5W-50 Too Heavy for Winter?

[LaszloToth]

Put Castrol EDGE 5W-50 in my WRX for the winter, but is it suitable for the winter?

It's a Gord Bush Performance built motor with 4032 alloy forged pistons in bore-matched holes with it's first 6 thousand km on it.

They said to run multigrade 40W oil in it in general, and consider multigrade 50W in the hot summer months if I track it. Was running 15W-40 in the summer and now 5W-50 for the winter.

Any issue with this multigrade choice? It's parked in an indoor garage at my building in Toronto most evenings.

 

[901Memphis]

Sounds like you want a 0w40, but also sounds like the 5w50 is already in the sump.

 

[dave1251]

Just do not try to set the record for cold start to red line under load in January and you will be fine.

 

[Clevy]

Yes. Way too heavy for winter. You want a turbo approved 30 grade in the winter months. Something that meets the Honda turbo spec would be fine.
Summertime I'd use a euro spec 40 grade and if oil temps exceed 280f for any significant length of time you may consider a 50 grade.
The 5w-50 you've got in there now is going to shear thinner in a hurry I suspect. I wouldn't be shooting for any type of extended interval with it.

I've head and subscribe to running a grade thinner in winter,this is the first I've heard of going thicker.

 

[Clevy]

Wait

You've got indoor parking,as in heated?
If so oil choice is less critical. You'll only be cold starting when you park outside which I will assume is going to be a small percentage or the time.
If you go places it takes roughly 4 hours to freeze the entire car,so as long as you are driving the vehicle and not shut off long you'll be fine.
Heated garage.
Niiiiiiiiiiiiiiice

 

[901Memphis]

+1 on driving easy until it's warm.

Your average 5w50 is going to be much thicker at all temperatures than a 5w40.

 

[Cristobal]

It depends on what cold climate there is. Above 5 degrees F. it should be fine anywhere.

 

[Nick1994]

I don't see the need for a 50 weight oil. I'd use Mobil 1 0w40

 

[Apollo14]

I guess if 5w50 was appropriate for winter, you'd be using 10w60 in summer.

 

[JAG]

Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I don't see the need for a 50 weight oil. I'd use Mobil 1 0w40

+1

 

[Shannow]

The 5W is the ability for the stuff to move from the sump on a cold start...as long as your ambient is above -20C give or take, it will pump about as well as any other 5W (as an aside, I've had phials of 5W20 syn, 5W30 syn (GF5, and C3),5W30 dino, and M1 5W50 in my freezer at -19 to -20C.

They all flow to the other end of the phial about the same rate when knocked over (the dino a little worse)...they will all pump at -20C.

But it's far from optimum in just about any engine to have the 50 grade...unless you are tracking it (as per your builder's advice).

I also go for M1 0W40, Delvac 1 5W40 depending on how cold it really does get.

(BTW, 25W70 is the thickest I ran in Winter, down to -7, about as close to it's design as possible...nothing blew up (the point of running it was to demonstrate to BITOG at the time that it wouldn't)...but I wasted a lot of fuel that winter.)

 

[Bandito440]

If your engine builder calls for xw-40 or -50, then 0w-40 would be my first choice for winter use. What you've got in there is fine though. Just don't hammer on it if it's parked outside in the cold.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Where'd you get Syntec 5W50 in a jug?? Canadian packaging only?

 

[brandini]

Don't ask us, get an oil pressure gauge and test it!

 

[Garak]

The Delvac 1 ESP 5w-40 would probably be among the best deals, given his location. M1 0w-40 will be close to twice the cost, unfortunately, as will TDT.

 

[A_Harman]

Originally Posted By: JAG
Originally Posted By: Nick1994
I don't see the need for a 50 weight oil. I'd use Mobil 1 0w40

+1

+2

 

[gregk24]

Why so thick? I would use M1 0w40.

 

[gfh77665]

1) It will shear down somewhat before the dead of winter really sets in.
2) Its still a "5w-" and most importantly
3) Garaged and heated?

You got it made in the shade, friend.

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Are the engines really that poorly put together that they have to run a 50 grade oil?

 

[datech]

It would probably be fine on 5w30, or 0w20, unless he really races it. Maybe he does.