Synthetic vs Conv...Cold weather

[Dr. T]

ekpolk, maybe that was engine knock that you were hearing (eg. poor fuel)....the 0W would have been flowing to all parts within seconds....

 

[Clement]

Funny, I've never had a problem with either 5w-30 or 10w-30 in any weather with any of my vehicles. This winter it got down to around 20+ below F (around 40 below with wind chill) and I never had a problem with plain old Valvoline 5w-30 in my little Hyundai.

 

[ekpolk]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dr. T:
ekpolk, maybe that was engine knock that you were hearing (eg. poor fuel)....the 0W would have been flowing to all parts within seconds....

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Thanks for the feedback. It may well have been something other than the oil, but I doubt it was bad gas, for two reasons. First, it was on a tank of 93 octane that showed no other signs of bad quality. Second, the Toyota 1MZ V-6 is designed to run on either premium or regular. The owner's manual says 87 is perfectly OK, but premium is "recommended for improved performance". I've tried a couple tanks of 87 just to see, and while it is slower, it runs fine (no knock). So, that gas would have had to be really, really bad to trigger knock. I had just figured that while the oil certainly was flowing (it started immediately and smoothly), perhaps it was just a little too cold to flow sufficiently way up in the valve train. Any other ideas?

 

[TooSlick]

This engine uses solid, "bucket" type lifters, with shims to adjust the valve clearances. The cam lobe to lifter clearance is at a maximum when the engine is cold and is gradually reduced as the metal heats up and expands. Your engine has four cams and 24 valves and that's a lot of metal knocking around....

If you look on the inside of the hood, there is a small label with the specified intake/exhaust valve clearances. I've always wondered how these engines are set up from the factory, since my '95 Tacoma was always noisy on cold mornings, even with the Synergyn 0w-20 synthetic.

 

[rcy]

quote:

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Originally posted by Patman:

quote:

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Originally posted by oilyriser:

It may pour at -49, but 5w30 is 5w30, synthetic or
not. Without block heaters, 0w30 rules!

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There must be a word for someone like me then, who uses both 0w30 and a block heater (even when it's 32F, although it was -9F this morning!)

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Got you beat - GC 0W30, block heater, and I park in my garage (unheated mind you, but warmer than the driveway).

 

[pepper32]

n8wvi, I have a Katz 75watt oil pan pad. I use red high temp rtv silicon to glue it in place. 75 watt is recommended for gas and 150 for diesels.

 

[TallPaul]

I have a Wolverine 250 watt oil pan pad.