Cold flow here is overrated

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Indiana is not Wisconsin, and when it drops to -30F, cold flow is never overrated. It may well be the difference between starting, and [censored] around in sub-zero temps trying to start an engine. Synthetics perform much better in said conditions.
 
Originally Posted By: WillB
Cold flow is not over rated when it is -40, synthetics make starting easier. Even more so when block heaters are not used.



You'll find that the majority of BITOG folk preaching cold flow live south of the Ohio River. -40*F doesnt happen much.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: WillB
Cold flow is not over rated when it is -40, synthetics make starting easier. Even more so when block heaters are not used.



You'll find that the majority of BITOG folk preaching cold flow live south of the Ohio River. -40*F doesnt happen much.


Maybe so, but WHAT is a 0W-xx oil hurting even in 0*F to 40*F winter ambients???
 
higher volatility, lower basestock viscosity...and in 0W20, the potential for increased deposits (increased TEOST limits for that grade only, at the behest of the Japanese OEMs).

It moves different parts of the compromise that is oil formulation to somewhere else in the spectrum.
 
Originally Posted By: dailydriver
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: WillB
Cold flow is not over rated when it is -40, synthetics make starting easier. Even more so when block heaters are not used.



You'll find that the majority of BITOG folk preaching cold flow live south of the Ohio River. -40*F doesnt happen much.


Maybe so, but WHAT is a 0W-xx oil hurting even in 0*F to 40*F winter ambients???


I never said I was against 0w oils.
 
Originally Posted By: Shannow
higher volatility, lower basestock viscosity...and in 0W20, the potential for increased deposits (increased TEOST limits for that grade only, at the behest of the Japanese OEMs).

It moves different parts of the compromise that is oil formulation to somewhere else in the spectrum.


I'm not sure how the notion that 0WXX oil is the fate free chocolate of motor oils started, but it is completely wrong.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: WillB
Cold flow is not over rated when it is -40, synthetics make starting easier. Even more so when block heaters are not used.



You'll find that the majority of BITOG folk preaching cold flow live south of the Ohio River. -40*F doesnt happen much.


Yeah, and it is amazing the number of folks who confuse real temp with wind chill temp, which only affects exposed skin. Most areas of the Continental U.S. hardly ever see -30F let alone -40F. A few places, but very few. I travel the Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana areas all year round, and do the Dakota's occasionally. I never have any problem with start up issues with 15w40 in my semi engine. Now, due to leg pulling by my oil supplier, I will give 10w30 a shot this winter. But my pickup will never see anything more than 5w30. I have no interest is going with the 0wXX oils or even worrying about it.
 
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: WillB
Cold flow is not over rated when it is -40, synthetics make starting easier. Even more so when block heaters are not used.



You'll find that the majority of BITOG folk preaching cold flow live south of the Ohio River. -40*F doesnt happen much.


Yeah, and it is amazing the number of folks who confuse real temp with wind chill temp, which only affects exposed skin. Most areas of the Continental U.S. hardly ever see -30F let alone -40F. A few places, but very few. I travel the Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana areas all year round, and do the Dakota's occasionally. I never have any problem with start up issues with 15w40 in my semi engine. Now, due to leg pulling by my oil supplier, I will give 10w30 a shot this winter. But my pickup will never see anything more than 5w30. I have no interest is going with the 0wXX oils or even worrying about it.

Do you never have a true cold start? 15W40 has a pour point around -20F, so I don't think it would pump very well for quite a while with a few gallons of it sitting like toffee in the motor? Sure, a few starts won't cause huge damage, but its got to be hard on the starter and oil pump atleast and not something I would regularly do.
I've only done a couple starts with a sump full of 5W30 near its pour point temperature(-38C) and the motor sounded terrible for quite a while. The cars did live to a ripe old age, but I don't think they would with regular torture like that.
 
Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: TiredTrucker
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Originally Posted By: WillB
Cold flow is not over rated when it is -40, synthetics make starting easier. Even more so when block heaters are not used.



You'll find that the majority of BITOG folk preaching cold flow live south of the Ohio River. -40*F doesnt happen much.


Yeah, and it is amazing the number of folks who confuse real temp with wind chill temp, which only affects exposed skin. Most areas of the Continental U.S. hardly ever see -30F let alone -40F. A few places, but very few. I travel the Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana areas all year round, and do the Dakota's occasionally. I never have any problem with start up issues with 15w40 in my semi engine. Now, due to leg pulling by my oil supplier, I will give 10w30 a shot this winter. But my pickup will never see anything more than 5w30. I have no interest is going with the 0wXX oils or even worrying about it.

Do you never have a true cold start? 15W40 has a pour point around -20F, so I don't think it would pump very well for quite a while with a few gallons of it sitting like toffee in the motor? Sure, a few starts won't cause huge damage, but its got to be hard on the starter and oil pump atleast and not something I would regularly do.
I've only done a couple starts with a sump full of 5W30 near its pour point temperature(-38C) and the motor sounded terrible for quite a while. The cars did live to a ripe old age, but I don't think they would with regular torture like that.


He plugs in the truck so it doesn't matter anyways. I touched on this either earlier in this thread or another. Anything will work fine of it is pre-heated, LOL!
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL


He plugs in the truck so it doesn't matter anyways. I touched on this either earlier in this thread or another. Anything will work fine of it is pre-heated, LOL!


I've always wondered how much water jacket heaters warm the oil. I suspect not that much. So it could matter if a 10w or 15w oil is used.
 
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL


He plugs in the truck so it doesn't matter anyways. I touched on this either earlier in this thread or another. Anything will work fine of it is pre-heated, LOL!


I've always wondered how much water jacket heaters warm the oil. I suspect not that much. So it could matter if a 10w or 15w oil is used.



Originally Posted By: Tiredtrucker

And I lived in the interior of Alaska for 10 years. Never used anything other than a 5w30 in my personal stuff and never had any motor issues or failures. Granted, when it was averaging around -35F or lower, you can be sure that the block heater was plugged in, the oil pan heater was plugged in, and the battery blanket was plugged in. Never had any starting issues down to -72F, the lowest temp I ever experienced.


21.gif


And I am sure that warm coolant warms the oil. And would warm it more as soon as it was pumped into a warm block.

But hey, let me check that for you this winter with the Charger (the '06) since it measures oil temp and has block heater.
 
The oil is down in the pan. The water jacket is around 6" higher and heat rises. I guess there is some conduction to the pan thru the block and pan steel.
 
Originally Posted By: gallydif
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
On here at least, folks seem to preach that a 0w is needed for anything below freezing.


The one that I LOL at is that 0W is "better" in Florida

+1. I overheard someone say the other day they need to switch to synthetic because winter is coming. Meanwhile, this is miami. Now I can say I' ve heard it all
lol.gif
lol.gif

Maimi is the new south pole.
 
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
The oil is down in the pan. The water jacket is around 6" higher and heat rises. I guess there is some conduction to the pan thru the block and pan steel.

I hope you are kidding.
 
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL
Originally Posted By: turtlevette
Originally Posted By: OVERKILL


He plugs in the truck so it doesn't matter anyways. I touched on this either earlier in this thread or another. Anything will work fine of it is pre-heated, LOL!


I've always wondered how much water jacket heaters warm the oil. I suspect not that much. So it could matter if a 10w or 15w oil is used.



Originally Posted By: Tiredtrucker

And I lived in the interior of Alaska for 10 years. Never used anything other than a 5w30 in my personal stuff and never had any motor issues or failures. Granted, when it was averaging around -35F or lower, you can be sure that the block heater was plugged in, the oil pan heater was plugged in, and the battery blanket was plugged in. Never had any starting issues down to -72F, the lowest temp I ever experienced.


21.gif


And I am sure that warm coolant warms the oil. And would warm it more as soon as it was pumped into a warm block.

But hey, let me check that for you this winter with the Charger (the '06) since it measures oil temp and has block heater.



When I plug mine in the oil temp is significantly affected during winter.
I can't say for sure if the oil has its own mechanism as far as being heated or if it's just radiant from the block heater itself.
the difference was in the neighbourhood of 30c. So if it was -30c a,Binet the evic stated oil temp was 0.
But again I don't know if the heat is just a bi-product of the block heater.
 
I will say i wouldnt mind having a block heater.
smile.gif


My good friend had one in his Yoda.. It was on a timer and turned on a few hrs each day before he left work.
 
Originally Posted By: dlundblad
I will say i wouldnt mind having a block heater.
smile.gif


My good friend had one in his Yoda.. It was on a timer and turned on a few hrs each day before he left work.


The recirc type are the best and easily plumbed in to a coolant line. It heats the coolant so well it's blowing hot air almost instantly.
Negates the need for any real warm up for comfort. Just start and go.
Here in Sask we have shopping malls with posts and plugs in the parking lots so the consumers can plug in while they shop.
That gives you an idea just how cold it gets here.
 
Yeah -40°C or -40°F is quite cold Captain.
And has you well know.... Both of the above temps are the exact same
smile.gif

That is more than 28 degrees colder than its ever been here in my area of Va. The record LOW temp is yalls area has to be near or just below -55°F maybe a bit colder. Amazing to think about how that US/Canada highway was built in those conditions.
 
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