Should I switch to 5w30 for the winter?

[Gotrek]

I live in winnipeg Manitoba Canada and we get brutal winters (-40 degrees) I'm currently using Mobil1 10w30 in my dodge caravan (1999) and I'm extremely pleased with it, I noticed 5w30 and 10w30 are just as thin as one another when cold so should I switch to the light viscosity or just keep using 10w30?

[ September 16, 2003, 11:13 AM: Message edited by: Gotrek ]

 

[JonS]

I think you should go to the 5w-30. It has been tested at -30c vs. -25c for the 10w-30 for cold weather pumping.
Pure point is not a good indication of cold weather performance. Example - Havloine straight 40w pours at -30, but you would not pump it at that temperature.

 

[Patman]

As cold as it gets in Winnipeg, I'd go with 0w30 if I were you. 10w30 should not even be a consideration, it'll be too thick for those days when it hits -40 degrees.

If you put three bottles of oil outside overnight on one of those cold nights, a 0w30, 5w30 and 10w30, it would show you instantly which one you should be running.

Even with the 0w30, you should consider plugging in a block heater before heading out each morning too.

Just thinking about winter makes me depressed, I hope Toronto doesn't get many -25C mornings like we had last winter. Heck, for a few weeks straight it never even went above -10C during the day, even though the normal wintertime daytime high for Toronto is closer to 0C and the normal nighttime low is -10C!

Have I ever mentioned how much I despise winter?

 

[Gotrek]

I presonally love winter, but it's because I love snowmobiling and skiing/snowboarding, I could do without the 30 below temps though. I just want the snow

I always plug in my vehicle since it is parked outside on top of all things, is it too early now to switch to 0w30 I'm due for an oil change now.

 

[Patman]

It's never too early to go with 0w30. I've been running 0w30 in my Firebird since the end of August (and plan on running it all year round), and many other people on here run it all year round too. Amsoil 0w30 or German Castrol 0w30 can handle summer weather with no problems at all, especially since both of them are thicker at operating temperature than most 10w30s on the market, and both of them remain very stable and don't thin out as the miles get put on.

 

[quadrun1]

quote:

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Originally posted by Patman:
Just thinking about winter makes me depressed...

Have I ever mentioned how much I despise winter?

---

Seasonal Affective Disorder?? Time to move to California, Texas, or Florida, perhaps

 

[Gotrek]

What about using Mobil1's 0w30 is it good as well? I get it pretty cheap and really liked the way it's performing for me

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Gotrek:
What about using Mobil1's 0w30 is it good as well? I get it pretty cheap and really liked the way it's performing for me

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I didn't realize you could get 0w30 Mobil 1 out your way, since we don't have it anywhere in Ontario that I've seen.

I have seen a few decent Mobil 1 0w30 results on here, so it's worth a try, although it's not as thick at operating temp as the other two I mentioned.

Petro Canada also makes a 0w30 which is supposedly very good and is also a thicker 30wt, almost 40wt like Amsoil and GC. I'd like to see someone try out that PC 0w30 actually, to see how well it performs.

 

[rpn453]

Use 0W-30 for fall, winter, and early spring. The viscosity spread is not a problem in any weather you'll see with modern high-quality oils, such as M1.

 

[Gotrek]

Superstore stocks mobil1 0w30 through 10w40 as well as the Esso oils

It's on sal 20$ for a 4L jug

 

[Schmoe]

Wow. It get's that cold "up" there???? I would have to agree with quadrun, move south. I can't even imagine it being that cold. Although I did live in Germany for 5 years and it got cold. I also agree with the 0W-30 comments if it get's that cold. Better to have that much protection from cold winter mornings as opposed to not.

 

[Gotrek]

Winnipeg is great All this summer it was +40 degrees (104 farenheit) with a humidex pushing the temperature insto the 60's( 140 Farenheit) and now in winter we'll probably see at least one day at -40 (-40 farenheit) and at least one week with -35 degrees and thats without windchill usually with windchillwe'll see at least -70's I love living in the part of the world with one of the greatest temperature spread.

 

[Gotrek]

I couldn't get 0w30 for my discounted rate, but I did get 5 liters of Mobil 1 5w30 for 10$ canadian now thats a smoking deal, and theres a free t-shirt offer on the 4L jug

I also got a nice Napa Gold 1515 "Maximum Protection" oversized filter

that should be fine it lived through last winter with 5w30 and because of my recent marrital difficulties (seperation) I'm not sure how much longer I'll have the van (Actually I don't even have it now the EX does)

 

[Brons2]

quote:

---

Originally posted by quadrun1:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Patman:
Just thinking about winter makes me depressed...

Have I ever mentioned how much I despise winter?

---

Seasonal Affective Disorder?? Time to move to California, Texas, or Florida, perhaps

---

Summertime can be a downer here in Texas when it gets above 100 all the time. Some summers are much worse than others, in 2000 I think we had something like 50 days over 100, whereas this year we only had a few.

 

[buster]

quote:

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Capable of pumping at -58º F and pouring at -71º F (-50º C and -57º C),

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Mobil 1 0w-20 pours at 71F. If you can find that, I would use it in the winter if not 0w-30 is fine.

[ September 17, 2003, 05:10 PM: Message edited by: buster ]

 

[Ross]

I use 5w30 M1 in my 2000 caravan 3.3 year round down south of you (north dakota). I am very pleased with it, even in the dead of winter.

 

[Asmodeus]

Gotrek,

I'm in Montreal, and I put 0W30 in all my cars during the winter time. You never know when you might get that -50 Celcius night.

Brrrrrr. But that means I get to run the fireplace, and when i'm in my car, the seat warmers.

 

[pepper32]

I use Mobil1 5w30 in the winter, works for me.

 

[Patman]

quote:

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Originally posted by pepper32:
I use Mobil1 5w30 in the winter, works for me.

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I figured everyone in Alaska would use a 0w20 or 0w30 oil.

 

[Gotrek]

Thanks guys

Anyone buy one of those new napa gold filters that say "Maximum protection" on them any difference or is this still the same old napa Wix filter but rebadged?