Thinnest 5w30 Synthetic for Winter

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Since winter here in Iowa gets up to -20 degrees (Fahrenheit). I defiantly want a 5w30 for winter and 10w30 for summer. I think my next change will be August, and that will go into winter with my 8K OCI. Any suggestions?
 
Any 5w30 synthetic should work just fine. I've personally used PP, M1 and Synpower 5w30 in the winter months and have had no complaints. Start ups are always quiet and smooth. Oil was used in my previous truck, 2000 S10 4x4 with the 4.3 engine.
 
If you're that concerned with cold-start pumpability, why not use a 0w-30? Is this for the 04 F-150? Better yet, a 5w-20 or 0w-20.
 
It is for the F150. 0w30 is to thin for me (I'm weird, I know) And a 20 wt is out of the question. I am leaning towards PP 5w30 and a Purolator Pure One. Is that good?
 
Originally Posted By: renegade_987
It is for the F150. 0w30 is to thin for me (I'm weird, I know) And a 20 wt is out of the question. I am leaning towards PP 5w30 and a Purolator Pure One. Is that good?

0w30 and straight30 are the same at operating temps., and the 0w oils are 10x thicker cold than a 30w hot. If your engine is approved for a 10w30, then a 5w30 or 0w30 can also be used.
 
Originally Posted By: renegade_987
It is for the F150. 0w30 is to thin for me (I'm weird, I know) And a 20 wt is out of the question. I am leaning towards PP 5w30 and a Purolator Pure One. Is that good?


Some 0W30 are thicker at 40C, 100C and 150C than PP 5W30. Why exactly is the fact a 0W cranks and pump easier at subzero temps a bad thing?

PS some 5W20 is thicker at temps over 200C than PP 5W30 also.
 
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M1 0-30 would be my advise for year round. You mentioned 10-30 for summer use. Well that's what we did in the 60s. The 0-30 would give you outstanding service.
 
Originally Posted By: exranger06
If you're that concerned with cold-start pumpability, why not use a 0w-30? Is this for the 04 F-150? Better yet, a 5w-20 or 0w-20.


Agree....with the a 5w20 or 0w20 for winter use...or even year round use....Mobil M-1 or PP....would be a good choice.
Isn't 5w20... what your F-150 is spected for?

Like the PureOne filter as well.
_____________________________________________
03' Ford Focus (2.3L Duratec PZEV) / 98,500
PP 5w20 / Purolator PureOne / OCI: 8,000 +/-
 
Does the 0w30 have as much protection as sat a 5w or 10w? My dad said it has no viscosity so it is not as good. Is that true??
 
I would use what the engine maker specs. 5w20.

If you insist on useing a 30 weight, 0w30 is great for cold weather.

It is not "thinner" than 5w30 nor 10w30 at operating temp. It is slightly lighter during a "cold" start. Where a lighter weight is wanted so it is more easily pumped and get throughout the engine, slightly quicker, during extreme cold start ups.
 
Originally Posted By: renegade_987
Does the 0w30 have as much protection as sat a 5w or 10w? My dad said it has no viscosity so it is not as good. Is that true??


Your dad, like so many others, are missinformed. It's not his fault though. Oil weights are hard to understand. Took me quite a while to understand what it all means!!


A 0w30 is the same exact weight oil as a 10w30. Except, if you put 0w30 and 10w30 in a freezer, the 0w30 will remain more "liquid" than the 10w30.

Both oils are 30 weights.
 
Originally Posted By: rg200amp
Originally Posted By: renegade_987
Does the 0w30 have as much protection as sat a 5w or 10w? My dad said it has no viscosity so it is not as good. Is that true??


Your dad, like so many others, are missinformed. It's not his fault though. Oil weights are hard to understand. Took me quite a while to understand what it all means!!


A 0w30 is the same exact weight oil as a 10w30. Except, if you put 0w30 and 10w30 in a freezer, the 0w30 will remain more "liquid" than the 10w30.

Both oils are 30 weights.


Great to know, Ill have to let him know. I just looked at my notes and realized my next change will be in about 2 weeks, not August. Will either use PP 5w30 or AFE 0w30, whichever is cheaper. Thanks so much for your help, I appreciate it
 
Sometimes it helps not think of it as oil getting thin as it warms, but rather how thick it gets when it cools. 0w-30 in the extreme colds, should be thinner than a 5w-30. So at operating temps, they're the same 30 weight oil, but as they cool one gets thicker than the other.

I don't want to sway you one way or another on brands, but I used M1 0w-30 for the past couple of years b/c I scored a good deal on it at the time so that's the one I've looked at more closely when people post info about a 0w oil. Check out the UOA section for M1 0w-30 test results, even in areas of extreme cold it performs way better then just "adequate".

Again, don't mean to sway you on a specific brand, so let me add this. I recently switched to Valvoline (saving my last 0w-30 oil change for the winter), and the engine is slightly quieter and slightly smoother at high RPMs than it was with M1. But that may be a placebo, or may be a characteristic of the oil, either way I have no reason to doubt that the M1 was protecting my engine just fine.
 
Originally Posted By: addyguy
QSUD syn 5W-30 has good winter cranking numbers.


+1 This stuff has always seemed thin and economical so you really cannot go wrong with it. Good oil at a great price!
 
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PP will be a little cheaper, and is good stuff.
I saw no difference in a cold start last winter on a -10F morning between our '99 Accord on M1 0W-30, our Impreza and '97 Accord on PP 5W-30 and our Forester on GC.
I think you'd be fine with either oil.
Incidentally, the only reason I use 10W-30 at all is that you can sometimes pick it up dirt cheap, so two cars are on it now.
The Forester will get FAR VR1 10W-30 for its next change, in a couple of weeks.
 
Go over to youtube and type in motor oil cold and ck out the videos. These guys are testing flows at -40 nest stuff to see what flows at that temp. Most of it is in Russian but you will get the drift real fast....
 
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