-10 seems to be about the limit for my MSP

[rocketspeed]

It BARELY started this morning and when I say barely, I mean barely. The battery had just enough juice to spin the starter at about 1/10th of normal speed. It didn't seem like it was going to fire, but it did after about 5 seconds. Once it did it was making all kinds of hideous noises until the engine warmed a little. I've noticed that the first couple times I turn the wheel in this kind of cold something loudly clicks in the front end as well. Goes away quickly, though.

The suspension is loudly crunching and squeaking in the front over every crack, expansion joint, pothole and so on.

At first I didn't mind the crunching, but this extended cold snap goes on and on its gotten annoying. I gotta get under there and lubricate the bushings in the front

Even the rear bushings squeaked today, these are the new and improved ones. No return of the clunk so far, though.

Once warm, the engine seems not to mind the cold, though, runs fine.

Anyway, seems that the MSP is reaching the limits of what cold it can deal with short of having a block heater installed. No biggie, lots of cars around here didn't start at all this AM. If you're out in the cold too, how is yours making out? I know lots of other folks have had the crunching front suspension in the cold. When its this cold, it doesn't go away even when the car warms. In a little warmer temps (say 15*), it does go away after a few minutes. Above freezing I don't really see it.

Anyone here switch to a more powerful battery? Any of those Optimas fit directly into the stock location without problems or modifications?

 

[griswold]

I notice it starts a little slower, but I never got the impression it wouldn't start.

What bothers me is how my clutch feels like its using molasses for clutch fluid. Put the clutch down and it doesn't spring right back...takes its time.

Obviously its better once it warms up, but you're right. Suspension noises are crazy!

I had -10 this AM too.

 

[Gbourdon]

Mine starts slower but it hasn't been too bad. It was -16 degrees when I left my house this morning. The thing that I dont like is the clutch. It comes up slow and doesn't really get much better even though my ride is about an hour and 20 minutes.


Edit: My post is very similar to griswold. Just notice d that

 

[cdglowred5]

Hmmmmmm, Mine does not have any of those problems. I guess being in 70 degree weather is a good thing.

 

[rocketspeed]

You guys are right about the clutch, it is very stiff when cold. Mine had loosened up by the time I got to work.

The creaks are a little embarrasing when you have folks in the car.

 

[Swerny]

My car has been hurting in the mornings as well, it's been like -20 to -30 celsius here for the last 2 weeks and frankly, i'm sick of it.
Finding reverse is brutal, like said above, the clutch is horrible, the squeaks are bad, but with all the ice and snow in the wheel wells, i don't have that much suspension travel anyways !
The turbo whines like hell at first too.
Man i miss the summer and the Racing Harts!

 

[Gbourdon]

Yeah I just went and looked at my racing harts all sitting in my garage last night and thought about how bad I want them back on the car.

Also be careful if you have wet fingers and grab onto the shift knob. Mine were wet from brushing snow off the car and got a little stuck to the metal on the knob!

 

[Elderain]

[BAlso be careful if you have wet fingers and grab onto the shift knob. Mine were wet from brushing snow off the car and got a little stuck to the metal on the knob! [/B]

LOL A long time ago I made a post asking which asshole engineer decided to put a metal ring on the shifter which either burns a circle in your hand in the summer, or freezes your hand in the winter. Good job geniuses at Mazda.

 

[DeputySherif]

rocketspeed: Last weekend I had my MSP out in a range of -10 to -20 and every morning the car would turn over after 2 or 3 tries or I had to jump the battery. I found as long as you let the car warm up a good 10 minutes before leaving, the shift and clutch were fine.

However, due to this months extreme temps, my car will be left in the garage this weekend and not headed up farther north into more extreme temps.

I wouldnt sweet it, at least, thats what I been told

 

[Emode]

i have gotten the sterring wheel scratchy/click noise many times this winter on cold starts. It always goes away after a little while though.

 

[mspdfreak]

Wow, now I remember why I've only lived in Bangkok, Florida, Hawaii and SoCal. Stay warm!

Well, I guess that's cool, but I can't picture myself in a place that doesn't nice and cold in the winter time. It must suck not being able to drive your car in cold air....it LOVES it!

 

[MazdaDryvr]

-26 celsius here today. Fortunately I have a garage and even it was at -4. I noticed the squeaking from the front suspension a month ago, now it's very loud. The clutch is spongy. It seems to generate lots of interior heat though.

 

[KpaBap]

Damn, we're at 53 degrees F or 12 C.

I have a windbreaker on. Top down.

(evil)

 

[Dexter]

LOL I AM FROM WARM CLIMATE AND IT NEVER GETS COLD LAOALAOALAL!!!!

 

[ping]

freezing my tennis balls off

Glad others are noticing that clutch "thing" - I hate that. And all the darn bushings squeak. And looking at my brandy-new '03.5 Racing Harts winking at my Black Mica and saying "come fly with me, come fly, come fly away..."

It's so cold that somebody's mom is crocheting shift knob booties (seriously). That's bad. I'm thinking of cutting a slit in a tennis ball and slipping it over my roundie knob... with the right tennis ball it'd even match.

That excessive turbo whine when coldis new to me tho. What weight oil are you using? Get that 5w30 synth, works well in mine.

Time to install that block heater, or a heated garage (though the heated garage is bad for corrosion, keeps the salty water moister and more corrosive).

 

[ND4MSP]

you peeps weather is fricken insane. I bet you all start breaking out the wifebeaters when it hits the 40's

 

[servoeyes]

hehe...with the right battery the car will be fine. Optima Red Top in my MSP and I've never worried about it not starting...which means that my stock battery would have died a long time ago!

 

[Gbourdon]

you peeps weather is fricken insane. I bet you all start breaking out the wifebeaters when it hits the 40's

You are so right. The first couple times it gets around 40 and 50 after it has been cold you see everyone out in t shirts and shorts.

 

[rocketspeed]

I'm not worried about any of this stuff, just seeing what other folks are experiencing. Once the car warms everything goes away except the suspension creaks when its this cold. When its a little warmer even that goes away when the car warms.

I do see an Optima in my future.

 

[paulstrovsky]

AAAH! I think you all forgot to mention the greatest thing about this weather! Turbocharged, intercooled cars are fast as sin at these temps! As soon as I can tell that the engine is warm enough (ie oil is no longer frozen sludge), I hit that gas and scare the living bejeesus outta myself with how fast the car is. I don't think I've ever driven a car with such good throttle response, torque and bury-you-in-your-seat acceleration as the Mazdaspeed Protege in sub zero temps.

The next great thing about this weather is that the roads are completely coated with salt, and it is very easy to spot icy patches. Because of this, you can drive decently fast without having to worry about black ice. Plus, if you like to play with the LSD, you can hammer it around corners and feel that outer wheel pull the car around so that it wants to oversteer. Damn I love this thing!