startup experience last night at 7 degrees

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: aquariuscsm
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
I think its funny that you guys think you are buying synthetics off the shelf in US of A! A real syn only make a noticable difference below -35C by reducing the cloud point and improved cold viscometrics. Good luck finding that 85% PAO cold syn these days other than Motul or Amsoil. Loo9k for MRV better (less) than 10K cP at respective multigrade 5w or 0w test temp.


I`m with you on this one Arco. Unless you`re getting a genuine PAO or ester based synthetic(RP,Amsoil,RL,Motul,etc),just go with the dino,since most "over the counter" synths are dinos anyway,right? I just don`t see how a "cleaned up" dino could protect any better than a regular high quality dino,especially where you`re seeing engines going 400,000+ miles on Pennzoil yb and Valvoline wb.


I have done the slosh test in my freezer at -2F with dino 5-30 and M1 5-30 and the latter was mush more fluid than the dino.

 

[nitehawk55]

As others mentioned 7o is not that cold and if it seemed to struggle to start I would be more concerned about the condition of the battery and/or starter or connections in between .

 

[lexus114]

Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
As others mentioned 7o is not that cold and if it seemed to struggle to start I would be more concerned about the condition of the battery and/or starter or connections in between .



Not that cold huh?? It`s cold enough for me brother!

 

[MaDMaXX]

A few have posted to this end, but the rest need to remember these two things, and they are separate from sluggish starting.


7f is *is* very cold, regardless of comment

Dino oil will lube at this temp.

But it will not flow the same as synth, not even close, and that is comparing same/similar viscosity/grades of oil.

Cold cranking is where all the damage is done, the quicker and easier the oil flows, the less damage is done.


That affect is increased with the extra cold conditions, i'll take a freer flowing oil any time.


Just think of the extra strain on the oil pump having to force extra thick syrup around at below freezing temps.

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
As others mentioned 7o is not that cold and if it seemed to struggle to start I would be more concerned about the condition of the battery and/or starter or connections in between .

Well you come over here and pull up a lawn chair i'll be watching you out my window see how long you last huh?

funniest thing i ever read..

 

[GhostFlame]

Originally Posted By: tig1
Originally Posted By: GhostFlame
5w-30 is good to -30 f. I think we worry too much. me included

Does -30 mean PP, or exceptable oil fow for start. The M1 video showed M1 5-30 pouring at -40, but that doesn't mean it was flowing through the engine very well. The synt blend wouldn,t flow at -40 at all. So again, I want every advantage to starting a cold engine. I agree there is too much fretting over oil.


Well, if we can't rely on the oil film from the previos start protecting the engine during an extreme cold start the we should all wait til spring to start our engines... SHHH the baby is sleeping.

5w-30 is reccomended to be used at -30 degrees by just about every oil company I checked out... In places like Alaska and nothern Canada temps drop to 30 to 40 below regularly. In those conditions I would use 0w-XX. I would feel comfortable as a clam using 5W at say minus 15f , which it will get to here occasionally. All my cars use 5W-20 ,30 or 40. I start them up and drive easy for a few miles. What else am I gonna do?

PS
I agree with the Synthetic idea I use Syns in 3 of my cars. What did they do on the Tundra prior to 1970s

 

[typ901]

Originally Posted By: GhostFlame
Originally Posted By: tig1

5w-30 is good to -30 f. I think we worry too much. me included

What did they do on the Tundra prior to 1970s


They left them running...

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: lexus114
Not that cold huh?? It`s cold enough for me brother!

It warmed up to 7 F the other day from -11 F and I thought it got tropical. We already hit -20 F, to boot.

Anyone who is having trouble starting at 7 F should worry about his oil last, unless he's running 20w-50 or something similarly absurd.

 

[nitehawk55]

Originally Posted By: daman
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
As others mentioned 7o is not that cold and if it seemed to struggle to start I would be more concerned about the condition of the battery and/or starter or connections in between .

Well you come over here and pull up a lawn chair i'll be watching you out my window see how long you last huh?

funniest thing i ever read..


No trying to be funny , sure thick oil and cold will cause slower cranking but if it's to the point at that temp that it is struggling to start then I would be looking for other issues as I stated . I am a mechanic by trade friend , I know a bit about these things , so pull up a chair and learn something .

 

[chuck wood]

Originally Posted By: Mark72
Would I have noticed much of a difference if I had synthetic oil and trans fluid in it?


With synthetic ATF in it at 7 degrees you wouldn't even know it was cold out.

 

[tmorris1]

Originally Posted By: daman
Originally Posted By: nitehawk55
As others mentioned 7o is not that cold and if it seemed to struggle to start I would be more concerned about the condition of the battery and/or starter or connections in between .

Well you come over here and pull up a lawn chair i'll be watching you out my window see how long you last huh?

funniest thing i ever read..

Ever been out ice fishing? 7F is a normal morning or evening start around here. Most people don't use synthetic either and any well maintained vehicle is gong to start just fine.

 

[Johnny]

Good lord, I have absolutely no where to go this morning, just setting here having a cup of coffee. After reading all this I just had to go start the wife's Honda to see what would happen. It is -5F outside right now and it fired right up. No moans, groans, hesitations, just fired right up. Now I'm back inside with my fresh cup of coffee and will stay here until I can see the sun.

Have a nice winter day.

 

[CharBaby]

In the early morning here on Lake Ontario, it's been about 9-11 deg F and our engines start right up without issue even if they turn over 1 or 2 more cycles(.5sec) to get started. All have new-ish battery's installed between 2008 and this year and 5W30 blend. They'll all act a bit different when the temps drop below zero.

 

[teddyboy]

You voluntarily live someplace where it is 7F at 9:00 PM?

 

[rslifkin]

My Jeep has been a hair slower to start in the single digits up in Rochester, but not bad. It's mostly the slightly lower cranking speed, and slower fuel vaporization from the injectors. If I bump the starter for no more than a 1/2 second to fire the injectors a couple of times, give it 15 - 20 seconds for the fuel to vaporize, then fire it up, it takes less than a second of cranking to fire. Otherwise, it takes around 2 - 3 seconds of cranking.

 

[Garak]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Good lord, I have absolutely no where to go this morning, just setting here having a cup of coffee. After reading all this I just had to go start the wife's Honda to see what would happen. It is -5F outside right now and it fired right up. No moans, groans, hesitations, just fired right up. Now I'm back inside with my fresh cup of coffee and will stay here until I can see the sun.

Have a nice winter day.


I agree. If 7F, or even -5F, were the lowest it got here all winter, winter oil choice would be the last thing on my mind, ever. I have a friend here whose van won't start if it falls below 32F, unless it's plugged in. Obviously, the 5w-30 he has in there is really the least of his worries.

 

[OVERKILL]

The only times the Expie cranked slow was with the 5w40 in it and it was -20, and that was fixed with 0w40. And of course when the battery decided it wanted to die last year. That was REALLY fun.

 

[Drew99GT]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
Good lord, I have absolutely no where to go this morning, just setting here having a cup of coffee. After reading all this I just had to go start the wife's Honda to see what would happen. It is -5F outside right now and it fired right up. No moans, groans, hesitations, just fired right up. Now I'm back inside with my fresh cup of coffee and will stay here until I can see the sun.

Have a nice winter day.


I vote this as the best post in this thread!

Guys, if you're having issues starting an engine at 7F with modern 5w-30 conventional oil, something other than the oil is wrong.

Even brand new batteries can have a somewhat lower charge from sitting on the rack at the auto parts store. Stick a charger on it and see what happens.

I had the same issue with my mom's Impala recently. Battery checked out fine, as did the charging system. I stuck my charger on it and it's starting much better at temps in the single digits. Oil is 5w-30 Durablend.

 

[pavelow]

Originally Posted By: Mark72
Car sat outside all day at a shop when I picked it up around 9pm. It was 7 degrees out, and that car was slow to start and the geers were so hard to shift. It's an automatic, but I couldnt beleive how tight everything was. Would I have noticed much of a difference if I had synthetic oil and trans fluid in it?
Synthetics *may* help a little, but dude, when it's cold, it's cold, no matter what kind of fluids, oil, lube or battery you use. As for the slow cranking, even the best batteries *may* crank slower than usual at single digit temps. I have a 1000cca in my Jeep and if left outside at work overnight in single digits or lower, it will most certainly crank a little slower than if it were even 30 outside. Totally normal.