Hope I did the right thing?

[like a rock]

After long pondering I purchased Penz. long life 15w-40 for year round use in my 5.7 liter v-8. I feel the advantages are the strong additive package, 12 tbn, the ability to hold formation of acids in the winter to a minimum

avalibility at Wallyworld, and the low pour point. -33 approx. pour point. I think the oil will flow well in the winter. This oil seems to flow better than other diesel oils I have researced. And yes the price 1.50 per quart or less compared to 3.00 plus for shell rotella synthetic. For my short trips and relative low miles between changes I could see no benefit to me using a synthetic oil now. What do you think? Good decision or a bad one? This oil seems like a good choice.

 

[sbc350gearhead]

Do you do alot of towing?

 

[like a rock]

Not towing but haul firewood and other heavy items.

 

[Ken2]

I'd use a 5W-30 in your WV winters.


Ken

 

[sbc350gearhead]

I live in columbus OH, and I would imagine that the climate is about the same as yours. I use 5w30 in the winter in the 5.7 in my 98 GMC.

 

[Jelly]

Like A Rock,

I'm currently using Delo 400 15w-40 in a 4.3L V-6 Chevy and have nothing but good things to say about it (great oil pressure, less consumption, great price, extended intervals, much enhanced cleaning, etc...). Notably, start-up's are just as quick as they were with Pennz. High Mileage 10w-30, but so far this is in above fifty degree conditions.

I don't know about your winters though...aren't you near the SnowShoe ski resort...it get's awful cold up there.

To my knowledge, it's the actual thickness at operational temps that determine how the cold-start up's go. Pour point just means you could safely run it down to about fifteen degrees above that point (so around -15F for Long-Life, Delo, and Delvac)

My suggestion...try it and see what happens. If your start-ups are brutal (and you battery can actually turn the engine over!!), consider going to a 5w-30 dino oil, or if you want to stay with HDEO's, consider investing a little and paying the $12/gallon for 5w-40 Rotella T Synthetic that you could run year 'round.

[ August 16, 2003, 10:32 PM: Message edited by: Jelly ]

 

[like a rock]

Hey Jelly- I am about 3 hours north of Snowshoe ski area. Petersburg is in the Potomac Valley-elevation about 800 ft. above sea level. The mountains around the valley will be up to 5000ft. above sea level. The coldest it may get in the valley is -10f in the mornings. Travel about 30 miles and the temperatures will be 15 degrees colder in the mountains. I am going to give it a try- but if the oil pressure does not come up quick and it turns over hard then back to 5w-30. I think it may be ok. but just have to see. Diesel oils seem to be refined better than regular oils. Ryan

 

[sub_zero]

I think a 15W40 grade is lo-tech. I may have to don the Nomex IIIA here but it really is true. The newer grades of 40 weight (5w40) would suit the manner in which 90% of us operate our vehicles.

I don't know too much about the 5.7L, I have a 5.3L, but modern engines are carefully made so lighter weights can be used. There are all sorts of questions to ask. But ultimatly low temperature pumpability and flow is paramout. I can't think of anything more important. 15W40 is a grade that's been around for a long time, it was necessary to give pumpability with long term 40 weight durability. it was defined by a long lost era. Their are much better grades to use if your after a 40 weight.

I use a 0w30 Heavy Duty Motor Oil with a 100°C viscosity of 12.1 cSt. I feel this is a great way to get cold pumpability with good protection. Most of the 'automotive' 0W30's seem to be around 10 cSt, I didn't think this was sufficient. 0w30, 5w40 are the product of newer technology, the oil researchers have always wanted to provide the lowest temperature pumpability with decent high temperature protection. I think 15w40 is antiquated and a poor choice if you need a low teperature pumpability.

 

[Steve S]

How about a 10w30 pennzoil or chevron supreme when it gets cold, at 29f 15w/40 seems to get thick to me.

 

[Al]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Ken2:
I'd use a 5W-30 in your WV winters.

Ken

---

I agree

 

[icruse]

like a rock,

Personally, I think you made a fine choice. I use to live in northern Virginia (D.C. area), and then in Culpeper near the Blue Ridge mountains from 83 to 87.
My car then was a 1981 Audi 4000 and my oil all year long, all the time, never NO PROBLEMS was Pennzoil GT 20W50.
But had to change things when I moved up to northern Minnesota; started using 10W40 Amsoil all year long with absolutely no problems. Of course I also installed and engine block heater; no matter how cold it is, when that had been plugged in for at least 4 hours, the car started like it was middle of July.
Again, IMHO, with the newer oils (especially dino) being SO MUCH BETTER, and from experience up here in Minnesota (never knew what winter was till I moved here), have not seen the need to keep changing from one weight to another, i.e. 5W30 to 10W30 (now 15W40 or 20W50 up here is another thing).
As I said I have used Amsoil 10W40 all year just fine, and in an 86 Cadillac 10W30 Mobil 1 all year (and the previous owner had always used 10W30 regular Valvoline all year).
The way I figure it anyway, when it hits around -40 f below zero, and colder, you know it's coming so get what you need before then, because if I do not have to, I am not going anywhere then anyhow.

Good Day,
Steven

 

[wtd]

I used 10W-30 Mobil 1 last winter here in Missouri with no problems. This was in my 98 Chevy 4x4 with 5.7L

Wayne

 

[userfriendly]

likearock;
You made some good suggestions from a price point and service life perspective.
I might lean toward 10W30 from Oct to March in your application, as some 15W40 engine oils produced in USA look more like 20W40s.
Cannuck lubricants are blended perhaps a little on the lighter side, making sure the cold flow numbers are well represented.
TBN levels may be a little overplayed on this board especially in gasoline applications. 12.5 in a gasoline engine should not be a selling point, but I don't think it hurts anything either????
Penz long life was CH-4 rated the last time I looked. Good enough for non-extended drain service or up to 5000 miles.
Sub-zero, It looks like you went with the Petro Cannuck 0W30. Perfect for Calgary when it can be -40C one day and +10C the next.
I have about 10 people converted to 5W40s in Calgary and one using 15W50 M1 in an air cooled Porche and a CI-4 15W40 in a summer only Diesel MB.
No pun intended, but I don't think that Petro Cannuck 0W30 is all that it is cracked-up to be.
Its a good extreme winter lubricant, but there is some consumption when used in hot weather or long highway trips.
HDMO 10W30s are my catch-all engine oils if I'm not sure of when the vehicle may be used next.
And....the price is right. Why? Because I'm not in a "who can run the oil the longest" contest or into spending money on UOAs.

 

[MolaKule]

FWIW,

My 4X4 92 Sub 5.7L has been running mostly Mobil 1 10W30 and has 277,000 miles on it, and engine has never been rebuilt nor opened up.

[ August 17, 2003, 09:05 PM: Message edited by: MolaKule ]

 

[White 03]

quote:

---

My 4X4 92 Sub 5.7L has been running mostly Mobil 1 10W30 and has 277,000 miles on it, and engine has never been rebuilt nor opened up.

---

MolaKule,

I hope I am not being too nosey but what mileage intervals do you change it at?

Thanks

 

[Jelly]

quote:

---

Originally posted by userfriendly:
likearock;
You made some good suggestions from a price point and service life perspective.
I might lean toward 10W30 from Oct to March in your application, as some 15W40 engine oils produced in USA look more like 20W40s.
Cannuck lubricants are blended perhaps a little on the lighter side, making sure the cold flow numbers are well represented.
TBN levels may be a little overplayed on this board especially in gasoline applications. 12.5 in a gasoline engine should not be a selling point, but I don't think it hurts anything either????
Penz long life was CH-4 rated the last time I looked. Good enough for non-extended drain service or up to 5000 miles.
Sub-zero, It looks like you went with the Petro Cannuck 0W30. Perfect for Calgary when it can be -40C one day and +10C the next.
I have about 10 people converted to 5W40s in Calgary and one using 15W50 M1 in an air cooled Porche and a CI-4 15W40 in a summer only Diesel MB.
No pun intended, but I don't think that Petro Cannuck 0W30 is all that it is cracked-up to be.
Its a good extreme winter lubricant, but there is some consumption when used in hot weather or long highway trips.
HDMO 10W30s are my catch-all engine oils if I'm not sure of when the vehicle may be used next.
And....the price is right. Why? Because I'm not in a "who can run the oil the longest" contest or into spending money on UOAs.

---

Not to start something up here, but I just wanted to correct you on a few points:

Out of the top three HDEO's sold in the U.S. (Delo, Delo, Rotella), both Delo and Delvac are more like 10w-40 oils, not 20w-40 oils...heck, they both pass 10w pumping requirements. Not saying to use them in winter though.

Pennz. Long Life is rated to the current CI-4/SL, and also pours at around -30F.

Lastly, and this is just my opinion, but (one example) when your running extended service intervals in a gas engine, I'll definitely take the much higher TBN of HDEO's over their "gas oil" counterparts.

 

[MolaKule]

quote:

---

MolaKule,

I hope I am not being too nosey but what mileage intervals do you change it at?

---

Not more than 5k miles, unless I am on vacation. One year we did a tour of the Southeast and I put 10,000 miles on Amsoil ATM 10W30. When the old formula Amsoil ATM 10W30 was more robust, I used Amsoil ATM in the summer and Mobil 1 10W30 in the winter, since the M1 was on the thinner side of a SAE 30 weight. I now use M1 almost exclusively. In the summer, I use the #132/LC brew in M1.

Now that may infer two things. Either the synthetic oils I have been using do an excellent job, or the drain intervals insure fresh and clean oil.

 

[userfriendly]

Jelly;
Its good Penz long life moved up to CI-4, that makes it an even better deal as old stock gets rotated out.
Typicals (specs) published by oil companies are just that. The story I heard was one of the big 15W40s was a little out of grade to the heavy side.
Not a big deal in warm climates, but a concern up here.
Tbn levels in gasoline engines?
I put that question up on the board a couple of months ago, and the thread died in an hour or two.
I agree with you on your TBN comment.
Better to have and not need it, than need it and not have it.

 

[Kernel Potter]

I did a Auto-RX interval with Delo 15w-40. I usually use 5w-30 or 10w-30 grades. Even though I was near the end of the interval with the Delo, I got caught with two cold days before I changed it. They were about in the 15F to 20F degree range.

I'll put it this way; at start-up the engine sounded horrible and I just hoped no damage was done. It doesn't seem like there was any, but needless to say the oil came out within a day or two of that second cold start. If Delo can pass as a 10w- XX oil, it's the worse "10w" I've ever used.

I'm not slamming the Delo. In fact I have a very favorable opinion of it. But from my experience I personally won't use it in an engine that sees frequent sub-freezing temps.

 

[userfriendly]

You guessed which one on the first try.