Giving directions to my college daughter to school was pretty easy the first time; take I-75 over the big bridge, then drive one more hour. When you see the sign for toll at the Canadian border, exit right to Lake Superior State University. The Neon sits on a hill all winter with a nice view of Lake Superior. The wind whips over frozen Whitefish Bay (Edmund Fitzgerald sank there)right into the grill of the Neon. Extreme condition. Cold crank nightmare. She has a new battery in her '03 Neon, new ATF, coolant and plugs, 68,000 miles. Question is what oil is best for extreme cold, short trips and a 20 year-old mechanical zero? That Neon clanked in the cold on Mobil 1. The Valvoline Maxlife Synthetic 5w30 fixed the piston slap noise in cold weather. Problem is, I can't find Maxlife Synthetic 5w30 anywhere. I considered a 5w-20, but don't want the oil consumption (she never never checks oil). I'm thinking of Pennzoil Platinum 5w30. The test data from Amsoil shows a CCS Viscosity test result of 4020 CCS viscosity - best of test. Any suggestions?
Arctic Neon - Sault Ste. Marie Winter
- Thread starter hinterlander
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Just get a good 0W for out their. Amsoil, Mobil 1. Those engines clank in the cold no matter what you do. May not for a short while with one oil or another but seems to always creep in.
Or since you like Maxlife Synthetic just have an auto parts store order some.
Or since you like Maxlife Synthetic just have an auto parts store order some.
Hinterlander,
Check the Wal-Mart in the Soo, they'll probably have it. The quart bottles and the 5 quart jugs are all silver now instead of red with silver writing. That Wal-Mart is just off the 1st Sault Ste Marie exit off I75 on the left (North) side of the road.
Check the Wal-Mart in the Soo, they'll probably have it. The quart bottles and the 5 quart jugs are all silver now instead of red with silver writing. That Wal-Mart is just off the 1st Sault Ste Marie exit off I75 on the left (North) side of the road.
AutoZone has Mobil 1 0W40 and that is going to be about as good as it get's! My Mom is from Sault Ste. Marie Michigan.....Yep Dad married a Yuper..... I would over fill the sump by 1/4-1/2 a quart since she does not check and you will not see the car for a while...That little bit of over fill will not hurt anything.... In fact while I live in Mid Michigan I use a Sear's Craftsman Rideing Garden Tractor to clear my drive way.The thing has a hard time turning over at 40°F with Pennzoil Platinum 10W30 in it but turns over just fine at -20°F,-30°F with Mobil 1 0W40 in it. The problem with thing is that the battery box area is really small and all the battery's that fit it are small and weak... I have also ran various 5W40 and 0W40's here in MidMichigan dureing winter so I know how the Mobil 1 0W40 behaves!
Also usualy the injector's on modern car's make more noise then anything else until they warm up. So probably 1/2 that sound is the injector's as Neon's are not known for haveing a lot of sound deadening material under the hood or in the firewall and floor!
Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 is better in cold than Mobil 1 0w-30. My guess is that Pennzoil Platinum 5w-20 is next only to Mobil 1 0w-20 in cold-flow.
Auto Union my Garden Tractor sure wasnot impressed with PP10W30 adn it also had consumption issue's with PP and it has never had consuption issues before or since other then PP....That is why I wouldnot recomend PP since he is concerned with consumption...I have a ton PP from AAP BOGO sale so I am going to try it in my Camry no matter what since I have it but until I see how it does in car that does not have consuption issues I would never recomend it to someone with that concern...I stand by my Mobil 1 0W40 recomendation! He does not want to try a 20Wt. he mentioned that right off the bat!
A good 0Wsomething oil ought to crank fine in any climate. I hear they sell a 0W30 Rotella up there.
Have you *attempted* to teach your daughter the importance of checking her oil, antifreeze, etc? Maybe you could get her in the habit of checking the oil once the gas tank is full at the station. She's in college, so she's at least somewhat smart...
- Scott
Have you *attempted* to teach your daughter the importance of checking her oil, antifreeze, etc? Maybe you could get her in the habit of checking the oil once the gas tank is full at the station. She's in college, so she's at least somewhat smart...
- Scott
Where in Michigan are you located? I find MaxLife Synthetic at Wal-Mart all the time here in Grand Rapids. I'll actually be heading up that way, in the upper peninsula over to lake superior for thanksgiving to be with my girlfriend and her mom that lives up in Superior, Wisconsin (of Amsoil fame). Should be a fun road trip
I'm located in northern Oakland County - not nearly as cold here as in the YooP, but we do have a Walmart in Lapeer. Going to try to buy some Maxlife Synthetic today. If it's not available, going to go with the PP.
Pennzoil Platinum 5w30 pour point is only -39C, so there might be days when the car will be very hard to start. A 0w30 will work better. QS Winter blend 5w30 has a pour point of -45. Mobil 1 5w30 pours at -48, and their 0w30 goes down to -54.
Originally Posted By: hinterlander
I'm located in northern Oakland County - not nearly as cold here as in the YooP, but we do have a Walmart in Lapeer. Going to try to buy some Maxlife Synthetic today. If it's not available, going to go with the PP.
Ah okay that's more towards Detroit isn't it? I was gonna offer to pick you up some Maxlife synthetic from here, they have it everywhere here in Grand Rapids. But unfortunately Detroit area is really out of my way.
I'm located in northern Oakland County - not nearly as cold here as in the YooP, but we do have a Walmart in Lapeer. Going to try to buy some Maxlife Synthetic today. If it's not available, going to go with the PP.
Ah okay that's more towards Detroit isn't it? I was gonna offer to pick you up some Maxlife synthetic from here, they have it everywhere here in Grand Rapids. But unfortunately Detroit area is really out of my way.
ThirdeYe - Found it at Walmart. Best of all, it has gone down in price. $17.97 for five quarts. Appreciate the offer to pick it up in G.R. The red jug is now gray.
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