Rotella SAE 40 in the 70's. It was free from the Diesel shop I worked at.
Thickest or thinnest oil you have used in winter
- Thread starter 53' Stude
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20W-50 year round here, although it only gets below freezing maybe 4 or 5 nights in a winter, so it's no big deal.
I used red line 10w30 a long time ago in the winter. Back when O'Reilly's had their five quarts of oil and a filter for $20 special I used either the house brand or if they did the promo with Pennzoil synthetic in 10W30 with a quart of hyperlube .
I used 0w-20 redline which according to the data sheet at the time had a cold flow of -76.
I used 0w-20 redline which according to the data sheet at the time had a cold flow of -76.
Shel_B
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Straight gear oil in my 1960 Rambler American wagon just before pulling the engine and replacing it with one from a wrecking yard. As you might imagine, the engine was toast, and the gear oil helped get it to the shop where I had use of a lift.
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I used 10w30 (mostly) and 5w30 (occasionally) in my daily driver muscle cars "back in the day" for hard winter use (some -35F days where I grew up). By the mid 80's my cars were becoming collector / rare / special cars so I didn't drive them in the winter anymore. I used 5w30 in my regular driver vehicles year round until the 0's started consistently appearing at reasonable prices in stores then switched to 0w30. The current regular use vehicle I drive calls for a 0w20 which I am more than happy to use.
Run QS HM 10w40 with a bottle of Moly EP in my C1500 5.7l year round in PA. Think it works out to about a ~60weight. No issues pops right to start, I do let it idle in the winter for about 5min before driving but I do that for all my vehicles though.
Jackson_Slugger
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A 20W-50 in my old Mercury Tracer (didn't end well) and 0W-20 in most things lately...
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Maine winter... Mobil1 15w50 SOHC chain 3.0V6.... no issues. Cranked and started just fine.
That’s a fine car. Always liked Ramblers. I haven’t saw a 2dr wagon but this one is sweet
Shel_B
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I have very fond memories of that car. Traveled all over California with it and slept in the back when I camped. It never let me down. I had the old Flathead six engine with about 90 horsepower and a three-speed column shift transmission.That’s a fine car. Always liked Ramblers. I haven’t saw a 2dr wagon but this one is sweet
20w50 in new england in early 80s vw rabbit
I di
d see a 68’ Rambler 2dr post over summer at car show.
Sure it does - you just have to be prepared.
I grew up on the farm in Saskatchewan and it was not uncommon to use 15w40 over winter, in gas and diesel engines. When the elevator called and had space for grain delivery, you had to do it whether it was warm or -40C with strong winds. Oil choices were much more minimal in those days.
If you've had a motor plugged in for a few hours when it's -40C you can generally get it going without much issue....particularly if it is inside (in an unheated shelter or building). For small motors we would use 5w30 and just do our best to warm them up in any way possible. Nowadays we'd likely use a 0w40 or 0w30 over winter, depending on the motor.....but it was quite possible to use the thicker oils back then.
The first car I ever heard about making >100k in its first year, supposedly without major problems, was a 1960 American. Same block, bore, and stroke as AMC's OHV I-6 engine, for which they claimed significantly more power.
I used mostly 10W-40 year-round, pre-Prius. Probably never tried starting below -10°F.
Exxon Super Flow 10W30 back in the late 80s for winter in my 72 Pontiac Grad Prix. Now 0W20 in Acura in signature.
IIRC, the owner's manual for my '63 Bonneville specified a SAE20W for "normal" use (I usually ran SAE30). One Montana winter, I use SAE10W. This stuff poured out of the cans like water - glug,glug,glug....empty.
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