Alaska cold: pan heater vs 0w20

Originally Posted by edyvw
Originally Posted by Iowegian
Originally Posted by eedyvw

Magnatec is step below Edge, or two steps below. If you go Castrol, go Edge.
Mobil1 EP 0W20 has hefty % of PAO, which would be better in cold. If I was about to live there, and needed these ILSAC-GF5 oils, I would go Mobil1 0W20 EP.
Redline is really good since it is Ester, and will do good in col. Pour point is irrelevant. Pour point is relevant to figure out base stock. Low pour point indicates synthetic base stocks. However, it really does not matter for starting purposes whether it is -76 or -60 or -50. Your oil will not use gravity to move. Oil pump will do that job. So, CCS and MRV performance is what matters to get picture which oil will do better.
However, there is no doubt that synthetic 0W20 oils will do job. I would be more concerned with heat, battery etc. Block heater is minimum and trickle charger for battery. Also, maybe bumping battery capacity.

Found this article to be very helpful.
https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/30447/combat-oil-gelation
If you know how I can get the gelation test on various oils, I would be greatful. Meanwhile, pour point is a legitimate test that I do have access to. On Edge vs Magnatec. Edge 0w20 pour point is -42°C vs the Magnatec -51°C is a significant difference. What I don't know is the curve of the viscosity. Does the Magnatec thickens up way early but then flattens out? That would make it a bad oil for extreme cold.

Red Line is some nice oil. But it would be cheaper to put on a heat pad....alot cheaper lol.

Again, pour point is legitimate test, it is there for a reason. But do not get stuck on that. I would go Edge any day over Magnatec in any environment, not to mention such harsh environment.
Though, when it comes to those ILSAC GF-5 oils, Mobil1 0W20 EP would be my choice.
Also, new Euro 0W20 oils have much more stringent approvals than these oils we are talking about. Obviously you are not looking cheapest, so oils such as BMW TPT 0W20 would be good choice, or anything that is MB229.71 approved.


Thank you for the tips.
I am looking at the MRV more closely now. At least for the brands that give them. Magnatec is 26,000 where Pennzoil is down to around 14,000.
I assume lower is better.
So, MRV is the ability of the oil to return to the pan. If oil does not return to the pan, the pump will just be pulling air....not good.
A block heater would definitely help with that. My OCD is kicking in.....
crazy2.gif

I used to own a Chevy Equinox (GDI 2.4l) with the oil burning issue. After the engine was fixed, it was still hard on the Pennzoil and it was shearing fast with fuel in it. Could not make it to the 5k mark. Before I dumped it, I tried Magnatec and the oil lasted till the 5k mark with out a problem. However I was not able to get an oil test done but I could tell the oil was not as thinned out. If memory serves me right, Edge was no different than the Pennzoil. Noticed the difference in my (now sold) Sienna as well.
So, hopefully you can see my hesitation on switching
 
Originally Posted by Iowegian
edyvw said:
Iowegian said:
Thank you for the tips.
I am looking at the MRV more closely now. At least for the brands that give them. Magnatec is 26,000 where Pennzoil is down to around 14,000.
I assume lower is better.
So, MRV is the ability of the oil to return to the pan. If oil does not return to the pan, the pump will just be pulling air....not good.
A block heater would definitely help with that. My OCD is kicking in.....
crazy2.gif

I used to own a Chevy Equinox (GDI 2.4l) with the oil burning issue. After the engine was fixed, it was still hard on the Pennzoil and it was shearing fast with fuel in it. Could not make it to the 5k mark. Before I dumped it, I tried Magnatec and the oil lasted till the 5k mark with out a problem. However I was not able to get an oil test done but I could tell the oil was not as thinned out. If memory serves me right, Edge was no different than the Pennzoil. Noticed the difference in my (now sold) Sienna as well.
So, hopefully you can see my hesitation on switching


I still own an oil-burning 2.4L AWD Equinox. It is hard on any oil, and I change it every 3K to 3500 miles. I'm currently running QSUD or the new Costco Kirkland synthetic in it for the quick 3K OCI's.
My Alaskan truck can go 4K to 6K-mile OCI's. It's dependent upon how much short-tripping is done during each interval and what time of the year it is. But anyway you look at it, Alaskan vehicles endure indefinite "severe" maintenance schedules.
It'll be the same with yours. Stay on top of them...
 
Correction on my part. The CCS is for the oil in the high shear environment of the gears etc of the engine. The MRV is the ability to pick up the oil by the pump.

Mobile1 does not seem to provide this information.
I will likely stick with Magnatec 5w20 in the spring and try Pennzoil Platinum 0w20 in the fall.

These are different engines and different oil weights. Neither are gdi. So won't hurt to try Pennzoil again. The numbers look much better than Castrol for extreme cold.
Not interested in paying the premiums of redline, amsoil, etc.

For my gear oil, however, i will be switching to the amsoil severe gear 75w90. For the change interval in the gears, think it is worth it.....especially if I don't bother to put heat pads on those.

Thanks to everyone who chimed in. I am still willing to read your opinions. Also, don't mind more discussions on cold temp oils.
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My friend Jesse lives in Nenana Alaska. He runs T6 5W40 with an engine block heater. Car is outside.

Volvo V70, 2.5T

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Originally Posted by Iowegian
Originally Posted by CT8

I am miserable when it gets below 60* F

I'm miserable when it gets above 80°

You're an Alaskan already!
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My dad has high blood pressure and stays in Wyoming during the summer as Kansas gets too hot and muggy for his liking. His rational is you can add more clothes when it gets cold out. However he came a few summers back and complained about the heat but forgot about it in Manhattan, KS looking at all the young ladies. I like the weather to be 28 degrees at night and 78 degrees in the daytime tops
 
Originally Posted by BrianF
Never had issues when it dips to -40 ambient with a properly working block heater, winter front and synthetic fluids.

I run a lot of locally made Co-op group 4 based products. Stupid low poor points and way cheaper than everyone else.

Never had shifting or driveline issues. Depending on your application, the most over looked fluid was power steering fluid. I had used amsoil atf but have been switching to Co-op atf SL which has like a -63 pour point. Made a huge difference with pump whine and the system puking fluid out.

If I had to do sustained -40 starts I would be running a trickle charger and or a battery blanket in tandem with the block heater.

One of my brothers worked in whitehorse, yellowknife, norman wells amongst others for many years. Block heater and battery blanket.


You said it Brian. By the way, here is the average temperature of Deltana, just down the road from Delta Junction. Deltana had 7 days of -40 weather during the winter of 2019/2020, but that's it. Routine? I don't think so. Here is the Weather Spark graph of the weather up there. Enjoy.



Deltana Avg Snips.JPG
 
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Ya -40 ambient sucks but out here when it's that cold its usually not windy and we get some sun during the day. When its -30 and -40 windchill, that's usually worse.

We only get a few of those really cold days. Its usually just the incessant wind chill out here.
 
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