Articles by Rick Cotta
Cold weather adversely affects diesel engines more than gas engines, but that’s only partly due to the engine itself.
In the past, the factory-recommended interval for changing the automatic transmission fluid was typically between 30,000 and 100,000 miles, but some newer vehicles have what’s referred to as “lifetime fluid.”
Your car’s water pump circulates coolant throughout the engine, where it soaks up heat, and into the radiator, where the coolant is cooled and then recirculated back to the engine to start the process over again.
There are numerous factors that contribute to worse fuel economy in cold weather, and most have nothing to do with the engine.
Many have to do with the fact that a richer fuel mixture is required when an engine is cold, and even more so when it’s cold outside.
In a word, the car exhaust smoke is caused by condensation — in two separate events. It’s similar to why you can see your breath on a winter day.
Problems with your vehicle’s catalytic converter might first become apparent through poor acceleration, a rotten-egg smell from the exhaust, or the check-engine light coming on.