My question to you (I know there's bunch of people but to refer to 'everyone' as 'you' is just easier, ok?) is this: I live in Winnipeg, and today was the coldest day in quite some time
From Enviroment Canada:

"Temperature -30°C Pressure/ Tendency 103.3 kPa↑ Visibility 24 km Humidity 61 % Wind Chill -43 °C" (That's -45.4°F for the Americans) and today, I had the car plugged in (block heater) all day, and when I went to leave, I unplugged it so I could move it into the garage (I park outside). I moved it, went inside and came out 10 minutes later to leave. Wouldn't start! Tried about 4 times before it cranked over. Ok, fine, let it run for 5 mintues. I drive to work (about 20 muinutes) and the temperature guage is just now starting to lift above the "C". (It was so cold, the temp guage was below C I guess). Worked, came out 3 hours later to run the thing for a bit on my break, starts fine, little hesitation, but not much. It's so cold, the tranny is sticky. The shifter feels like it's in vaseline or something. Go back in, come back 2 hours later to leave with a co-worker: Wouldn't start! This time it took about six tries and the last one with the pedal down to get the thing to start, and even then it would catch for a bit and die. Finally got it going, and off we went, drop him off, get home, still just about 1/4 the way up the temp guage.


SO: My question is, what's a great cold weather battery for this thing (since it's likely original, I drive an '03 ES) Something with a good cold cranking amps rating I suppose...

And: Anything I can do to help it warm up a bit? It's a stock intake (I save the CAI for the summer), and since the air comes in from the grille, I thought it not a great idea to block off the grille. Ideas?

 

Probably the best battery right now for extreme cold would be a gel cell battery, Haven't tried one yet, but I hear that they resist freezing pretty well. Just be glad you have the block heater.... mine doesn't At least I live in an area where I can try to sheild my girl from the extreme cold. Plus you get it ten fold over me for temp..... from what I know, here is Florida compared to there. Optima makes a pretty good gel cell battery, but some of the guys here probably know more about it then I would..... Hope all goes well man

 

You should look into a better tranny fluid, one that is made for extreme cold weather. Also, adding some Oil additive will help too. Marve Mystery Oil claims that when added to crank in winter it will help your engine start.

 

I was told that the Optima red was a good battery to get. It has good cold cranking properties.

 

According to the people I talked to, there is no optima battery availible (here at least) that will fit the Lancer due to its battery configuration. Even the Bloody Canadian Tire re-branded spiral cell battery wouldn't fit! So I just got a plain old replacement one with a better CCA rating...

 

go to the shop and find an optima redtop thats close to the right configuration. Mines got the poles reversed from what they are stock but theres enough slack in the cables to get them to hook up ok if you take a couple of the cables ties out. I have had my car fire on the first try in -20F . . i dunno about -45 though

 

I wonder how Much WHP you could make in -43F? I bet that would add like 30-50WHP!!!!

 

Doesn't matter when you can't get it to the ground Streets are ice...

 

Get those Nail studded rally tires I guess, that would be FUN.

 

im from winnipeg too man it's freezing.. streets finally dry at some spots lol. finally was able to grip and give the CAI and IM a good pull, -40 = fun with lots free power! but not fun if you have starting problems . Ever since I switched to synthetic oil when I first got the car it had no problem in our peg winters. Hope you find a good battery bro