One more: Is 10W30 still fine for cold winter?

[91344George]

Originally Posted By: 45ACP
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
in the 70's 10w40 was very common


And in the 'eighties, I used 10W-40 in everything, and never had problems with either cold weather starting or engine wear.
I also changed it every 3K, which might have been appropriate for the oils of the time, but would now be absurd for most users.


I want to express this thought as my own, down to every word, as exactly what i would have typed.

+1 and +1 again.


Also agreed. 10w40 is a great alternative for those of us that live in warmer climates in the southern parts of the USA.

The side benefit is that is usually has extra ZDDP compared to the weights below this as it never carries the energy conserving starburst from API.

 

[CATERHAM]

Originally Posted By: Keaunym
Well I said the heck with it and put M1 0W30 in yesterday. So far so good, engine starts great cold and runs great hot. I have my log with receipts, even photos of the odometer at oil change. I plan on switching back to 10W30 when I move to a warmer climate, and if I had to explain why I used 0W30 this once, I believe I would be justified in saying it was cold as heck that's why.

Another option to what I've already suggested, this summer simply top up with a quart of M1 0W-40. This will give you a 0W-30 oil somewhat heavier at operating temp's than M1 5W-30 and their 10W-30 while maintaining excellent cold start performance.

If you don't mind the higher cost of synthetic oils there isn't a technical reason to use an antiquated 10w-30 under any circumstances.

 

[Maxima97]

Dino 10W-40 has starting viscocity higher than 10W-30 and more polymor. So unless your manual suggest using it, better stay with 10W30. in 80 and 90's 10W30 is the default oil. Now it is the 5W30. Stop/Go fuel economy and cold protection are better then 10W40. In winter, 5W30 dino or 0W30 syn may be a better choice.

 

[JimPghPA]

Also, check the oil level every 1K miles.

 

[steve20]

Originally Posted By: 91344George
Originally Posted By: 45ACP
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
Originally Posted By: crazyoildude
in the 70's 10w40 was very common


And in the 'eighties, I used 10W-40 in everything, and never had problems with either cold weather starting or engine wear.
I also changed it every 3K, which might have been appropriate for the oils of the time, but would now be absurd for most users.


I want to express this thought as my own, down to every word, as exactly what i would have typed.

+1 and +1 again.


Also agreed. 10w40 is a great alternative for those of us that live in warmer climates in the southern parts of the USA.

The side benefit is that is usually has extra ZDDP compared to the weights below this as it never carries the energy conserving starburst from API.


another AGREE---but I haven't touched a bottle of 10-40 in at least 10 years 5-30 is as heavy as I go in vehicles

 

[45ACP]

Originally Posted By: steve20
Originally Posted By: 91344George
Originally Posted By: 45ACP
Originally Posted By: fdcg27
in the 70's 10w40 was very common

And in the 'eighties, I used 10W-40 in everything, and never had problems with either cold weather starting or engine wear.
I also changed it every 3K, which might have been appropriate for the oils of the time, but would now be absurd for most users.


I want to express this thought as my own, down to every word, as exactly what i would have typed.

+1 and +1 again.


Also agreed. 10w40 is a great alternative for those of us that live in warmer climates in the southern parts of the USA.

The side benefit is that is usually has extra ZDDP compared to the weights below this as it never carries the energy conserving starburst from API.


another AGREE---but I haven't touched a bottle of 10-40 in at least 10 years 5-30 is as heavy as I go in vehicles


+1 AGAIN!!!

Man, we all need to have a drink about all this agreement.

Its that darned new oil. it makes 5W-x0 fine for most everything!! (Though i may have a 0W oil obsession.)

Still cant figure out when a 0W is not as good as[/b[ a 5W for cold start application. Something about "how thick the oil is overall?"

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: 45ACP
Still cant figure out when a 0W is not as good as a 5W for cold start application. Something about "how thick the oil is overall?"


CATERHAM will have to clarify this, but my understanding is that it depends upon what temperature one is doing the cold starts. If it's a cold start at approximately the temperatures the 5w and 0w part of the 30 weight multigrades are tested for MRV, then the 0w will win every time. However, the 0w may not perform as well at somewhat higher cold start temperatures (I don't know, say zero Celsius). I don't know if that relates to the HTHS or what. Like I said, CATERHAM could undoubtedly straighten this out for us.

If I'm starting outside at -40, the odds are that every resource conserving 0w-30 will "crank" better than every resource conserving 5w-30. That may not apply at a cold start that isn't approaching the MRV ratings for the grades in question.

 

[Doog]

Mobil1 10w30 pour point is -42F
Mobil1 0w30 pour point is -50F

I would use the 10w30 if that is what the manufacturer recommends. Unless I was in Alaska.

 

[Garak]

Well, pour point only tells us so much, and a ridiculously low pour point is more indication of high PAO content than any actual cold weather performance. The MRV is more important with respect to actual cold cranking in really cold weather.

I do agree, however, to use what's specified, unless one is actually in such a frigid climate that it really matters. Heck, we haven't even hit -40 C once this winter. Of course, now that I said it, we'll suffer for it.

 

[OVERKILL]

Originally Posted By: Doog
Mobil1 10w30 pour point is -42F
Mobil1 0w30 pour point is -50F

I would use the 10w30 if that is what the manufacturer recommends. Unless I was in Alaska.


But I am willing to bet that the MRV is several orders of magnitude higher on the 10w30.

 

[Climb14er]

I used 10W-30 Mobil 1 synthetic in the hard Colorado mountain winters for many years in my previous Toyota 4 x 4 pickup.

10W-30 was the factory fill.

Never had any problems starting the truck even when parked outside in minus 25* temps.

Did not want to go to 5W-30 synthetic because the engine was ticking rather 'loud' when I switched to the synthetic from dino oil at 42K. Maybe it was Mobil 1? Who knows?

It probably would have been louder with the 5W-30 Mobil 1 synthetic.

In the heat of the desert, the 10W-30 performed equally as well.

Bottom line: I used what the factory recommended and the engine ran perfectly to 150K miles when I sold it and I hear it's still running fine.