Lowest Winter Temp You've Started a Vehicle?

[4wd]

What was the 10w40 and in a GDI engine ? Keep thinking those who are dropping out of grade from fuel diluted oil should look for a lower VII oil. Based on Merc making 25w40 with no VI - thinking a 10w40 or 15w40 is a practical compromise with more geographical coverage ...

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted By: 4WD
What was the 10w40 and in a GDI engine ? Keep thinking those who are dropping out of grade from fuel diluted oil should look for a lower VII oil. Based on Merc making 25w40 with no VI - thinking a 10w40 or 15w40 is a practical compromise with more geographical coverage ...

You referring to me?
No this was in 2003, in Opel Vectra B with 2.0 Cosworth designed engine. Oil was INA Sint (Croatian oil company). So not DI, and car was specd for 10W40 oils as it was made in 1998.

 

[4wd]

Yes - ok, thanks ...

 

[Jarlaxle]

My Caddy always had good heat quickly (no temp gauge)...my F350s were both a bit cold blooded, being diesels; I usually blocked the radiator with something, which helped a lot.

 

[Colt45ws]

-5F is my lowest. She hadn't completely cooled, so the engine was still 14F, but thats also the coldest. My previous record was 18F coolant.
Ive taken to doing what Shannow has posted about a few times; running in a lower gear to warm up. I run it in second for the first few minutes. This is about 3800RPM at 50MPH, which is most of my commute.
It makes a big difference. Engine is at thermostat temp halfway home instead of down the block from my house.
I run it in 2nd until its about 130F or so, then put it in Drive, but keep OD locked out until its about 160F.
The ford climate control turns the HVAC fan on at 130F, about medium speed, and if its still cold enough in the cabin when it hits 170F it goes full blast.

 

[oilpsi2high]

-15F in the White Mountains of NH.

 

[dnastrau]

Spent the winter of '86-'87 in Potsdam, NY. I anticipated the cold temps up there near the Canadian border and filled the crankcase of my '75 Chevy Chevelle 350 with Mobil 5w30 conventional - which was "thin" by the standards of many back then - myself included. My fellow college mates who didn't take my advice to switch to a thinner oil often had problems getting started. Two pumps on the accelerator and that 350 would start even below -30F ambient with little fuss other than a howling power steering pump for a bit. I would go back inside and have another cup of coffee before trying to drive it away. I had plenty of heat after a few miles too.

The worst day was the coldest that I remember there that winter. It was -36F ambient one Saturday and the 350 started OK, but when I closed the driver's side door, the rear window shattered into a million little pieces. I learned quickly that duct tape will not stick to sheet plastic and metal at that temperature. Driving around that weekend with no back glass was not fun.

Andrew S.