Its below zero here now and the old 88 EB with a 302 won't start. It fires a little bit like it might and then it dies. Anyone have good methods for getting them started in really cold weather?

 

That doesn't sound like a problem caused by cold. What you can do is this, go buy some carb. cleaner, take off the intake and squirt about 10 seconds worth of fluid into each butter-fly in the throttle body. If the truck runs for a few seconds after this is done, then that means you have a fuel starvation problem. Fuel pump, clogged injectors,clogged fuel filter.

To determine if you have a ignition problem do this, go buy a nice long screwdriver (preferablly rubber handle) take off one of the spark plug wires off the spark plug, put the screwdriver where the spark plug goes into the wire, have a friend go start the car, then while the screwdriver is in the wire put it very very close to your alternator or another piece of metal that is grounded, if you see blue spark and it makes a sharp noise you have sufficient spark. If that doesn't happen then that means you have a ignition problem, ignition control module, bad wires. bad dist. etc.....

HOPE THIS HELPS LET US KNOW HOW IT TURNS OUT!!!!

 

DON'T USE CARB CLEANER IN THE THROTTLE BODY! Get the one that is labelled for use with throttle bodies. Apparently the carb cleaner strips off some sort of coating that is used inside the throttle body.

 

I really do think that it has to do with the cold. As soon as it warms up ten degrees she starts with the first turn of the key. I would plug in the engine heater, but there is no place to plug it in.

 

I think you just answered your own question. Old truck -- below zero -- hard to start in the morning -- this is not unusual. Mine has started right up in the morning when it was about 5 degrees, the battery sounded a little sluggish but it started. I haven't had to try it below zero though. I would just advise trying to give it some gas when you hear it start to catch, although you are supposed to keep your foot off the gas for fuel injected vehicles. Also make sure that it is properly tuned up and that the timing is correct.

 

A trick for cold starting:

If your battery sounds sluggish when its cold then turn the headlights on for a minute before you start. THen turn lights off and start. When batteries get cold, thier internal resistance goes up. When current moves throught the battrery, they heat up a bit and the resistance goes down. Might help sluggish starters if anyone has this problem.

Andrew

78 Ford Bronco 4x4, 460, c6