Mobil 1 Classic 0W30: best cold weather oil?

Pour point: -65F. Out of character, Mobil even posted an MRV at -40F for this oil: 16200. Both numbers beat Ravenol SSO 0W-30 for a record low. This may be the best cold weather oil you can buy, especially if you need to meet a Ford specification: It is one of only three oils available in the US that “Meets or exceeds” Ford’s WSS-M2C963-A1 Spec. (the others are Mobil 1 AFE 0W30 and Castrol Edge 0W-30 DX). In comparison, Mobil 1 AFE 0W-30 currently claims only a -43F pour point, and Castrol 0W-30 DX only -42F.

 

[kschachn]

I have started a vehicle several times at -30F, and considering the amount of drama which ensued I really can’t imagine starting one unaided far below that temperature. You have no heater for this -40 start? Everyone here in the upper north has at least a block heater.

 

[KrisZ]

So we are in agreement then: it may not be a liquid any more at 1 degree below the point where it is still pumpable (MRV), since we "have no specifications for that" other than the Pour Point. And some companies report Pour Points that are extremely close to -40 where MRV is measured at.

I agree that MRV and CCS are much better than Pour Points, but they have problems when you are trying to select an oil for very low temperatures:

1. Some oil companies do not report them (e.g. Mobil AFE 0W30), while every oil company appears to report their product's Pour Point.
2. MRV is only measured for 0W oils at -40, and the even more important CCS at -31F, leaving it up to our imagination or experience as to what happens below those temperatures. The only data we have as to what happens below -40 is the Pour Point data. Attempting to extrapolate pumpability below -40 from MRV data assumes linearity, which may or may not be the case.

We are not in agreement at all. The oil is not turning solid guaranteed at -40f or -41f. Why are you stuck on the concept of oil freezing like water?

It was already explained to you that an oil with a low pour point may still fail to be pumped and harm your engine. It has nothing to do with the oil being a liquid or a solid.

 

[Alien]

It was already explained to you that an oil with a low pour point may still fail to be pumped and harm your engine. It has nothing to do with the oil being a liquid or a solid.

It never needed to be explained to me. As I mentioned earlier, I already knew that. I have never said anything to the contrary. We are actually in agreement. The only detail that you want to quibble about is whether an oil that is so cold that it cannot be poured or pumped is a still a liquid or not. What difference does it make? It is behaving like a solid. Whether it is properly defined as a liquid or a solid has nothing to do with the main topics of this thread. All of the issues, questions, and answers remain the same regardless of which definition you choose to use.

 

[KrisZ]

It never needed to be explained to me. As I mentioned earlier, I already knew that. I have never said anything to the contrary. We are actually in agreement. The only detail that you want to quibble about is whether an oil that is so cold that it cannot be poured or pumped is a still a liquid or not. What difference does it make? It is behaving like a solid. Whether it is properly defined as a liquid or a solid has nothing to do with the main topics of this thread. All of the issues, questions, and answers remain the same regardless of which definition you choose to use.

It’s not quibbling when you want to define things and be consistent in their application. It ensures people have a common understanding and don’t imagine hyperbolic scenarios in their head, like you did numerous times in this thread.

An oil will be pourable, which means it’s liquid, but fail to be sucked in by the oil pickup tube. That’s the main point.

So why focus so much on the pour point then?

 

[Alien]

It’s not quibbling when you want to define things and be consistent in their application. It ensures people have a common understanding and don’t imagine hyperbolic scenarios in their head, like you did numerous times in this thread.

An oil will be pourable, which means it’s liquid, but fail to be sucked in by the oil pickup tube. That’s the main point.

So why focus so much on the pour point then?

Have you actually bothered to read this thread? What about the article I posted?

 

[KrisZ]

Have you actually bothered to read this thread? What about the article I posted?

Do you mean the article about the CCV degradation in used oil?

 

[nate379]

Now, now. Coastal Alaskans are known to be pretenders. The record cold temp for Palmer, Alaska is -34 F. It you want cold, you need to drive over to Fairbanks.

View attachment 203645View attachment 203646

Fairbanks is 500 miles south of me.

 

[Alien]

I have started a vehicle several times at -30F, and considering the amount of drama which ensued I really can’t imagine starting one unaided far below that temperature. You have no heater for this -40 start? Everyone here in the upper north has at least a block heater.

I have started a number of times at -30F or below, without drama. But I am very careful about my fluids, battery, etc. My focus on using the right fluids is why I started this thread.

I have had block heaters and agree that they are the preferred solution. When I lived in MN I noticed that you could plug in almost everywhere. But that is not true in most of the other places that I go to. That is why I am interested in the best non-plugin solutions.

 

[Snagglefoot]

Fairbanks is 500 miles south of me.

Your tag says Palmer.

 

[nate379]

Your tag says Palmer.

View attachment 203704

Dunno what a tag is, but I'm in Prudhoe Bay

 

[Snagglefoot]

Dunno what a tag is, but I'm in Prudhoe Bay

Is your truck in Prudhoe or did you fly from Anchorage?

 

[gfh77665]

Fairbanks is 500 miles south of me.

I have been to Barrow, (Utqiagvik).

 

[tcp71]

 

[Yolo]

This guy is not afraid to pin it in -30C. Interesting how long it takes the oil to reach the valve train.

 

[nate379]

View attachment 203749

Weird, doesn't look anything like that for me.

 

[nate379]

Is your truck in Prudhoe or did you fly from Anchorage?

Have several trucks here

 

[tcp71]

Somewhere in your information on the site your location is Palmer.

 

[CarbonSteel]

This guy is not afraid to pin it in -30C. Interesting how long it takes the oil to reach the valve train.

What oil was used? I read the entire transcript and did not see a reference.

 

[CheezWhiz]

This thread is like the Deadliest Catch version of BITOG.

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Pour point: -65F. Out of character, Mobil even posted an MRV at -40F for this oil: 16200. Both numbers beat Ravenol SSO 0W-30 for a record low. This may be the best cold weather oil you can buy, especially if you need to meet a Ford specification: It is one of only three oils available in the US that “Meets or exceeds” Ford’s WSS-M2C963-A1 Spec. (the others are Mobil 1 AFE 0W30 and Castrol Edge 0W-30 DX). In comparison, Mobil 1 AFE 0W-30 currently claims only a -43F pour point, and Castrol 0W-30 DX only -42F.

HPL CK-4 0w30 Cold Climate has a pour point of -80*F. As wwillson has demonstrated, it is just fine for normal use.