18 degrees F BElow. Coldest I think I've ever seen here in western mass. So .. what's the record cold start on a brick .. Eh .. how 'bout you Canadiens?

Northern Ontario I see about 15 days bellow -30 sometimes-40c.Been driving 240 since1984 starting with 1978 B21a 81b23e 86&87b230f 89&91B230F The lh2.4 cars
have been the best ,starting reliably with no plug in at -30c sometimes at-35(only in an emergency i really dont like the sounds ,vibrations)-40is a dead brick
I normaly use 5w30synthetic, a block heater(best) or inline heater(good)Bellow
-25c (45 minutes)just for quicker smoother warmup.-40 requires overnight plug in,long warmup and u get to know what a car with no suspention and wooden seats feels like

I love seat Heaters!!!
--
Rene

I was suspicious to the heater hose heater but I think I'll try one for next year.

Still living in Sweden 18 years ago we borrowed a then new 850 to go skiing in Are. One morning it was -36C (-33F) and our 850 was dead. Our host had a '67 142 he delivered papers with in the mornings, he gave it a try and it fired up! So when I moved to Minnesota I new I had to get an old Volvo.

John

It was -20C when I started the car at about 8 am. Over night got down below that! She started up no problem!

-10 here (central OH) and fired on 3rd turn. Stated no prob a couple of years ago when we had -15 a couple of years ago.

My (old-then) 140 started after many -20 nights in W CT years ago.
--
240s: 2 drivers and some parts cars

My 90 started at -23 F in N.H. some years ago. Think it took 2 or 3 good cranks though...

--
3 Volvos, 2 presently

93 245 auto -7F this morning Southern Ontario, no problems. A number of years ago in Ottawa 83 245 manual with b21a and a manual choke -30 F, no problems.

Ron

93 245
93 944

I've had to cheat and use the block heater at -25F up here in Alaska...

I've been thinking about buying a Block heater for my kids car. He woke up to
-20 this morning. Not sure about the longevity of the aftermarket/rubbergrommet ones. And the ones you put in-line with the lower radiator ones... Hmmm, not sure. He has a rice burner that wasn't happy this morning, it started but he said it was complaining.

--
'75 Jeep CJ5 345Hp ChevyPwrd, two motorcycles, '85 Pickup: The '89 Volvo is the newest vehicle I own. it wasn't Volvos safety , it was Longevity that sold me http://home.lyse.net/brox/TonyPage4.html

'88/200/47, owned since '02, starts at -11, the lowest so far; block heater looked like a knuckle-buster, as stated elsewhere, put in a lower rad heater in Nov. last year, the best ever.

In three hours starts melting snow on the hood. It's got to be installed tilted upwards towards the water pump, and it apparently heats all the coolant in the engine as the cylinder head and block are warm to the touch.

I never leave it plugged in over night, although I'm sure it wouldn't matter except to the elec. bill. Keep an eye on it for leaks.

I've had food luck w/ hose in-line heaters but not everyone has.
--
240s: 2 drivers and some parts cars

When it is bitter cold outside I do the following.I turn the key to on,all warning lights on for about 30 seconds,then off,then start the car.It always starts on the first crank.May be foolishness on my part but works for me.I remember one winter in Brookly NY and a fellow volvo owner was having trouble starting his car in frigid weather.He asked me why mine always started.I told him what I did and that he should give it try.No more jump starts for him!He was a very happy camper.

That should warm up the battery and let it rest. It also primes your fuel injection rail.
My brother's Bronco(recently sold) took lots of cranking to start. It had early EFI. I told him to turn the key to run and wait ten seconds for fuel pressure to build. No more excessive cranking.

Have you tried it without turning it back to off?

Happy Bricking
--
1990 740 Turbo, on its way to stock specs, maybe beyond

always run then off then start.