winter oil

[spasm3]

I run rotella t-6 during the summer when i tow with my avalanche. I usually change to 0-30 during the winter. In north carolina, it rarely gets below 10-15 degrees. Should i run the t-6 throught the winter? only put about 3000 miles a year on the avalanche. I have worried about the cold starts with t-6.

 

[IndyIan]

5W40 synthetic will be fine for you, 5W40 would be fine for me even and I get probably 20-30 mornings a year below 0F.

 

[suspiciousmind]

I'm runing T6 in my '90 miata and I see the oil pressure gauge going higher and higher in this cooler weather. I'm swithching to 5w/30, 0w/30, or 0w40 (haven't decided yet) this weekend for the winter.

The higher pressures indicate resistance to flow I believe....that's not a particularly good thing.

 

[gathermewool]

Where you live, where I live and most Canadians live for that matter, winter oil = summer oil

 

[Audi Junkie]

 

[justinf89]

T6 all the way.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Audi Junkie's chart always interests me because I can definitely hear and feel the difference between a 15w and a 5W when temperatures get below freezing, yet if you read the chart the 15W should be OK down to something like 15 degrees. Here in upstate NY I don't want anything heavier than 5W in my cars for the winter. Of course the T6 is a 5W-40, so I think you should be OK as long as the 40 part is fine for your engine.

 

[fdcg27]

It depends upon the maker and the era of manufacture.
For my old BMW, a 15W-40 is actually recommended for a bit below 0F. A 20W-50 is allowed down to about 14F.
Are these optimal grades with current oils?
No.
Will they work, and allow the engine to reach a long lifespan?
BMW apparently thought so.

 

[outoforder]

My manual doesn't say anything about winter oil vs. summer oil. 5w30 all day, every day.

 

[addyguy]

Absolutely run the T6 year-round. Won't be a problem at all.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: AuthorEditor
Audi Junkie's chart always interests me because I can definitely hear and feel the difference between a 15w and a 5W when temperatures get below freezing, yet if you read the chart the 15W should be OK down to something like 15 degrees. Here in upstate NY I don't want anything heavier than 5W in my cars for the winter. Of course the T6 is a 5W-40, so I think you should be OK as long as the 40 part is fine for your engine.


Our winters are cold mainly due to windchill, but absolute temps tend to remain within the 10W30 range (although they cut it very closely). Near and below freezing I still prefer a 5W30, and even though a 10W30 meets our temperature range, the 5W30 will definitely lubricate faster in our winter, and reduce cold start wear.

I'd even switch to a 0W30 if they weren't so hard to find here (maybe by next winter I'll have found it somewhere).

-Spyder

 

[Cyprs]

If you want to use "summer" oil and considering your warm climate compared to here. You can buy a $23.00 Kats Heat Pad (peel and stick) from Northern Tool, get a timer, put this 125 watt heat pad on timer for about 2 hours to 4 hours depending on outside temp. Easy install, oil is warm at start. I use heat pads in -45F and they work great, like summer start any time.

Cyprs