Yes, blue99, that is by far the best explanation that I have ever read on BITOG, Time to bookmark this thread for future use.quote:
No specifications exist as to what the temperature/viscosity curve does between these two temperatures.
Since both have high VI indexes(which is really the slope or rate of change of the temperature/viscosity curve), both are getting thicker at similar rates as the temperatures get colder.
It simply takes GC awhile to catch up to the M1 5W-30 & pass it up and be thinner on the way to the -35C final temp!
Sorry for the long post, but that's the short answers to your questions.[/QB]
What is the Coldest you've used GC?
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As a Canadian
I had a few starts at -10f. 30 valve V6. It was smooth, seemed like good flow.
I started using GC during the summer of 04, being a then-recent BITOG recruit. My primary motivation was the great UOA, and the fact that when hot, it's a thicker 30 wt oil.
Then came the brutal winter of 04-05. Yep, we really have it bad down here on the Gulf Coast. On a few occasions, temps even dropped down to the high 20s. I had to go out, put a sweater on, and lay sheets over the palms. But no matter how cold it got, my car still fired right up with the GC.
Just having fun, my point is that the GC is great oil, and that while I think it will function just fine as a 0w oil, personally, I think its real strength is in its hot performance.
Then came the brutal winter of 04-05. Yep, we really have it bad down here on the Gulf Coast. On a few occasions, temps even dropped down to the high 20s. I had to go out, put a sweater on, and lay sheets over the palms. But no matter how cold it got, my car still fired right up with the GC.
Just having fun, my point is that the GC is great oil, and that while I think it will function just fine as a 0w oil, personally, I think its real strength is in its hot performance.
I agree with you on the hot weather performance.
I posted last year how my Ford work vehicles
(F-150, F-250, 4.0L Aerostars) loved GC during summer. How the oil just seemed to eat up the heat (operated in Southern Cal desert during summer)in temps over 110 degrees
Trouble is I went through most of my stash and only has about 24 qt's left.
I now have it in my 05 Explorer now.
(F-150, F-250, 4.0L Aerostars) loved GC during summer. How the oil just seemed to eat up the heat (operated in Southern Cal desert during summer)in temps over 110 degrees
Trouble is I went through most of my stash and only has about 24 qt's left.
I now have it in my 05 Explorer now.
-3F is the lowest temp.
This thread has been very enlightening. Still have some questions about GC use in the winter. How thick is too thick for winter start ups? Ugly3 stated that GC was much thicker than Citgo 5w30 at 10F. In addition the viscosity chart shows GC to be thicker than M1 5W30, 0W20, 0W30 at cold temps. What are some opinions about the appropriateness of GC's viscosity for cold starts where average temps will be in the teens to 30's with occasional dips down to single digits? I'm just wondering if it would be better to use an oil with a thinner viscosity at my typical winter temp range? Do most of the GC advocates use it year round?
I think I might take the cake on the GC cold test so far. Last winter it was just about as low as -40F (however, with block heater and oil pan heater on). Unassisted without the block heater or oil pan heater on, and sitting for about 6 hours, the lowest temp the car was started was about -15F. Using the block and pan heater, it fires up pretty well, even at -30F. At -15F, it's fine too, just doesn't sound quite as happy.
I have Mobil 1 0W20 in this winter, so we'll see how it does once it gets really cold. So far, it really hasn't been that cold (-5F), so I can't tell you how it will compare yet to GC.
Cheers,
Mike
I have Mobil 1 0W20 in this winter, so we'll see how it does once it gets really cold. So far, it really hasn't been that cold (-5F), so I can't tell you how it will compare yet to GC.
Cheers,
Mike
Thanks Mike, this thread has given me some good information.
Bump, because it is January now!
I wonder what it would be like at -40 Celsius hehehe...
I'm guessing it would be surprizingly similar.
I bought a stash of GC but looking at that chart, I sure like the "hot" performance of M1 OW-40 a bit better, and my UOA on it in my 1999 SVT Contour (2.5 HO V6) looked great.
http://vorlon.cwru.edu/~dors/oil/contour.jpg
There's GC in there now, I guess we'll see which does better.
http://vorlon.cwru.edu/~dors/oil/contour.jpg
There's GC in there now, I guess we'll see which does better.
12F
My coldest oil start up temp with GC has been 37F on my trip to Indiana for Christmas.
I just added the oil temp guage last fall and missed the brutal 20 degree days in the winter of 04-05 here in Houston.
Here in Houston, the lowest oil temp at startup has been around 60F.
I just added the oil temp guage last fall and missed the brutal 20 degree days in the winter of 04-05 here in Houston.
Here in Houston, the lowest oil temp at startup has been around 60F.
I was up in northern NH awhile back and the temp was -38F one morning. Started right up! 
Wow, PaJohn got us beat.
The lowest temp my former A4 got started with GC in it (SLX LongTec actually) was at about -30C (-22F). However, I don't know how well it started since I wasn't there to witness it.
The lowest temp my former A4 got started with GC in it (SLX LongTec actually) was at about -30C (-22F). However, I don't know how well it started since I wasn't there to witness it.
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