Extreme Cold driving ?

[JC Jai]

How's everyone coping with extreme cold temperature, especially those who are in Alberta -30 deg C

[ZIPNBYE]

Still awaiting my winter wheels...so the car's not moved since Friday of last week (just got it home before the cold-snap hit).

My Miata too is parked for the moment...though I'll have it out on Saturday, as our club is doing a Candy Cane Lane / Leg grounds / Bright Nights tour (top down no less!).

My other car (winter beater) went down for the count today -- had to spring for a new battery.

Other than that, things are just ducky!

[bimmerfile]

The standard heated seats in the vert are GREAT!!!

[///M Boss]

Damn this weather. The seats get soo cold. I'm so glad i've got heated seat.I have been driving with all season and the car is fine with them. Winter tires are better but it will do for now. I'm worried about what the cold weather will do to our turbos so i am shifting a 2000 rpm every gear. My car starts fine in -30 weather so i'm happy about that. Our cars don't have block heaters right?

[ZIPNBYE]

Originally Posted by 135i RiDa

Our cars don't have block heaters right?

Nope, they don't, but mine does. :biggrin:

From my previous purchases, I know that most car manufacturers don't allow for frost-plug style block heaters (water jacket). One car that really does need a heater of some sort is the Mazda RX-8 (or any rotary for that matter), as they're easy to flood when it's very cold, and once flooded, they'll need a tow, the plugs removed, and be allowed to thaw out while evaporating what's in the rotor chambers. Hence, Mazda dealers have gotten pretty crafty in finding ways to install block heaters, for which they began using stick-on oil pan heaters sourced from the trucking industry. I had one installed on my MX-5 when I picked it up a little less than two years ago, and it's worked great (I do drive the car -- mostly top down -- in winter).

So, when it came time to pick up the 135i, I stopped in at Weber Motors and sourced an oil pan heater, brought it to Edmonton BMW, and had them install it. 1hr labour and now my car has a block heater (oil pan).

My winter wheels arrived today, and I'll pick them up from Kal Tire tomorrow sporting Nokian Hakkapeliitta 5 winter tires, plug in the car when we get home from work, and mount them up in the evening and FINALLY go for a drive.

[Zerileas]

5W-30 Oil FTW!

Started up first crank Sunday morning without being plugged in

(Not a 135i though )

[ZIPNBYE]

Man, that's thick stuff. I run Mobil-1 0W40 synthetic in my Miata year-round (on the advice of a few oil industry engineers, and a 35yr in the business Imperial Oil /Mobil-1 rep).

When the BMW is off warranty (madated Castrol-sourced BMW synthetic), it'll be on Mobil-1 0W40 too.

[1erich]

I'm not so sure about my car in -30. When I started it up after being parked for 9.5hrs outside it sounded like a diesel engine (probably for only half a second) when it first turned over with loud clacks then quickly resumed it's normal sound. That doesn't build my confidence.

While I was driving I got a weird whirring noise, almost like transmission whine but not as high pitched and not constant. It would whine and stop then whine again for a while and stutter some more. Any ideas what that could be from?

To top it off, the windshield washer fluid from the factory froze on me, thankfully today it warmed up enough to run it through with the winter rain-x fluid I have.

[JC Jai]

it definitely sounded different when starting in -30 temp, i parked it outside for like 10 hrs. I'm not too confident in this no block heater theory.

How long does everyone warm up their vehicle ?

[ZIPNBYE]

Your car won't warm up properly if just left to idle. Get an oil-pan heater, plug it in for an hour or so, then, after starting it and letting it run while you buckle up and get settled, drive off and keep it slow. Engines warm up much faster when under a light load, fuel burns more completely (as opposed to contaminating your oil), and everything else (transmission, diff, wheel bearings, etc...) warms up to.

For the two posters from Edmonton, the pan heaters are under $100 sourced through the parts department at Weber Motors in Edmonton. Edm BMW charged me 1hr to install it, which is about right for all the R&R that has to occur under the car to actually get to the oil pan and run the cord to the front grill. If you're a member of the NABMWClub, there's a further 10% off the labour at either Bavaria or Edmonton BMW...or just take it to Eurasia Motors (where we'll all likely be once the warranty is up).

[JC Jai]

Originally Posted by ZIPNBYE

Your car won't warm up properly if just left to idle. Get an oil-pan heater, plug it in for an hour or so, then, after starting it and letting it run while you buckle up and get settled, drive off and keep it slow. Engines warm up much faster when under a light load, fuel burns more completely (as opposed to contaminating your oil), and everything else (transmission, diff, wheel bearings, etc...) warms up to.

For the two posters from Edmonton, the pan heaters are under $100 sourced through the parts department at Weber Motors in Edmonton. Edm BMW charged me 1hr to install it, which is about right for all the R&R that has to occur under the car to actually get to the oil pan and run the cord to the front grill. If you're a member of the NABMWClub, there's a further 10% off the labour at either Bavaria or Edmonton BMW...or just take it to Eurasia Motors (where we'll all likely be once the warranty is up).

I usually warm it up for 5 mins then drive off slowly.

[ZIPNBYE]

Nice way to add unburnt fuel into your oil by leaving it to idle that long...shorten that down and just drive slowly.

[JC Jai]

wow...

[ZIPNBYE]

A good friend of mine is an petroleum engineer working for a testing company. He's reviewed results on thousands upon thousands of oil samples...fuel contamination / dilution is a big thing in winter...and it's only caused by one thing -- cold idling.

Use a block heater, start it, get buckled in, and go -- slowly -- but go.

[Bye Bye GTI]

Are anyones front brakes squealing everytime you use them? My GTI used to do this once or twice at the beginning of a drive in the cold - but not all the time...

[JC Jai]

a few times I have heard it on the 135

Originally Posted by bye bye GTI

Are anyones front brakes squealing everytime you use them? My GTI used to do this once or twice at the beginning of a drive in the cold - but not all the time...

[ZIPNBYE]

Boy, am I happy I installed an oil-pan heater...this coming Monday through Thursday's forecast is for -39C low / -28C high for four days in a row. BRRR freaking RRRR.

[VFX]

Originally Posted by bye bye GTI

Are anyones front brakes squealing everytime you use them? My GTI used to do this once or twice at the beginning of a drive in the cold - but not all the time...

Mine are squealing like a pig whenever I use them gently.

Gets annoying!

.

[ZIPNBYE]

I have a bit of squeal today...nothing really too bad though.

[JC Jai]

I see -15 to -17 for highs for monday thru thursday

Originally Posted by ZIPNBYE

Boy, am I happy I installed an oil-pan heater...this coming Monday through Thursday's forecast is for -39C low / -28C high for four days in a row. BRRR freaking RRRR.

[ZIPNBYE]

Where...not on Global or the Weather Network.

[tnawab]

Originally Posted by 1erich

While I was driving I got a weird whirring noise, almost like transmission whine but not as high pitched and not constant. It would whine and stop then whine again for a while and stutter some more. Any ideas what that could be from?

I have the same noise. Like a whirr.. but it goes away after 10 minuntes of driving and the when the car is well warmed up. Strange, i wounder if it is the transmission?