Which engine oil causes the smoothest cold starts? Would it be better using a very quick flowing oil like the German Castrol 0W-30 (assuming you could find it) or would it be better to use a thicker oil (in the warmer months of the year) like maybe Castrol HM or Chevron Delo?
Which engine oil causes the smoothest cold starts?
- Thread starter Mystic
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Huh? For cold weather, you always want a thinner lower visc oil like a 0w or 5w. I think the new 0w-20 Mobil 1 would be a very good cold weather oil. And if engines havn't changed, you can run this oil in any engine that calls for a 30wt. oil.
Great flow on cold start-ups can be achieved with MOBIL1 0w-40, w/o sacrificing protection at hi temps/hard running.
Fred..
Fred..
Sounds like you have the "thicker is better" thing going....
0W, 5W, 10W depending where you live - synthetic preferred of course due to the lower pumpability temps. And that is the key, not hoping for some thick oil to be coating the parts waiting 15 minutes for your SAE 60 to start flowing
I like 0W-X for really cold places - but to tell you the truth even a GOOD true synthetic 15W or 20W-X will pump up pretty quick in places that don't get below, say 20-25°F. Like the coastal PNW. Don't try this with mineral 20W-50.
0W, 5W, 10W depending where you live - synthetic preferred of course due to the lower pumpability temps. And that is the key, not hoping for some thick oil to be coating the parts waiting 15 minutes for your SAE 60 to start flowing
I like 0W-X for really cold places - but to tell you the truth even a GOOD true synthetic 15W or 20W-X will pump up pretty quick in places that don't get below, say 20-25°F. Like the coastal PNW. Don't try this with mineral 20W-50.
Pablo is right, it depends on where you are. Patman is right, too: This gets confusing.
If I may, Mystic, I will re-phrase your question: What oil has the most stellar performance at -30 or -40? I read that the NEO stuff flows at temps way colder than that, and if it's better than the Redline 5W30 I have in, I'd like to know by what margin. Right now it's hot enough to think humidex advisory but in this thread I want to keep in mind what things will be like in the ickies of winter.
TIA
If I may, Mystic, I will re-phrase your question: What oil has the most stellar performance at -30 or -40? I read that the NEO stuff flows at temps way colder than that, and if it's better than the Redline 5W30 I have in, I'd like to know by what margin. Right now it's hot enough to think humidex advisory but in this thread I want to keep in mind what things will be like in the ickies of winter.
TIA
I'm intrigued, too. There are some hints that it's OK for warm, even hot temps.
I located where this came up about 11 months ago. MoleKule and VaderSS both agreed it was NOT for daily drivers (See http://theoildrop.server101.com/cgi/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=1&t=000313#000009 )
I'd rather worry about wear numbers when starting it at -30, than have permanent engine damage.
Patman
Staff member
It gets even more confusing when you look at the 40c viscosities of many of those oils, for instance the 0w40 Mobil 1 has a 40c viscosity of 83.5, compared to 53.7 for their 5w30. So in warmer temperatures their 5w30 would flow faster on your morning start than their 0w40 would! Only once it got much colder out would the 0w40 then flow much faster.
The Mobil 0W20 and NEO 0W-5 appear to be the best oils available for getting lubrication to critical engine parts the soonest, and have the advantage of the lowest viscosity spread of all the 0W's.
BTW, NEO says their 0W5 is their best selling motor oil, used by all kinds of people for a wide variety of applications, including heavy duty trucks!
Patman
Staff member
It has a 40c viscosity of 61.3, so it is still thinner than their 0w40 at that temperature. When it's hot out in the summer, your oil is going to be close to that 40c temperature very quickly after a cold start.
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