What is the coldest temp you've started your Honda 2000 in?

[Trackrig]

I will probably have to use mine in a while in some -35F temps. I've used it before at -20F, but I pulled it out of a warm truck and it started just fine. This time, if I have to do, it will be outside for at least 24 hours before I attempt to start it. It does have Rotella 5-40W synthetic in it.

Bill

[Mobilesport]

Deleted

[Mobilesport]

Negative 30 degrees Fahrenheit, I start it all the time in the
cold after bringing it out of a cold steel shed , the steel shed does break the cold wind quite a bit , I ussually don't have the proper oil in it and so my rope is kinda hard to pull but it always starts within
3 pulls in the most extreme weather.

I should put 5w30 oil in it and wrap it up in a blanket

[pianotuna]

Trackrig,

I've started my Yamaha 3000 using the electric starter at -32 C (-25.6 F). It was not happy. I did have sea foam in the tank. The gas was three months old and it was cold soaked for at least a week.

I did have to keep the choke pulled out a bit to keep it running for the first few moments.

I'd suggest a "magnetic" block heater. I have one--but since it started--I did not resort to using it.

[winniman]

We run generators, air compressors, and lots of things that don't like to start up here in the Canadian winters. One trick we often do at work if we need to, is to run the truck motor with the generator in front of the truck exhaust for five or ten minutes. This will warm up the generator, and the oil inside enough that starting it is much easier. We use air compressors for building that wont start unless you heat them up first. Once they are running, they create enough heat on their own.

[SidecarFlip]

I use my Champ around the farm for power and it sits in the unheated garage (ambient) all the time and makes no difference when really cold except a bit longer on the choke. I run 5-40 Rotella all the time. I suspect Honda to be the same. Might take an extra pull to get it going too.

[Ron3rd]

theoldwizard1 wrote:
There is a YouTube channel where a young couple was using an EU3000i that their only power source in northern Idaho. No warm storage. Frequently used well BELOW 0F. It always started but the RPMs would "hunt" (oscillate) unless it was run on 1/2 choke. After several trip back to an authorized service center, with no success, they stumbled on using Mobil 1 0W-20. Not sure why, but it cured the oscillations.

Once the temps got consistently in the 20s, they switched back to Honda's recommended weight oil.

EU2000 in Death Valley in January with early morning temperature at 20 degrees. The genny was left outside in the bed of the truck. Not super cold but I had the oscillation issue noted above and had to keep a little choke on to smooth it out. I had dino oil in it at the time so maybe synthetic would have made a difference.

[Darryl_Rita]

Shouldn't be a problem. My work Honda was used all winter, often at -35 or colder. I ran 0-W20 synthetic oil for the cold, stepping back up to 5-W30 come spring.

[valhalla360]

Why would you expect an issue?

I used to start the riding mower with plow attachment regularly in the winter...never had an issue. They are simple small gas engines. Temp isn't a huge issue.

Now if it was a diesel generator, it becomes more of a question as the cold leeches away the heat generated from compression faster than the compression can heat it to ignition.

[theoldwizard1]

There is a YouTube channel where a young couple was using an EU3000i that their only power source in northern Idaho. No warm storage. Frequently used well BELOW 0F. It always started but the RPMs would "hunt" (oscillate) unless it was run on 1/2 choke. After several trip back to an authorized service center, with no success, they stumbled on using Mobil 1 0W-20. Not sure why, but it cured the oscillations.

Once the temps got consistently in the 20s, they switched back to Honda's recommended weight oil.