best winter oil?

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What is better for cold weather starting - Pour point, or ccs? Pennzoil has pour point of -45f and ccs of -6300 (5w-30), and Mobil dino is pour at -39f and ccs of 5500. Wouldn't Mobil dino be a better choice in cold weather? We get -25f some nights in Minnesota.
 
Jon,
You must be in southern part of the state, it gets more like -40 F up here in the upper part of the state.
Yes, in the two that you compare the Mobil mineral oil has a little better cold starting property (but not that much).
If you have and use a block heater then that is good way to overcome the cold problem (or if you have a heated garage).

Good Day,
Steven
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Or go with full synth's such as http://www.amsoil.com/products/asl.html that has a -60F pour point and a BPT of -40F. or http://www.schaefferoil.com/data/156.html with BPT of -45F.

For my mom-in-law's car, a V6 Olds, we trickle charge the battery though a quick disconnect cable and connector, so when she needs to go to town, the battery is hot and the engine fires up on command.

However, she has a lot more sense than a lot of people. When the temp goes down below -10F, she stays at home.
 
Icruse,

You can't get a better dino pour point that that, with present technology. Make me wonder though if they don't have some PAO in there somewhere to lower the pour point.
 
Some 5W30's do have a touch of PAO in them. Hint, Hint. I'm in Wausau, due East of Minneapolis. Get's just as cold here and my car sets in the driveway. I use 5W30 Pennzoil dino oil and have no problems starting anytime I want to go.
 
Can a Dino oil go down to -25f (i am in Mpls)? I do park in a garage (heated), but it seems when i go to my parents at Christmas, it is always -20f to -35f. They are in central MN. I am using Valvoline dino now. But i feel this is not good winter oil. I only put on 2000 miles in 4 months, so synthetic doesn't seem logical. This vehicle sits for days on end sometimes.
 
Jon,
If its mineral oil that you want to stay with and are concerned about the cold crank ability then I would suggest that you look at either Pennzoil 5W30 or the Havoline (Chevron Brand, NOT Equilon, it comes in the bottles with the small cap, not the large one, Target up here sells the Havoline Chevron brand).
These two oils have a pour pont of -45 and -44 F.
The Valvoline 5W30 is -39 C.
Unless we have a really hard colder than the last few winters these oils should get you through okay.

Steven
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I went out last night planning to buy Pennzoil for the next three months (1500-2000 miles). Walmart was all out of the 10w-30, so i went with Havoline 10w-30. I just switched from Valvoline. Is it ok to switch brands much? I would like to try Pennzoil thru the winter, which would be a switch again. Or should i stick with Havoline?
Edit- by the way,

-i have used Havoline and when i dump my drain pan with old oil, there is what looks like sand in the bottom of the drain pan.

-When i used Castrol, i would get very small metal flakes.

-When i drained out my Valvoline the drain pan was clean. Whay is this? Any comments?

[ July 30, 2002, 08:25 AM: Message edited by: JonS ]
 
quote:

Originally posted by Johnny:
Some 5W30's do have a touch of PAO in them. Hint, Hint.

Johnny--If you can't talk about it so be it...
but what is all the secrecy about? The marketing
of oil leaves some important performance specs
to the imagination and now I have to guess what is in the oil?

A little frustrating.
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I know its not your fault, and thanks for your insight
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Also, I appreciate your candor about OTC blends.
My hunch is that a blend will have a
little PAO or Group III and lots of Group I.
Regular Dino may be all Group II or II+.

The big secret may be that SL Dino is equal to most blends!

Jon S -- I've seen the specs of "sand?!" before too but have not seen them in a couple of years.
 
jjbula: Sorry, did not mean to be secret. Just having some fun with Molakule. It is a fact though that our 5W20 and 5W30 has a small amount of PAO in them to help with the pour point. Most blends today, especially with the SL spec are a mixture of Group II and Group III base stocks. Except Schaeffer's.
 
JonS,
"i have used Havoline and when i dump my drain pan with old oil, there is what looks like sand in the bottom of the drain pan."

I have a feeling what you're seeing is casting sand from the manufacturing process. Should have disappeared by now, probably any small sand was captured by your filter.

Anyway, Johnny knows how I love to chase these formulation/additive rainbows.
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quote:

Originally posted by MolaKule:
Johnny knows how I love to chase these formulation/additive rainbows.
grin.gif
biggthumbcoffe.gif


Maybe I should enjoy the "thrill of the chase" more.
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I've been looking for the right time to post that gay little hamster
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I can't find the thread but someone asked about the best cold (really cold) weather oil. My recommendation would be Amsoil (ASL) 5w-30. Unless they have changed the formulation recently for the money it would be my choice if I was an Eskimo or how do you say "NEWFI", PATMAN ?

Their 0w-30 should be the better but I think it is really a 40w once you put a few miles on it.

The 5w-30 will pump and pour more easily, IMHO.

Maybe Bob can address the pumpability of the Schaeffers 100% PAO 5w-30 vs. cost against the Amsoil ASL.
 
The new Amsoil formulations may not be better than the current M1 but when we were testing cold pump/crank etc.they were.
For the cost the Amsoil ASL product blew EVERYONE away. It also showed lower wear rates once at operating temp.
 
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