10w-30 wat bout winter?

[drifter420]

My car says to use 10w30.. but for cold winters.. can I go to 0W oils or only 5W oils?

I was using synthetic.. but the last 2 oil changes I"ve been using dino heavy duty diesel oil 30

[ October 22, 2004, 05:43 PM: Message edited by: rugerman1 ]

 

[JHZR2]

synthetics are great! I wouldnt change it if youve been using M1, esso syn, etc.

lots of people have gotten along just fine using 10w30 oils in the winter. It will be harder to start and provide less protection though,m if it gets REALLY cold and you dont have a heater.

If your car has a heater and it gets used, I wouldnt worry about it. Otherwise, a 5w- or 0w- oil would be smart, depending upon what was originally specced for the vehicle, and how cold it will be.

JMH

 

[labman]

How old is your owners' manual? I use 5w30 in my 77 truck although it calls for 10w30. I figure if they had our fine 5w30 oils in 1977, they would have suggested them.

 

[99 GASE2]

I wouldn't use 10W30 in the winter.

Last winter my dad left Castrol GTX 10W30 in his car.
One morning it would not start (even with a battery charger hooked-up with a engine start feature) when it was around -30C (it was the oil that caused it not to start).

I was not impressed being woke-up early to drive my mom to work at 5:30am; my car was plugged-in for the block heater & I had Mobil 1 5W30 in my car with a remote starter.

 

[drifter420]

My car's manual and oil cap says 10w30 but I want to have the best cold start as possible with block heater ( and without oil heater ). Is any synthetic good for winter as long as they're 0w? I know wal mart sells 0w30 synthetic in their brand.. would that just be as good? I also so the ad for QS cold winter oil.. they just gimmick or they truly better in cold? ( they are conventional oil though right? ) I get nites of -25C and hi's of average -15C or so?
Is there a quick listing of wat is true synthetic and wat is group III fake synthetic? ( without gettin into all the jargons that a noobie like me won't understand. I guess mobil 1 is group IV? )

I'm assuming going to 5w's would be a safe bet.. but assuming that 0w would run easier in cold start and lubricate quicker? Wat would the ill affect be? Assuming the 30 or possibly 40 viscocity is met during operating temp is met?

[ October 15, 2004, 01:23 AM: Message edited by: drifter420 ]

 

[Ugly3]

Any oil that is full synthetic (real or fake) thet is API certified and SAE rated will meet certain specs. One of those specs is cold viscosity. So all will be about the same viscosity at the spec'd cold temp. 0w oils will flow better than 5w oils at the spec'd cold temp.

There is no downside to using 0w rather then 5w.

I would use Mobil 1 0w30, easy to find, fairly priced, and excellent oil.

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ugly3:



I would use Mobil 1 0w30, easy to find, fairly priced, and excellent oil.

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It's not that easy to find here in Ontario though, and it's priced about $1 more than GC 0w30.

 

[vvk]

My mom's Impreza had zero problems starting or running last winter when the temperatures were down to 0'F and slightly below overnight. That was using Motorcraft 10w30. No unusual noises or anything.

 

[69 Riv GS]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ugly 3:
Any oil that is full synthetic (real or fake) thet is API certified and SAE rated will meet certain specs. One of those specs is cold viscosity. So all will be about the same viscosity at the spec'd cold temp.

---

This is an over simplification to the point of inaccuracy.IMO

A PAOs' viscosity will be much lower than that of a GIII at said given spec temp. Even among the various GIIIs(& IIs) there are performance differences.

I believe Mobil 1(PAO) 5w30 has a CCS cP of 3600, far below the SAE accepted maximum of 6600 at -30C.

The SAE viscosities are a good general indicator of an oils low temp performance.IMO

But, one must look at the actual viscosities(CCS cp and MRV cP) to get an accurate depiction of an oils performance.

 

[69 Riv GS]

quote:

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My mom's Impreza had zero problems starting or running last winter when the temperatures were down to 0'F and slightly below overnight. That was using Motorcraft 10w30. No unusual noises or anything.

---

Yeah, starting is one thing - but increased wear is another.

 

[vvk]

quote:

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Originally posted by 69 Riv GS:

quote:

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My mom's Impreza had zero problems starting or running last winter when the temperatures were down to 0'F and slightly below overnight. That was using Motorcraft 10w30. No unusual noises or anything.

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Yeah, starting is one thing - but increased wear is another.

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Funny you should mention it. I did oil analysis to check that very thing:

Motorcraft 10w30 below zero UOA

 

[Drew99GT]

quote:

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Originally posted by vvk:

quote:

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Originally posted by 69 Riv GS:

quote:

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My mom's Impreza had zero problems starting or running last winter when the temperatures were down to 0'F and slightly below overnight. That was using Motorcraft 10w30. No unusual noises or anything.

---

Yeah, starting is one thing - but increased wear is another.

---

Funny you should mention it. I did oil analysis to check that very thing:

Motorcraft 10w30 below zero UOA

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How bout them apples

 

[haley10]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dr. T:
I'm in Toronto and last winter I ran both Mobil 1 15W-50 and Castrol TWS 10-60. It got down to -23C and the car started fine. Something else is wrong if you can't start with 10-30 in Toronto winters. PS. Windchill number does not count as the ambient temp.

This winter I'm running Syntec 5-50.

---

He stated it was -30C/-22F at the time. I can absolutely believe GTX was a problem at this temp. Much colder than your scenario and GTX behaves much differently than the oils you mentioned. Actually, I like GTX, but it isn't the best when it's very cold.

 

[TC]

Assuming you live in the southern portion of Ontario near Ottowa, average winter high temps are about -5C/+23F and avg low temps are -14C/+7F. Toronto is a few degress warmer.

In general, 10w30 is good down to -18C/0F, and 5w30 good down to -25C/-13F.
http://www.chevron.com/prodserv/nafl/auto/content/faq.shtm

With 10w30 you're at the borderline, at best, in January. I'd definitely switch to 5w30 in Winter. The average summer high temp in Toronto is only 28C/82F, so 5w30 might actually be a perfect year-round lube for you, rather than 10w30. (In contrast, 100F+ temps aren't uncommon where I live: 5w30 is a tad thin in such climates.)

 

[Dr. T]

Here's the quote:

quote:

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Originally posted by 99 GASE2:
I wouldn't use 10W30 in the winter.

Last winter my dad left Castrol GTX 10W30 in his car.
One morning it would not start (even with a battery charger hooked-up with a engine start feature) when it was around -30C (it was the oil that caused it not to start).

I was not impressed being woke-up early to drive my mom to work at 5:30am; my car was plugged-in for the block heater & I had Mobil 1 5W30 in my car with a remote starter.

---

Well, it was NOT -30C in Toronto last winter. Don't know about Ottawa. The windchill # doesn't count.

In either case, I thought that a 10W was SAE certified to pump down to -25C and a 5W down to -30C. Is this not correct?

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dr. T:


Well, it was NOT -30C in Toronto last winter.

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I don't recall it ever being colder than -25C here in the Toronto area, and I've lived here for my entire 34 years (almost 35)

 

[Dr. T]

Me neither. The problem is people think that the 'windchill' number is a real number. Like 'humidex', it is a fabricated number to further sensationalize the weather and weather reports.

 

[XS650]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dr. T:
Me neither. The problem is people think that the 'windchill' number is a real number. Like 'humidex', it is a fabricated number to further sensationalize the weather and weather reports.

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Windchill effect is real if you you don't have any clothes on, of course, if it's -25C and you don't have any clothes on you have other problems.

 

[drifter420]

I don't live near Toronto. I live near Barrie area and on weekends I will at times go up to the cottage for the weekend where the car sits outside for the whole weekend * god forbid why in middle of winter* which is Temagami.. bout hour north east of North Bay.

So apparently general consesus (sp?) says to run synthetic in winter.. but then is it safe to go to 0W? I rather have it lube quicker then having to push the borderline.. but I don't know wat kind of adverse affect it will have on the car. I never had a problem starting last winter since I was in Oakville @ that time and when I go up north.. I wasn't in my car.. but this winter I will be. I don't know how cold it gets on average up in Temagami or Barrie area, but if I aim to know that my oil will work in lower temp for up north.. then I feel better bout it.. it's like knowing you have airbag.. but that doesn't mean I'm going to find out if it works or not.. rather safe then sorry.

Oh.. did a quick search and on Jan 14 04 in Temagami it was
MAX TEMP -25.7 °C
MIN TEMP -38.5 °C
MEAN TEMP -32.1 °C
PRECIP ACCUMULATION 0 mm

so

 

[Dr. T]

Ouch....go for the 0W