Neons and cold weather

This is a two part question;
As some people may know, Ontario got hit with a flash freeze over the
weekend, going from 2'C to -30'C with windshield.
First question, after not driving my 95 two door Neon since Friday when it
was 2'C out, This morning, the door locks where frozen solid from
condensation and moisture accumulated from Friday.
Any suggestions to reduce the moisture, and or unfreeze the locks? I do not
want to have to use a Pen torch to open my car. (had to use it this morning
to get in)

Second question, I also have a 2001 neon and find that both Neons when
starting in cold weather, make an wining noise after initial start up. The
colder it is, the longer and louder the noise is.
I have not owned the 95 from day one, but I did the 2001 and it has made
this noise since the beginning when the temp is below 0'C.
Any ideas?

The 2001 Neon is a SOHC, Automatic transmission with 110,000km,
Running Castral SYNTEC 5W30
The 95 Neon is a SOHC, Manual Transmission, with approx. 380,000km,
Running Pennzoil High Mileage 10W30

Mike
e-mail mlawrenc(at)rcc.on.ca

I don't know too many cars I've driven over the past 35 years that didn't
make odd noises and/or run with odd/stiff behavior when they were cold.

I don't know too many cars I've driven over the past 35 years that didn't
make odd noises and/or run with odd/stiff behavior when they were cold.

On Mon, 20 Dec 2004, Michael wrote:

> As some people may know, Ontario got hit with a flash freeze over the
> weekend, going from 2'C to -30'C with windshield.

*snork*

That's "with WIND CHILL".

And yes, it's FSCKING cold out. My truck ('89 318 D100) cranked so slowly
this morning, it sounded like an old 6-volter.

> First question, after not driving my 95 two door Neon since Friday when it
> was 2'C out, This morning, the door locks where frozen solid from
> condensation and moisture accumulated from Friday.
> Any suggestions to reduce the moisture, and or unfreeze the locks? I do not
> want to have to use a Pen torch to open my car. (had to use it this morning
> to get in)

Hit 'em with denatured alcohol, let it evaporate, then shoot 'em with
silicone spray. I like the CRC "Heavy Duty Silicone" in the red and white
can, but it's a little tough to find up here. The stuff from Crappy Tire
is OK. While you're at it, shoot all the rubber door weatherseals so the
doors don't freeze shut.

> Second question, I also have a 2001 neon and find that both Neons when
> starting in cold weather, make an wining noise after initial start up.
> The colder it is, the longer and louder the noise is. I have not owned
> the 95 from day one, but I did the 2001 and it has made this noise since
> the beginning when the temp is below 0'C. Any ideas?

Depends on the nature of the noise. If it's a sort of decreasing-pitch
"honk" type of whine, it's the starter shaft bearings. With extreme cold,
the shafts shrink in diameter so they get a little loose in the bearings
and vibrate as they spin down.

If it's a steady-state whine, it's one of the rotating components with
similar cold-induced noise. Alternator, throwout bearing, torque
converter, steering pump...don't worry about it too much.

DS

On Mon, 20 Dec 2004, Michael wrote:

> As some people may know, Ontario got hit with a flash freeze over the
> weekend, going from 2'C to -30'C with windshield.

*snork*

That's "with WIND CHILL".

And yes, it's FSCKING cold out. My truck ('89 318 D100) cranked so slowly
this morning, it sounded like an old 6-volter.

> First question, after not driving my 95 two door Neon since Friday when it
> was 2'C out, This morning, the door locks where frozen solid from
> condensation and moisture accumulated from Friday.
> Any suggestions to reduce the moisture, and or unfreeze the locks? I do not
> want to have to use a Pen torch to open my car. (had to use it this morning
> to get in)

Hit 'em with denatured alcohol, let it evaporate, then shoot 'em with
silicone spray. I like the CRC "Heavy Duty Silicone" in the red and white
can, but it's a little tough to find up here. The stuff from Crappy Tire
is OK. While you're at it, shoot all the rubber door weatherseals so the
doors don't freeze shut.

> Second question, I also have a 2001 neon and find that both Neons when
> starting in cold weather, make an wining noise after initial start up.
> The colder it is, the longer and louder the noise is. I have not owned
> the 95 from day one, but I did the 2001 and it has made this noise since
> the beginning when the temp is below 0'C. Any ideas?

Depends on the nature of the noise. If it's a sort of decreasing-pitch
"honk" type of whine, it's the starter shaft bearings. With extreme cold,
the shafts shrink in diameter so they get a little loose in the bearings
and vibrate as they spin down.

If it's a steady-state whine, it's one of the rotating components with
similar cold-induced noise. Alternator, throwout bearing, torque
converter, steering pump...don't worry about it too much.

DS

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> On Mon, 20 Dec 2004, Michael wrote:
>
>
>>As some people may know, Ontario got hit with a flash freeze over the
>>weekend, going from 2'C to -30'C with windshield.
>
>
> *snork*
>
> That's "with WIND CHILL".
>
> And yes, it's FSCKING cold out. My truck ('89 318 D100) cranked so slowly
> this morning, it sounded like an old 6-volter.

It was -40F (and C) here in PA yesterday morn if you consider wind
chill. It was -14F on the thermometer. My truck cranked quite nicely
with its fill of Mobil 1 5W-30 and sitting in my garage at a balmy 32F. :-)

I really hate this global warming phenomenon as it really frosts me. :-)


Matt

Daniel J. Stern wrote:

> On Mon, 20 Dec 2004, Michael wrote:
>
>
>>As some people may know, Ontario got hit with a flash freeze over the
>>weekend, going from 2'C to -30'C with windshield.
>
>
> *snork*
>
> That's "with WIND CHILL".
>
> And yes, it's FSCKING cold out. My truck ('89 318 D100) cranked so slowly
> this morning, it sounded like an old 6-volter.

It was -40F (and C) here in PA yesterday morn if you consider wind
chill. It was -14F on the thermometer. My truck cranked quite nicely
with its fill of Mobil 1 5W-30 and sitting in my garage at a balmy 32F. :-)

I really hate this global warming phenomenon as it really frosts me. :-)


Matt

Geoff wrote:

>
> Michael wrote:
>
>
>>Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 20:05:44 -0500
>>From: Michael >
>>Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.chrysler
>>Subject: Neons and cold weather
>>
>>This is a two part question;
>>As some people may know, Ontario got hit with a flash freeze over the
>>weekend, going from 2'C to -30'C with windshield.
>
>
> Wind chill doesn't really matter to your car all that much. Actual
> temperature does; if your temps were like Michigan's, it was about 0
> degrees F.

It will make it cool off faster when shut it down, but other than that,
yes, it has no effect. I never could convince my grandfather of that,
however. He was always convinced that parking his car into the wind
meant it wouldn't start in the morning.


Matt

Geoff wrote:

>
> Michael wrote:
>
>
>>Date: Mon, 20 Dec 2004 20:05:44 -0500
>>From: Michael >
>>Newsgroups: rec.autos.makers.chrysler
>>Subject: Neons and cold weather
>>
>>This is a two part question;
>>As some people may know, Ontario got hit with a flash freeze over the
>>weekend, going from 2'C to -30'C with windshield.
>
>
> Wind chill doesn't really matter to your car all that much. Actual
> temperature does; if your temps were like Michigan's, it was about 0
> degrees F.

It will make it cool off faster when shut it down, but other than that,
yes, it has no effect. I never could convince my grandfather of that,
however. He was always convinced that parking his car into the wind
meant it wouldn't start in the morning.


Matt

The noise could be describled as "steady-state whine".
I tried sourcing the noise a couple of times last winter, with the wife
starting the car, while I search under the hood. The problem with this
method is that the colder it is, the longer it lasts. (I am not a big
fan of standing out in the freezing cold, looking for a noise).
>From what I can tell, the noise is coming from the passenger side of
the engine near the bottom.
What does bother me is that if the car is plugged in, the noise is
almost non-existant.
So, it looks like the part(s) that are making the noise is close, or
affected by the block heater.

Will have have to wait for the next cold snap, as it has since warmed
up to about 0'C now.

Mike
mlawrenc(at)rcc.on.ca

Daniel J. Stern wrote:
> On Mon, 20 Dec 2004, Michael wrote:
>
> > As some people may know, Ontario got hit with a flash freeze over
the
> > weekend, going from 2'C to -30'C with windshield.
>
> *snork*
>
> That's "with WIND CHILL".
>
> And yes, it's FSCKING cold out. My truck ('89 318 D100) cranked so
slowly
> this morning, it sounded like an old 6-volter.
>
> > First question, after not driving my 95 two door Neon since Friday
when it
> > was 2'C out, This morning, the door locks where frozen solid from
> > condensation and moisture accumulated from Friday.
> > Any suggestions to reduce the moisture, and or unfreeze the locks?
I do not
> > want to have to use a Pen torch to open my car. (had to use it this
morning
> > to get in)
>
> Hit 'em with denatured alcohol, let it evaporate, then shoot 'em with
> silicone spray. I like the CRC "Heavy Duty Silicone" in the red and
white
> can, but it's a little tough to find up here. The stuff from Crappy
Tire
> is OK. While you're at it, shoot all the rubber door weatherseals so
the
> doors don't freeze shut.
>
> > Second question, I also have a 2001 neon and find that both Neons
when
> > starting in cold weather, make an wining noise after initial start
up.
> > The colder it is, the longer and louder the noise is. I have not
owned
> > the 95 from day one, but I did the 2001 and it has made this noise
since
> > the beginning when the temp is below 0'C. Any ideas?
>
> Depends on the nature of the noise. If it's a sort of
decreasing-pitch
> "honk" type of whine, it's the starter shaft bearings. With extreme
cold,
> the shafts shrink in diameter so they get a little loose in the
bearings
> and vibrate as they spin down.
>
> If it's a steady-state whine, it's one of the rotating components
with
> similar cold-induced noise. Alternator, throwout bearing, torque
> converter, steering pump...don't worry about it too much.
>
> DS