-40C loss of boost

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 17 Dec 2009, 12:25

IVIUSTANG wrote:It was minus 37C today and my car sat outside for 7 hours facing the wind. It started pretty good, but it sure felt like a brick. The boost loss must have been a fluke as it is working 100% now. I can really feel the transmission and brake fluids being really stiff though, does dot 5.1 and synthetic transmission fluid help with this? I already run 5w30 synthetic oil which I strongly credit with unassisted cold weather starting. I normally park in an unheated garage which helps ALOT, but was in the countryside today... -37C makes things so stiff!

- Jesse

That sounds familiar. Love those rock hard seats...
But, "Unassisted?" I sure hope you're plugging in at those temps!
Cold starts at temps that low are Not Good for the engine, regardless of oil.

Post by **IVIUSTANG** » 17 Dec 2009, 14:15

I park indoors usually, but the odd time I have to park outside and my car isn't plugged in. Such was the case in -40 the other day.

- Jesse

Post by **BEJinFbk** » 17 Dec 2009, 14:56

IVIUSTANG wrote:I park indoors usually, but the odd time I have to park outside and my car isn't plugged in. Such was the case in -40 the other day.

- Jesse

If I'm outside for any length of time at less that 20F above, I plug in.
Fairbanks is in a bowl that's subject to temperature inversions, so
we try to keep the emisions to a minimum. A warm engine helps loads.
AND, a warm engine and a pan fulla warm oil is Cheap insurance for
a car that I really enjoy. I want it to last forever! It's Great for this town.
Heated seats, AWD and the ability to squirt ahead and stay outta trouble.

Oh Yeah... Accept no substitute!

At home, I've got the same unheated garage situation. It really does
make a huge difference. It's usually well above outside temps.
Just kinda of a pain to work on the car in. I've gotta set up heaters for that.
But best of all, I don't have to brush snow and scrape ice!

monty · Post by **monty** » 17 Dec 2009, 16:01

Changed out my TCV to the Acdelco TBCS and car is a lot better now. TCV looked to be original!

Post by **IVIUSTANG** » 10 Feb 2010, 12:11

This low temperature loss of boost is still plaguing me on occasion. Yesterday my car was undriveable above 2000 RPM for 20 minutes; got way better as the car warmed up. Is there a permanent fix for this problem? My car wouldn't go below 15" of vacuum at first, it was brutal.

- Jesse

Post by **jblackburn** » 10 Feb 2010, 13:38

A new set of turbo hoses may help. It sounds like one is freezing up and collapsing, or that darn intercooler's freezing still. Stylin Motors has a cool set of silicone ones I've been wanting to get.

palebird · Post by **palebird** » 15 Feb 2010, 22:17

I am having a hard time with these collapsing turbo hoses..how can a hose collapse if the turbo is boosting atmospheric or higher, which is what it does normally ? As far as the power problems in cold weather I have experienced the same thing and it is the intercooler freezing up on my 850, was about - 20C when I really noticed this, it would idle but that is all till the rad warmed up and, in turn, warmed up the intercooler.. I had a 900 16 valve Turbo Saab for years and never had this problem with the intercooler, even in -40 weather.

Post by **kcodyjr** » 15 Feb 2010, 23:12

I've never encountered this personally, but maybe it's worth taking the intercooler out, bringing it inside, and sloshing it out in the bathtub? Maybe tape a hairdryer to one end and force some hot air through while the unit itself is good and warm?

- Kevin

Post by **IVIUSTANG** » 16 Feb 2010, 13:41

palebird wrote:I am having a hard time with these collapsing turbo hoses..how can a hose collapse if the turbo is boosting atmospheric or higher, which is what it does normally ? As far as the power problems in cold weather I have experienced the same thing and it is the intercooler freezing up on my 850, was about - 20C when I really noticed this, it would idle but that is all till the rad warmed up and, in turn, warmed up the intercooler.. I had a 900 16 valve Turbo Saab for years and never had this problem with the intercooler, even in -40 weather.

My thought exactly, I also don't understand how a boosted line could collapse?

- Jesse

Post by **jblackburn** » 16 Feb 2010, 23:45

*shrug* I don't know the physics of it, but I have seen it happen to my friends Subaru on cold mornings. That was the same morning my Honda's little carburetor just froze up and wouldn't start. The hoses are just a suggestion anyway

Most likely still the intercooler though, if you're not having trouble except when it's really cold. Kevin had a good suggestion trying to get all the liquid out of the intercooler by taking it out and cleaning it. Someone, I think it was Klaus, suggested plugging up the bottom hole and filling it with soapy water and letting it soak for a few minutes, then rinsing it thoroughly, letting it dry, and then reconnecting it.

A plug-in heater might be something you could look into to avoid that problem and help your car warm up easier in the mornings.

-40C loss of boost

Re: -40C loss of boost