I live in Fargo. Today's low with windchill was -40 or so. I am wondering if RX-8 would survive on a day like today.
I won't be living here forever, but I will be here at least two more winters and need to know this. I can't park my car indoor at work or at school so it will be outdoors most of the time.

 

It should, just make SURE that you properly warm up the car, and that the temp. stick is in the middle, and that you have enough oil in your car. The 8's are built strong so you shouldn't have a problem. Doesn't hurt to get an automatic starter..

 

I will most definitely install an autostart ....it costs $130 more for manual transmission, but it is so worth it when you have cars that needs to be warmed up well.
Thx.

 

Cars, and other inanimate objects, don't care about windchill; just actual temp. Imagine what the wind chill is at 80 mph and 0 degrees.
Wind chill numbers are only valid for living things and exposed skin.

 

It was -11F when I went out today. I just let her warm up for awhile and all was well. The only thing I noticed was that the clutch pedal was kind of mushy or sticky. Not sure how to explain the feeling. It took a little more effort to push it in and it let out slower than normal.

 

what happeneds if the gearbox fluid is frozen? is there a way to warm it up without moving? cause what i was thinking is that the fluid only heats up form teh friction of the gears moving right?

 

When I lived in Alaska, I had to get an engine core heater to ensure my car wasn't dead by morning. Might want to look into that.

 

mjd, i had the same experience as you a couple days ago. I know what your talking about, it feels like your pushing the cluth through molasses. The stick is also very gummy.

 

My -8 had to spend the night outside Friday night here in Chicago at -10 still air temp. Started fine, let her warm for about 2 mins until the fast idle slowed to about 1500 rpm, then motored off slowly until she warmed. No problems.

Stiff gearbox: Yup, my stick was stiff (ummm ... yeah) until the car warmed, but it worked. I hear that if you change the gearbox oil to a synthetic like RedLine or Royal Purple that the motion is improved at low temps. Anyone got advice there? But, stiff gearboxes in cold weather is a fact of life - so are stiff shocks - the oil in those turns to crisco at cold weather - like driving on solid wheels until they warm up from some motion.

Engine core heater: Definitely recommend. I don't have one on my RX-8 because I rarely have to park it outside, but if you do have to park outdoors, it makes a huge difference in both starting and quick warmup to operating temp. It usually a heating element that threads into a freeze plug in the block and warms the coolant in the block. Again, makes a HUGE difference.

Wind Chill on inanimate objects ... actually cars ARE subject to wind chill to a point - how do you think an air cooled engine works? It works by flowing AIR (i.e. wind) past hot metal surfaces - the air picks up the heat and carries it away. Therefore, your car WILL cool faster to ambient (i.e. still air) temperature. That said, when your car REACHES ambient, it cannot get any colder from the wind. Also wind chill effect can keep your car from reaching operating temp in really extreme weather. I had a car a number of years ago (a Mustang GT) that had a replacement thermostat that was a "cool range" stat, and in below-zero weather the temp gauge would never move off the "cold" line. Not a big deal in those days prior to engine computers and all, but it would run very rich. I used to put cardboard behind the grill on really cold days to block the airflow over the radiator.

 

Always up for a good challenge, but in this case I have a bit of a natural advantage!

My whole friggin life is a challenge!

Let's not play with those sissy "windchill" numbers though - stick to real THERMOMETER cold!

Here's something you never want to see on the display.....

S

 

the other night my thermometer read +44degrees and i thought i was going to die

 

if you have has the TSB for plugs and starter you shouldn't have a probkem. We just went through a few days of -38 f and the car started no problem even after being outside all day. It went through that rev cycle is does when the car is very cold...but no problems.

 

Lowest I've seen on my in-dash display was -14 ... you win!

 

Swap out the stock battery.