How cold for 5/30 oil?

[therion]

quote:

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Originally posted by haley10:
Most top brand 10W-XX should be fine to zero F.

What is recommended and what do you have in there now??

Did you have a slow start or something???

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Well depends it is synthetic or not. A petroluem 10W-30 starts to harden even at about 25*F. A good synthetic 10W-30 will still be good down to about 5*F with original fluidity. The wax crystals in regular oil cause the winter abilities to drop alot. Synthetics naturally have better cold start properties.

But if at all possible, try to use a 5W or lower becuase you can only benefit from it even if you will never see temperatures belowe 0*F. Shear stability isn't really a big issue with synthetics anyway.

So i guess my real question is what kind of oil are you using??

 

[pacem]

I am using some kind of 10/30.
After thinking about it more, I think I will keep using 10/30 because the EA82 engine keeps either consuming or leaking oil (likely the latter).

I buy whatever is on sale at Walmart. The last time I think I used SuperTech, but now I will use something else, even though I cannot tell any difference.

The engine knocks when it is cold but it is not really an oil issue.

 

[haley10]

pacem, put you some Castrol GTX, Pennzoil, or Havoline in that darn thing in 5-30 or 10-30 and quit using junk!!

 

[tweeker43]

i have a 2002 impreza 2.5rs and i'm running synthetic. when it's cold out and i start up to leave work my car sounds like a diesel for a couple minutes. that's with a blend of leftover mobil1 0w-30 and 10w-30 (roughly 50-50). i have little to no consumption and i'm running 7500 mile oci.

the subies tend to burn or weep a little oil once you get into the 75000 mile range or so. maybe a high mileage oil could help you out.

 

[icruse]

quote:

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Originally posted by pacem:
It was 20-22F this morning, does that justify 5/30 weight oil in Subaru 1.8L engine?

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pacem,
It has been sub zero up here in Minnesota for a month now (-24 F below zero this morning), and 5W30 Pennzoil (regular oil) has been starting both cars (one in unheated garage, one outside) just fine, no problems.
10W30 SL oil will work with no problems in those temps you have mentioned.
Now a weak battery is a different story.

Good Day,
Steven

 

[heyjay]

It doesn't sound like you're hitting the limit of a regular 10W-30 at your temps.

I have a hard time finding test specs so I'll quote the Esso products, since they appear willing to publish all the data.

For some reason Mobil has stopped publishing detailed test specs. Maybe they have something to hide?? Anyway, I saved the Mobil HTML from Feb 22 of 2003, and they still listed SuperSyn specs.

Esso Protec Extra, something you'd probably find at a Wally World or a service station in Canada, has the following test specs:

CCS viscosity at -25 C:
Esso Protec 10W-30 6,490 Poise
Esso Protec 5W-30 3,000 Poise
Mobil 1 SS 10W-30 3,848 Poise
Mobil 1 SS 5W-30 3,600
note: M1 5W-30 at -30 C for CCS

MRV viscosity at -35 C:
Esso Protec 10W-30 60,900 cP
Esso Protec 5W-30 25,000 cP
Mobil 1 SS 5W-30 12,700 cP

MRV BPT:
Esso Protec 10W-30 -35 C
Esso Protec 5W-30 -39 C
Mobil 1 SS 10W-30 -41 C
Mobil 1 SS 5W-30 -46 C

It sounds like you have a mechanical issue if there are knocking noises at +20 F

Jerry

 

[pacem]

It was 20-22F this morning, does that justify 5/30 weight oil in Subaru 1.8L engine?

 

[haley10]

Most top brand 10W-XX should be fine to zero F.

What is recommended and what do you have in there now??

Did you have a slow start or something???

 

[MNgopher]

10w30 is perfectly fine to around 0 F. Yes, it will be thicker than it is at warmer temps.

I've been using 5w30 oils since 1988 here in Minnesota. I have had no problems starting cars down to -30F using these oils, no block heater either. I've gone colder with a block heater or heated garage, but thats another story.

Honestly, at least 60% of the cars on the road around here use whatever the lube place puts in, and 90% of the time, its a dino 5 or 10w30. The vast majority start and run fine in sub-zero weather.

Not saying a 0w30 couldn't do better - just pointing out what really happens...

 

[heyjay]

quote:

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Originally posted by haley10:
Maybe not. When you buy some of these store brand oils at 80 cents a quart, you never know. This could be part of the Coastal formulation that had cold start problems.

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Good point!

Wally World probably made a mistake in labeling and it's actually a 20W-50. Hey, you never know with this "low bidder" Brand X stuff.

Jerry

 

[JohnBrowning]

I bought a quart of oil at Walmart 10W30 Tech2000. When I was pouring it into the car it seemed thicker then it should be and smelled like gear lube! IT had a strong sulfur smell. THe fluid was a clear pale yellow. I only need a half quart so I did not sweat it.

I left the wifes buick a half quart low on purpose so I could easily detect if the coolant was seeping into the block. SO I just need to top it off. I have to admit that oil that smells like gear lube and pours thicker then a 10W30 should is a bit unsettleing!!

 

[TC]

Per their spec sheets, Borderline Pumping Pressure for Pennzoil and Citgo conventional oils are -31F (5w-30) and -22F (10w-30), and of course these numbers as well as the Pour Point characteristics start degrading from the moment you pour it in the crankcase. Other brands of dino will show similar numbers. By definition, you should be using the 5w-30 right now instead of your usual 10w-30.

Many owner's manuals list 0 degrees F as the cut-off point for 10w-30: 5w-30 is commonly indicated for temps colder than that.

 

[heyjay]

quote:

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Originally posted by JohnBrowning:
I bought a quart of oil at Walmart 10W30 Tech2000. When I was pouring it into the car it seemed thicker then it should be and smelled like gear lube! IT had a strong sulfur smell. THe fluid was a clear pale yellow. I only need a half quart so I did not sweat it.

I left the wifes buick a half quart low on purpose so I could easily detect if the coolant was seeping into the block. SO I just need to top it off. I have to admit that oil that smells like gear lube and pours thicker then a 10W30 should is a bit unsettleing!!

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Geez! You never know, right?

Like I said, my sniffer never did work right. I know that gear oil is supposed to have a very strong and distinct smell. If that's what Wally World 10W-30 smells like, I'd worry.

Jerry

 

[heyjay]

According to published MRV data, at -30 F you're starting to push what a regular 5W-30 can do. At -40 F, you've exceeded maximum allowable MRV of 60,000cP and could have problems with oil pressure or lack of oil flow.

With my GMC Sierra and Vortec 5.3, it makes clattering noises running a regular 5W-30 at -10 F. With Mobil 1 0W-30, no noise at -40 F

So in winter here in Canada I'd use Mobil 1 0W-30. If not available, I'd use Esso XD-3 0W-30, which is a heavy duty diesel engine oil.

This fellow was worried about using a 10W-30 in a Subaru motor at +20 F. Honestly, I don't think even a regular 10W-30 would give problems at that temp. More likely, he has a mechanical problem.

Jerry

 

[haley10]

Maybe not. When you buy some of these store brand oils at 80 cents a quart, you never know. This could be part of the Coastal formulation that had cold start problems.

 

[John in the ATL]

quote:

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Originally posted by haley10:
pacem, put you some Castrol GTX, Pennzoil, or Havoline in that darn thing in 5-30 or 10-30 and quit using junk!!

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I agree with haley10 on this one. Since you buy your oil at WalMart, why not get the Chevron Supreme xw-30 for $1.09? Great oil for a great price. If that is not available in your area, grab the Havoline which is almost itentical to the Chevron.

 

[tweeker43]

quote:

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Originally posted by tweeker43:
i have a 2002 impreza 2.5rs and i'm running synthetic. when it's cold out and i start up to leave work my car sounds like a diesel for a couple minutes. that's with a blend of leftover mobil1 0w-30 and 10w-30 (roughly 50-50). i have little to no consumption and i'm running 7500 mile oci.

the subies tend to burn or weep a little oil once you get into the 75000 mile range or so. maybe a high mileage oil could help you out.

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well, i'm about 1000 miles from the scheduled oil change and i bought a case of oil (m1 5W-30). so, i check my dipstick last night and it's a bit low. it took 2/3 of a quart to fill it up, so i guess i do have a little consumption going on. i'm pretty sure that i haven't checked my level for a couple of months (yeah, shame!)

since i had to add that much oil, i may pull a sample and wait for the results before i change at 7500 miles. if it looks good i'll try 10,000.

 

[Santo Fontana]

I put 10w30 Exxon superflow in my sisters taurus
(had to get rid of it somewhere). Shes up in Vermont, and tells me it starts right up with no unusual noises. I have trained her to be somewhat observant

Also all subarus sound like diesels on cold starts, but I must say that amsoil ASL quietet my starts way down in my wrx.