Delica Canada | Mitsubishi Van Club

Alright i got this off another forum.. dont know the name, found it in google. This guy wasnt talking to me i just cut n pasted.Is this guy for real?

If you need 1000 cca to sart your car in cold weather it's because you have one of the following:

-old/worn out spark plugs that need to be replaced.
-bad coils or ignition wires.
-dirty or clogged fuel injectors.
-low compression

I had an cheap old Crappy tire battery that would sit for the spring/summer months in my winter beater for 5 years. I would charge it in the fall and go. That car had no block heater and would start at -38 deg C with that crappy battery. Why? Because if you maintain the above, you don't need CCA.

He's right somewhat.

-old/worn out spark plugs that need to be replaced.
-bad coils or ignition wires.
-dirty or clogged fuel injectors.
-low compression

All of the above for the exception of low compression will work against a healthy startup in low temp -0 weather.

Replacing the spark/glow plugs will ensure that they ignite properly
Replacing coil/ignition wires with a fresh set can eliminate arcs and electrical breaks in the wires
Replacing or cleaning fuel injectors will ensure fuel delivery on the spot for ignition

As for the 1000 cca's in batteries. More is not always better. A high quality battery with 1/2 the cca's as a low-end battery will be better in low temp environments.

Gasoline cars are much easier to start in cold weather than (older)diesels, so it's somewhat irrelevant.
I suppose if he maintained his vehicle very well, he'd need less turning over to get it to respond.

Cold Cranking Amps has an official definition, BTW: the current your battery can provide at -18 C for 30 seconds while keeping its voltage above 7.2 volts.

The Battery FAQ http://www.batteryfaq.org/ recommends 700 to 800 CCA for starting a 4 cylinder diesel engine. Even at room temperature, our Delicas need about 300 amps while they are cranking, 200 for the starter and another 50 to 100 for the glowplugs and accessories.

Gumdrop now has two fresh batteries, 700 CCA each. If she won't start with those, I have other problems...

...laura