Best winter oils?

[Rolla07]

Looking for opinions on favorite winter oils for extreme cold starts. I know some oils, like Amsoil line has an extremely low pour point that is much better than PP/M1 & TGMO, is that relevant? Say -45 vs -65 (not sure if thats the #). What do you look for when choosing or what should I look for? Is pour point the most important or MRV? Is MRV and pour point directly correlated?Would appreciate someone to explain to me

thanks! I am looking to run a 0w20, but looking for best cold starting ability/fastest ability to get warm.

 

[motts]

Quaker State Ultimate Durability -47°
GC -60°german formula
Castrol Edge -35°

 

[dave123]

Amsoil better at extreme cold than Mobil 1 or PP no don't think so . Mobil 1 0W20 might top the list and for the money for sure.

 

[BobsArmory]

0w-20 oils
Mobil1 EP -54c
Redline -60c
PP & PU -48c
Amsoil -53c

 

[userfriendly]

If 0W20 doesn't do it for you, try blending in 20% Dexron VI for an instant "high Mileage" 0W16.

 

[tinmanSC]

Originally Posted By: userfriendly
If 0W20 doesn't do it for you, try blending in 20% Dexron VI for an instant "high Mileage" 0W16.

I can't tell if you are kidding or not about the dexron (not Dexron) VI..? Transfluid doesn't have much additive compared to motor oil. I'm confused.

 

[userfriendly]

Modern: Sorry, my typo Dexron is correct.
Curmudgeon: I've been spelling it wrong for over 60 years, and I'm not changing now.
What would a VOA of Dex 6 look like and what would a 20% blend of it in TGMO 0W20 end up looking like on the handy-dandy calculator?

 

[crazyoildude]

great to hear that Quaker State Ultimate Durability is good to go at -47 degrees because at that temperature i would freeze to death walking to my car in my driveway..\

GC according to you is good for -60 which is good to know just in case i have to pick up santa clause in the north pole this year..

 

[Shannow]

Can't tell much at all from the pour point other than the fact that it will get out of the bottle at those temperatures.

MRV is how readily the oil flows when cold to the pickup.
CCS is how easily the engine cranks when cold.

Not all manufacturers tell you that, but these are the parameters that you need to look at for a cold start.

As to which one gets you warm faster...that's the lowest VI oil you can get in the grade...thicker oil generates more heat.

 

[FastLane]

I've ran Mobil 1 5w30 to below -45C ambient. Thompson Manitoba. Engine was tight but Mobil 1 did its job. I've since prefer Mobil 1 0W30.

I think a good synthetic in winter is worth its weight in gold. So is a good battery. Thompson is Fords winter testing grounds. It's funny. The factory battery in the Ranger would start it in Thompson. Lol.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Looking for opinions on favorite winter oils for extreme cold starts. I know some oils, like Amsoil line has an extremely low pour point that is much better than PP/M1 & TGMO, is that relevant?

Pay attention to MRV over pour point. There are 15w40 HDEOs with pour points below -40. In any case, several Amsoil examples do have fine cold weather numbers. But, any 0w-XX should be more than sufficient for what you'll be facing.

 

[userfriendly]

They tell you to ignore the pour point, then show an illustration of chilled oil pouring out of inverted test tubes at different rates depending on their grade.

"See how the 0W30 is still fluid at -35C while the 15W40 hasn't dripped a drop?" So obviously fluidity and pour point at a given temperature have similar properties.

One would assume then, that fluidity, pour point and pumpability could all go hand in hand. If the oil can flow into the pump, then it should not be too viscous to pass the cold pumping W requirement for that temperature..

If the engine starts, the oil better pump. The cold cranking test may be the only W test needed, now that engine oils are de-waxed group IIs, IIIs and IVs. By using the doubling per 5C method, it appears that most multi-grade engine oils will pass pumping/flow MRV one or two grades below their cold cranking test. (W designation)

Oil ageing and contaminates in service can alter the fluidity of an engine oil, and it goes the opposite way from what some people think.

On paper it will look like the oil has sheared down to the next grade lower, and it has at KV100, but the W number may have gone up a grade. For example, 5W40 in October could become 10W30 by February, just in time for a cold snap.

 

[Shannow]

Originally Posted By: userfriendly
On paper it will look like the oil has sheared down to the next grade lower, and it has at KV100, but the W number may have gone up a grade.


Actually, that's ecxactly (LOL) the "stay in grade" requirement for a W grade.

Test it to the stated grade, and if it fails, test it at the next warmer grade...if it passes that, it's "in grade"

 

[Greasymechtech]

If its that cold, use an oil pan heater and coolant block heater.

 

[Kuato]

Originally Posted By: Greasymechtech
If its that cold, use an oil pan heater and coolant block heater.


That may be the best answer for those that will spend a lot of time below -20*C/-4*F (numbers chosen arbitrarily). Just choose the right oil and interval to handle your driving habits and plug it in when it gets really cold.

That said I agree with Garak - start with 0wxx - then make comparisons.