Winter And Your Porsche
By Roger W. Chaney/Technical Editor
Winter operation and maintenance of a Porsche is a complicated
matter in the U. S. because of the broad range of climatic conditions
and weather front flow patterns. This is simplified somewhat because
the more temperate winter areas of the U. S. (California coast and
desert, parts of Arizona and New Mexico, and the southern band of
states) require only slight differences in operating procedures over
periods of short duration (a few days). So our chief concerns are for
those sections of the country where Winter is e definite and prolonged
season.
If you have a garage and keep your Porsche in it, you have an
easier job. You don’t have the problem of covering the windows
over-night or the necessity of de-icing anything in the mornings. A
heated garage is best, but the "energy shortage" may put a
stop to that so you must watch the temperatures for use of the correct
weight of oil.
There are a few of you out there who want to use 10W-30 or other
multi-viscosity oil. Fine, use it, but single weight oil is still the
best for your engine. In the more temperate regions listed above, SAE
30 can be used the year around. In places where winter means no lower
than 20°F., SAE 30 is still okay. SAE 20 is good to about — 10°F.
and SAE 10 will flow adequately to about —20° or —30°F. Below
this, a mixture of SAE 10 and kerosene will do the best job. In very
cold continuous temperatures, you have problems that require special
procedures.
If the Feds don’t ration gas you may not have a problem keeping
your tank full, which is the best way to prevent water condensation in
your fuel system. However, it is a good idea to add a pint of methyl
alcohol to a tank of gas about once a month anyway.
Clean any fuel strainers at regular intervals and watch your paper
and foam air cleaners. Air filters can soak up water over extended
periods of high relative humidity and then choke off your intake below
freezing.
Keep your brake reservoir full, too, for the same reason. If your
brake fluid has not been changed (you read that right) in at least two
years, flush out the system. Brake fluid deteriorates with time like
everything else.
Windshield washer fluid for winter needs anti-freeze. The cheapest
way is to make your own with tap water (distilled if you are a purist)
and methyl or ethyl alcohol from your local apothecary.
If your car must be left outside overnight in freezing rain or
snow, keep your doors from freezing shut by coating the weather seals
with glycerine or tape over the door gap to the body. Put tape over
the key hole(s) and coat outside pushbutton controlled latches with a
heavy silicon grease or waterproof tape.
You should have a cover for at least the windshield and back glass.
It is also good to cover the engine grill. If you can’t have a glass
cover, a bottle of iso-propyl (rubbing) alcohol is very handy. A good
coat of alcohol on a rag rubbed on an icy windshield or rear window
will melt the ice rapidly. You can also slowly run a film of alcohol
onto the ice, but you should keep the fluid off the paint. There
should be no damage, but there could be an effect. Don’t try to
remove ice with the wipers.
Be sure that the transaxle is not overfilled. The case, being
aluminum or magnesium alloy, expands and contracts quite a bit from
summer to winter. The winter level should not be above the bottom of
the fill and inspection hole. Thickness of the oil should also be
observed. For most cold winter sections of the U. S., SAE 80 is best.
In extreme winters (below —10°F continuously), try to find SAE 70
or even 60. Oils made for U. S. differentials should not be used.
Additives are not recommended.
Starting procedures vary greatly from one car to another because of
differences in engine condition, gasoline used, type of fuel system
(carbureted or fuel injected), battery condition, and existing weather
conditions. Even though starting procedures will vary, there are a few
things you should always do. Depress the clutch fully and hold during
starting so you will be turning only the engine. It takes at least as
much starter power to turn the transmission as the engine, perhaps
more on a cold morning with the car outside.
Always give the throttle at least one pump before cranking on
carbureted engines, and hold the throttle open slightly while cranking
on any Porsche. Any engine must have air and gas to run, remember.
On a Porsche with an electric fuel pump, don’t start cranking for
a few seconds after turning key to on. This will allow the pump to
stabilize the system pressure and set up everything to start best.
Pull up the hand throttle and push foot pedal down a little and then
release on fuel injected cars.
Now start cranking. If the engine does not start at once, don’t
worry. Keep cranking unless the engine turns slowly to indicate a low
battery or too thick oil. It is best to keep cranking for at least
five seconds, especially on carbureted cars, because it takes more out
of the battery to get the engine and starter turning than to crank for
a second or two. If there is no start after about a second, give carbs
another pump or two while still cranking.
Fuel injection will either run after starting or stop dead if
something is wrong. Carb equipped engines may need a little help with
gentle pumping on the throttle until a fairly smooth operation comes
along to allow a steady throttle to give you 1500 to 2000 rpm.
Never "gun" a cold engine as rings, seals and bearings
just won’t take it for long. Steady operation for about 30 seconds
is best.
It is a good idea to turn the heater on full on 911 and 912 after
starting to help on warm-up, too. It is a lousy idea to let the car
sit and warm up before driving off, not only on a Porsche, but on any
car. Just drive off slowly and run in first or second gear for several
blocks, not exceeding about 3000 revs on 4-cylinder engines or 4000
rpm with 6-cylinders. This procedure will actually warm up the engine
faster and be easier on the engine than running in place. It also uses
less gas.
Those of you with electric tachs may have noticed that, at
temperatures below 40°F., the needle sticks and may not come off the
peg for a while after starting. This is a temperature related
mechanical problem, not electric and should not require replacement of
the instrument. You can unstick the unit if you will turn on your park
lights and turn the instrument lights up to the stop. The instrument
lights will heat and unstick the mechanism in a short time.
Some other items you should notice and watch are the tires,
cleanliness underneath and tune-up.
Good tires are a must on a Porsche and especially in winter. Where
there is ice and/or snow all winter, you also may need studded tires
for correct traction. You get better traction in snow with lower tire
pressures as opposed to running in the rain.
A clean underside, especially in the fender wells, is important all
the time and particularly where salt is used on winter roads. Mud, ice
and snow which adhere to the suspension and fender wells encourage and
accelerate corrosion and rust by themselves, but they also catch and
hold road salts which can kill your machine’s structure. You should
wash out all of the crud from under the car every couple of weeks or
more often if you can in the winter. Areas of most concern are around
suspension members, in corners in the fender wells, behind the bumpers
and around the oil tank on a 911.
It is also important to have the electrical system in the best
operating condition. Be sure you have clean, correctly gapped spark
plugs (a hotter plug will help in cold winter climates), correctly
timed distributor with freely operating advance mechanism (use lighter
oil in the distributor, too), good condition plug connectors (700 to
1000 ohms for 4-cylinder engines; 1000 to 2000 ohms for 6-cylinder
engines), and clean and tight connections from the battery back.
Be sure the battery(s) have full charge for cold morning starting.
A very handy and not expensive tool to have is a hydrometer (specific
gravity measuring device). Battery hygrometers will give you the acid
content of the cell fluid which is a direct measure of charge. Fully
charged batteries read 1285; good but low is 1200 to 1250; dead
battery is just about anything below 1175. Another inexpensive and
useful item for your tool store is a low rate or "trickle"
battery charger. A two or four amp charger is large enough and will
usually charge up a low battery overnight.
Happy winter motoring.
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