Oil for denver

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I'll be moving from Houston to Denver in December. Is 5w-30 still OK for Denver's winter climate? I drive a '96 accord w/ 129K miles. Posted a UOA recently. I'm leaning to Trop-Arctic or one of the HM oils because of a suggested front seal leak. Am doing a A-Rx cleaning as we speak. Any reccomendations?
 
5W-30 will be fine. I like full synthetics because I live in Vail and drive back and forth on the passes which means a lot of wide open throttle and extra stress on the cooling system, oil temps, and oil.

If you want to run a mineral oil , I'd look for the oils with the best base stocks [ like some group III ]and closest to being a synthetic blend.


Don't overlook getting four studless or studded snow tires. You'll need them going up the mountains, and Denver and the front range get hit hard with some storms.
 
Concur with the above comments. Many folks overlook the wisdom of driving with snow tires in the Winter. To me, it's just good insurance to have snow tires. All season tires just don't cut it IMHO.

Snow Tires $500 (last 4 years)
Replace Front end when you slide into a curb $1500

Not to mention waiting 2 hours for a tow truck!
 
Or- when it get's really bad, and you can't see more than 2 feet, you go back and forth accros the road, using the curb-hitting action at low speed to detect where the road actually is, lol.

(only do this in a vehicle that has the clearance, tire size, and strength to be hiting curbs with, hehe)

I've had to do this before, really bad blizzard last spring in colorado. creeping along in 1st gear. hehe
 
Yes. Denver is hard on cooling systems. Not oil. 5W-30 is probably perfect for an Accord, it really doesn't get all that cold. Maybe a few subzero mornings each winter.

- Glenn
 
Real life experience with 5W30. I used to work at Cheyenne Mountain (NORAD) (at 7000ft) on shift so my car would sit in the parking lot all night. I would get in the car after a mid shift around 0600 and never once did it fail to start right up. I attribute this to M1 5W30 oil in the crankcase.

The car was a 1992 Sable with the original battery. Time frame was 1997-1999.

BTW that was the same car that set in the parking lot during the Blizzard of 1997 while I was stuck inside Cheyenne Mountain for 40 hours because the city was closed. Upon departing to go home, I was able to make it home because I had snow tires, and passed 4x4's stuck in the snow with all season tires.

Still have the car; still starts right up; but I don't pull mid shifts anymore!
 
quote:

Originally posted by Doug C:
Concur with the above comments. Many folks overlook the wisdom of driving with snow tires in the Winter. To me, it's just good insurance to have snow tires. All season tires just don't cut it IMHO.

Snow Tires $500 (last 4 years)
Replace Front end when you slide into a curb $1500

Not to mention waiting 2 hours for a tow truck!


And the ability to dodge the fool getting his/her annual winter driving lesson sliding toward you in your lane....priceless.


Ken
 
quote:

Originally posted by glennc:
Yes. Denver is hard on cooling systems.
- Glenn


Very good point, as the high altitude means less air to actually cool things in the summer. Plus, the constant climbing up hills really stresses engines here.
 
Did you have the recall done for the front seal? I beleive there was a recall on an oil seal that can back out on the accord. Also I believe you get a free tune up on the car due to some emissions settlement with the government.

I had the same car, was a great car.
 
Yes, Had the free tune up done, plus they just replaced the exhaust manifold because they couldn't get the O2 sensor out. If they can change the front seal under warrenty, that would be great. I'll check with them tomorrow.

Looking into Blizzacks now for snow tires. thanks for the suggestions.
 
Drew99GT:

Very good point, as the high altitude means less air to actually cool things in the summer. Plus, the constant climbing up hills really stresses engines here.

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Indeed! I've not seen any section of highway in the country with as many disabled vehicles as I-70 up to Genesee on a hot day. You're climbing a couple thousand feet in just a few miles at prevailing 60-80mph speeds, so most traffic is at full- or near-full power, but cooling air is 20% thinner than at sea level and upper 90's temps. On a hot day you'll typically see maybe a half dozen at the side of the road with telltale coolant slicks underneath; some nearly new vehicles even.

On the other side you've got the truckers, brakes smoking like a pool hall.

- Glenn
 
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