Honda won't start in cold (below freezing) weather

I have a 2000 Honda Odyssey. I have never had any trouble with it until recently when the weather went below freezing and the car wouldn't start. It turns over just fine but no cylinders fire at all: like no spark or fuel or both. When the weather gets above freezing it then starts just fine. When is dropps below freezing, it turns over but won't start. All the spark plug wires seem to be hidden, and I don't smell any fuel from exhaust.

Any ideas what is wrong?

 

That is quite odd. I thought right away that perhaps water in the fuel.
But then how much would it take to cause a problem when freezing and how
much would it take to become a driveability problem when above freezing.
Perhaps a bottle of HEET in the tank might help. Otherwise I fail to see a
reason why a freezing temperature would prevent a car from firing.

You said it was turning over fine so I assume it is turning over fast enough
to start. I believe it has to turn over at minimum rpm to start but I could
be wrong.

Maybe there are some technical service bulletins about this available at the
national highway transportation system or something like that.

CaptainKrunch

recently when the weather went below freezing and the car wouldn't start. It
turns over just fine but no cylinders fire at all: like no spark or fuel or
both. When the weather gets above freezing it then starts just fine. When is
dropps below freezing, it turns over but won't start. All the spark plug
wires seem to be hidden, and I don't smell any fuel from exhaust.

 

=====================

Read the manual.

Do the 'lamp test' and listen to the fuel pump charge up the pressure.
Push pedal almost to the floor. Start Odyssey.

You may have a leaky injector that's flooding your engine overnight.

When it did start on the days after it wouldn't start, did it sputter
and clatter, then run poorly for the first 20 seconds? That's how our
Odyssey ran when the engine got flooded by a leaky injector. Holding the
pedal to the floor is OK in a flooded or very COLD engine. Owner's
Manual says so.

If you have ethanol-enhanced fuel avaiiable (or a can of injector
cleaner) try that too.

Second guess: If you smelled no fuel from the tailpipe, read this:
http://members.rogers.com/john-ings/MainRelay.HTM

It's probably one or the other.

'Curly'

====================

 

recently when the weather went below freezing and the car wouldn't start.
It turns over just fine but no cylinders fire at all: like no spark or
fuel or both. When the weather gets above freezing it then starts just
fine. When is dropps below freezing, it turns over but won't start. All
the spark plug wires seem to be hidden, and I don't smell any fuel from
exhaust.

I once lived in the mountains of Virginia and it would get so cold that we
always had trouble getting the car started on those cold mornings. One
neighbor made use of some sort of electric blanket over the engine. I
don't know if they still sell them--they were made especially for cars. If
so, they probably sell them in auto parts stores such as NAPA. You might
try one to see if it solves your problem. I heard an advertisement on
radio for a chemical that you can mix with the gas to prevent cold weather
start up problems. While in the auto parts store--you should ask if they
have such a product.

 

Newer cars should have no problems starting when it is cold. I live in
Minnesota where is regularly is below zero on January mornings. Other
than battery problems, I've never had a problem starting a '90 or
later model car. When I moved here in 1980, lots of cars had plugs
hanging out of the grill to plug in engine block heaters. Other than
up north where it really gets cold, you just don't see those anymore.
Certainly a 2000 Odyssey should have no problems simply below
freezing.

The gas is a possibility, as others have mentioned, though it would
seem odd to me that you've not had any other symptoms before now. Fuel
pump could be defective and not working properlyl in the colder
weather. I had a computer in a Volvo that didn't work correctly when
it got cold, but again, that meant below zero.

 

=====================

Gary,

Yesterday is was -16.6F (-27c) here in Edmonton. Our '95 Odyssey is
sitting outside, not plugged in. I had to move it to a different part of
the driveway while we shovelled some snow. It started OK, but the
cranking was a bit slow because it has 10w-30 oil in it. We're not
driving it this winter so the oil didn't get changed over to 5w-30. I
was careful to listen to the fuel pump while checking the instrument
lights. I also held the gas pedal half way to the floor.

Let us know how you make out with your problem.

"Curly'

====================

 

I would start by using synthetic oil and of the proper weight given the
temperatures. I use synthetic all the time but most assuredly I would be
using it with those kinds of temperatures. I am sure that will help the
spin speed of the engine and help it to start. There is no reason to
depress the accelerator pedal at all on a fuel injected vehicle unless you
hold it all the way down, which shuts off the injectors and helps to clear
the engine of extra fuel if it gets flooded. Turning the key should be all
that is needed.

CaptainKrunch

recently when the weather went below freezing and the car wouldn't start. It
turns over just fine but no cylinders fire at all: like no spark or fuel or
both. When the weather gets above freezing it then starts just fine. When is
dropps below freezing, it turns over but won't start. All the spark plug
wires seem to be hidden, and I don't smell any fuel from exhaust.

 

There is no reason to

Shuts off the injectors? Eh?
I floor the pedal, the injectors are shut off....certainly it won't start
without injectors?
So, a floored FI car can _not_ start.

I learn something new everyday.

 

assuming you don't have a floor mat in the way. And then again I don't want
to put my foot in my mouth by saying all cars but I would bet money that the
majority are like that.

I imagine it has to be that way to help if an engine with EFI got flooded,
if for some reason the engine wasn't starting and fuel was pumping into the
engine.



CaptainKrunch

 

Captain,
READ THE WHOLE THREAD--

Our Odyssey is sitting, unused, so oil didn't get changed to 'winter
oil'.
The manual says, in COLD weather, to push pedal half way to floor.
(engine needs air)
I suggested his Odyssey might be flooded if it doesn't fire at all
(which was happening to ours because of a leaky injector)
Good point about 'all the way to the floor'
Maybe he's gone over to Odyclub to shop around for better answers.

'Curly'

====================

 

Curly,
I have a question for you. Does the 2000 Honda Odyssey have an automatic
choke system. I do recall that my prior car--a 1993 Honda Accord EX--had
an automatic choke and I seem to recall that the owner's manual said
something like this:
Prior to starting the car on cold mornings, press the gas petal all of the
way to the floor and then release it. After that--start the car the normal
way. The manual went on to say that this was the method of activating the
automatic choke. Does the 2000 Honda Odyssey have the same type of choke
system as my old 1993 Honda Accord EX?

 

No choke. Chokes are only on carbureted engines, and your Odyssey is
fuel injected (fuel injected engines also enrich the mixture during cold
starts, but not by using a choke). Check you manual for cold-start
procedure.

 

I am going to go out on a limb here and risk putting my foot into my mouth.
There is no choke or automatic choke system on a car with electronic fuel
injection. The only thing the accelerator pedal operates is a butterfly
valve usually connected to a throttle positioner sensor of some type. It is
all computer controlled

CaptainKrunch

 

Do fuel injected Honda Odysseys have an automatic choke? Or any kind of
choke?

 

No, no choke. The choke on carbureted cars was a valve (looking like a
throttle valve) that restricted the air flow upstream of the venturi,
thereby causing a richer fuel/air mixture for easier cold starts. On
fuel injected cars the mixture enrichment is accomplished by simply
squirting more fuel with the injectors when the engine is cold (as
indicated by the engine coolant temperature sensor).

 

=====================
Tom,

A 2000 Odyssey is fuel injected v-6... No carb, no choke.

You need to obtain an owner's manual and read it completely.

Honda block heaters screw into the side of the engine and heat the
coolant just the same way an electric kettle or coffee pot heats water.
They're around 300 watts, I think, and the Canadian Government has
determined that plugging you car in for more than three hours is a
waste of electricity. For really cold situations, there are delay timers
that will turn you block heater on a couple of hours before you leave in
the A.M., or you can just switch the circuit breaker on when you get out
of bed...

They're pretty much mandatory on the Canadian Prairies. The little power
cord hangs out of the lower grille, and plugs into household current.
People in warmer climes just can't believe we plug our cars in 'juzz
like a waffle iron'

I don't presently have one, but electric 'battery blankets' are neat.
They're just like a skinny, 3 foot long electric heating blanket, with a
waterproof plastic skin on the outside. The wattage is very low, maybe
100 watts, and they go all the way around the battery to keep it near
room temperature. Big help if it's minus 40 and you have access to a
plugin.

'Curly'

======================

 

Just a thought, but I had a similar problem with my '87 CRX SI. Took
it to the shop, they couldn't find anything wrong (didn't charge me
*anything* either - insert plug for DR Honda in Chesapeake, VA), but
the mechanic did suggest there could be water in the fuel filter that
was freezing up. I changed the filter and haven't had a problem. Of
course, it hasn't gotten that cold yet this year, but I'll soon see...
Dan

 

Great post--I never would have guessed that replacing a fuel filter could
solve cold weather start up problems. You have a great mechanic.

 

recently when the weather went below freezing and the car wouldn't start. It
turns over just fine but no cylinders fire at all: like no spark or fuel or
both. When the weather gets above freezing it then starts just fine. When is
dropps below freezing, it turns over but won't start. All the spark plug
wires seem to be hidden, and I don't smell any fuel from exhaust.

Could be frozen gas line from "wet" gas ?
ed/ontario

 

Well I'm up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada where it's even colder than
Minnesota.
We have a 2000 Odyssey & a 2000 Civic, and I've found it helpful (but not
necessary) to plug in the block heater whenever it's below 15° F, especially
if you're parked into the wind. The sound of the engine starting is clearly
more effortless when using the block heater.
Needless to say, it is critical to use a block heater as temps drop below 0°
F.
Here's a riddle for you: What is another word for a Ukrainian block
heater?(I'm Ukrainian so I can tell this joke!)

-chris