trying to crank.

 

Sounds like the same symptons as mine. I've tried playing with the gas pedal but no luck yet.

I've got 3/4 of a tank of gas and just put some anitfreeze in.

I think I'm going to wait till it gets a bit warmer otherwise I'm just going to kill my starter.

 

I had this problem before.My windshield leaked(didn't know)and water would drip into the fuel cut relay and freeze.After it thawed it would crank.I never fixed the leak but I did silicone the relay,worked perfect!

 

-35...i cant even imagine how cold that feels.

 

Find a walk in freezer.

Take off all your clothes.

Stand in front of a big fan.

It's even colder than that.

 

Where abouts is the Fuel Cut Relay?

 

coldest i have ever been in is - 13F and you could just feel it taking the very warmth of your blood away lol.

 

Ummm -35c... I'd be worried about building a fire and signalling for a rescue helicopter... Isnt that like -80F?

 

-35c is actually -31f

But hey, its 238* Kelvin!

 

Hey Marc...did you get er going?? Chris

 

No, haven't even tried again. Waiting for it to get a bit warmer as I want to remove and check the cold start injector.

Will definitely post when I get it running.

 

Update - truck started right up and I didn't even want it to.

So, it's a balmy -20C today so I thought I'd check out the cold start injector.

Didn't try and start it as I wanted to test injector when engine was cold.

Removed the injector and bench tested it and it worked fine.

Wanted to make sure that the injector was actually doing what it's supposed to do when on truck so I attached it to the fuel line but did not put it in the manifold.

I wanted to crank the engine and see if the injector sprayed fuel.

Well, I MEANT to ground my coil wire but of course forgot.

Asked buddy to crank it for a bit while I watched injector.

Engine turns over, fuel comes out of injector nicely (aimed right into the manifold) and VROOM truck starts almost instantly.

I quickly pushed the injector into the manifold and buttoned it up.

Job done.

 

Awesome brother!!!!

 

i know the coldest its ever gotten here in texas that i can remember is like 9F