Cadillac Repair: car wont start when it is cold outside, negative battery cable, digital voltmeter

Question
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Followup To
Question -
Our mechanic said that there was voltage to the starter but the starter wouldn't engage. He replaced the starter.  When it's warm outside(34 or higher) the car starts.  When it's cold outside about 18 degrees or so it wouldn't start(nothing happen's, starter doesn't engage). Could this be a problem with the computer, relay under the dash or hood.  When we got the vehicle back after the new starter was put in there still was a slight hesitation prior to the starter kicking in.  
This vehicle is a 1995 Cadillac DeVille, V8 front wheel drive.  Was running tip top shape until this problem started.
Answer -
Hi Ed, Does your DeVille have a northstar engine or the 4.9 liter? Bill




Hi Bill,

   We don't have the Northstar engine, we have the 4.9 liter engine.  We have been experimenting with starting the car, turning the key to the start position for one and a half to 2 minutes before the engine will turn over.  I am somewhat confused as to what the type of engine has to do with the car starting?  It seems to be an electrical problem between the ignition switch and the starter.

Ed  

Answer
Hi Ed, The reason I wanted to know the engine was because the 4.9 has a history of corroded negative battery cable ends near the starter and if it were a poor connection and the starter required more amperage to start because of the cold then removing the cable and cleaning it and the block area might solve your problems. Past that sounds like the car will need to sit outside or in a cold enviroment at the shopp so the tech can put a digital voltmeter at the small starter terminal and see what voltage is available. And if battery voltage isn't there then tracing the circuit backwards until battery voltage is found and then replace or clean that part will be necessary and then retest. Then the engine grounds need to be verified that they aren't excessive cold. To point to one thing that would change depending upon temperatures would be tough. I had a car that would crank normal but not start cold and I was outside at 0 degrees with a meter to determine that a connection inside the distributor was causing the problem. You will need to work with a shop in this way also because it could be a connector, ignition switch, neutral safty switch or wire connector to name a few things but without testing under the same conditions as the fault occurs it will be tough to fix as you are finding out. Sorry I can't be more help. Bill