5W or 0W for the Winter months?

[ARCOgraphite]

Look to Viscosity Index at your temp. Pour point is irrelevant. Ive found QSGB in the past to be a nice winter oil for mild winters IN SITU.

I don't know what I will run. The nissan is very rackety when cold - may have to break out the pcx-004 Honda s2000 Filtech filters; At 15 bucks each ... OUCH!

 

[MNgopher]

Correct - windchill means nothing related to a car, other than how fast it may shed heat. And zero problems related to using a 0w oil in hot weather.

Despite the complaint about never hearing an actual temp here, I guess I've always found it easy to get. Yes, the TV weather folks can be dramatic, which is why not to listen. Between the temp guage on the car, the thermometer outside, and my phone reminding me on my homescreen what the current temp is, I almost have a hard time not seeing it...[font:Arial][/font]

 

[Drew99GT]

5w- is fine. I'd be more concerned about battery/starter/alternator health than oil as long as you have the proper 5w viscosity.

How old are the batteries???

On all our older vehicles, when that deep freeze sets in about mid December, the battery issues pop up and once those are sorted out, oil choice is a moot point as long as it's within spec for the ambient temps.

 

[-SyN-]

Drew: went through batteries last winter. Both are a year old in about 2 months. Even bought both kids very easy to use battery testers. Both know how to use them.

Both have new tires. New windshield wipers. All fluids have been replaced except the oil as of today.
The reason for the oil question is due too it was the last concern on my list.

Thanks for all the positive replies!

 

[Shannow]

SyN, congrats on one of the best informed threads on the subject. Posters have a grasp of the issues, rather than the "feel" that's present in lots of them.

I'd go 5W personally all things being equal, but 0W at the same price would probably sway me that way if I got to the shelves.

 

[Nickdfresh]

It's hard to go wrong with a syn in either 5W-30 or 0W-30 (Older GM manuals recommend either for extreme cold weather driving), but I have had some good cold starts with M1 0W-30 AFE at -14F...

 

[-SyN-]

Shannow/Nick: Thank You!
At the local WM both the 5W & 0W oils are @ the same price point.

M1 is the only brand with both 0W & 5W on the shelves.

 

[jayg]

Answer: Either one. It's not cold enough to matter for your climate.

 

[G-MAN]

Originally Posted By: -SyN-
The Winter months are almost hear. Winter oil changes are upon me. My question is for my kids autos whom are at college.

First we live in the armpit of Texas/Oklahoma so the winter months are not drastically brutality cold. But there are times when the temps drop below zero for weeks at a time.

The wife's & I autos are garage kept (38-45*F) during the winter months. Only exposed to the cold while at work 8-15 hours at a time. They both are filled with 5W year round.

My question is for my kids autos 2012 Ford Edge 3.5L V6 / 2008 F150 5.4L 3V w/257K miles on her. Both these autos are exposed to the winter elements 24/7. Both kids live off campus (4-7) miles. Both depend on their autos like all of us.

As a father I am Constantly worried about them and their well being & yes the health & dependability of their autos plays into this as well.

For both these autos winter oil change would I be better of using a 0W for the winter months or stay with the 5W since they both stay out in the winter elements 24/7 and are started every morning? The coldest we have really ever seen in our area is -10 along with wind chill conditions & yes the wind does blow here.

Any advice would be appreciated.


You've got to have a cold soak at well below zero before a 0wXX oil will show much advantage over a 5wXX oil, assuming both are full synthetics.

 

[FZ1]

Don't change the grade,if the engine is not leaking....it ain't broke...don't "fix' it.

 

[BrianF]

Get whats cheaper and stay with that.Dont bother with an oil change just to change the grade for winter. I use 5w oils in both of mine and have for years. I have had no startup issues ever. When it gets too cold I plug in, other wise I just leave it.

 

[bmwpowere36m3]

Winter.... haha. What does the manual spec for your temps? My daily's run on 10W-40 year-round here in CT. Gotta let go at some point.

I'd be more considering with items such as: battery, tires, brakes, etc...

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: bmwpowere36m3
Winter.... haha. What does the manual spec for your temps? My daily's run on 10W-40 year-round here in CT. Gotta let go at some point.

I'd be more considering with items such as: battery, tires, brakes, etc...


x2

I run 10w40 year round in my Land Cruiser in interior Alaska, the same as it has for 30 years and 300k miles. Battery, starter, correct percentage of antifreeze are all MORE important than 5w or 0w at the winter temperatures most people live in.

 

[BrocLuno]

I finally went 5W-30 in some of my OPE. I don't agree with Dr Haas on cold flow being equal to lubrication. And I do agree with Shannow's calculations and charts that show that any oil that will pump will get there at the same time (positive displacement). But ...

That does not apply to splash oiled engines. OPE often have simple splash oiled engines. And reckon that thinner oils 'splash' easier on start-up so 5W or 0W oils will get tossed around easier on cold start. That might be worth something...

So last year at the Homeowners Haz-Mat turn in I dropped off some old paint and picked up some Chevron Supreme 5W-30 that was on the re-use table. Changed the oil in the JD garden tractor and it loves it. No more smoke on cold start and zero oil consumption. So now all my OPE will be moving to 5W or 0W oils when they need changes (I got like 20 qts free

).

I'll do the same for the compressors too

And before you'all go off on compressor oils, these things have been running on automotive oils for 30 years and work just fine. I do not live in a high humidity area. They get changed every two years.

 

[4WD]

+1 on the splash lube - I'm using B&S synthetic and it is 5w30 - might help save the little batteries some wear - and prevent "tennis elbow" on some hard to crank pull starts too ...

 

[LeakySeals]

If you read the numerous posts complaining of oil consumption when changing brands/weights... I wouldn't change a thing. What you have is fine just wait an extra minute or two before moving.

 

[tig1]

I use 0 wt year round with great results in both Fords.

 

[-SyN-]

Leaky: You have to consider who I am asking this question for ---->My 2 kids in college! The last thing they are going to be thinking about on those very cold mornings to class, is letting the car or truck sit there and idle for a couple minutes before taking off. She's like my wife and only knows 1 speed pedal to the floor and then slam on the breaks 20ft from the stop light.
My son on the other hand installed a remote start on his F150 so he can start his from inside his apartment & let it warm up for a bit.

I am trying to talk her into using the shuttle during the winter months and just let her car sit until she is done with classes for that day. That way she is in not such a rush to jump in start and drive.

My common sense tells me to use 0W-30 in her Edge & 0W-40 in his 5.4L 3V. M1 just might get my business this winter.
His 5.4L he claims is much quieter & smoother while running the 0W-40 compared to the 30wt I have in there now. He has ask me to switch back anyhow.

Thanks Tig for your reply!

 

[LeakySeals]

Understand.. 2 kids in college will never check their oil.. "dad its me.. there is a rapping noise"...

Joking..

You know the engines. If they are tight, sure, why not..

 

[FZ1]

Stay with what you are running now. Trouble is when your kids are away at school and the oil starts leaking out of the engine. Don't change oils....the motors are not leaking.