15w40 in winter?

[chevrofreak]

Originally Posted By: addyguy
The oil pan is attached to the block - it should warm up as well, if the heater is left on for a reasonable amount of time.


It's attached to the block with a gasket, which will insulate it. Plus most pans are steel, which is very poor at conducting heat. The oil temps will barely be affected.

 

[lipadj46]

If you do have an aluminum pan though, even a small oil pan heater works really well.

 

[D-Roc]

Originally Posted By: jmac
Real world experience trumps should be everytime.

From the very next topic in this forum:

It was -32C here this morning. The AME started coming through my BMK-11 about the same as it does at about a few degrees below 0C (unaided) I had my block heater plugged in and not my pan heater. So, the oil's going to be stone cold.
I once aimed a laser thermometer at the pan. The time I did that it was about 35 celsius most places on the engine, some colder than others. My pan was -22C.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1700978#Post1700978



Yeah the guy who posted that should have posted it in this forum...

It's probably what he meant to do, must have gotten some wires crossed. It IS cold out.

 

[Paul2007]

Lots of luck with the truck. I don't have the really low temps here so I use 1 gal. of M1 5W-40 and the remainder Delvac 15W-40 for my winter oil change.
Watch your back in the recruiting game. Never trust anyone that's a career 00E; they left the Army a long time ago and turned into Recruiting "mofo's". I still have the scars from my time as a USAR recruiter. Remember USAREC'S 2 rules of recruiter management.
RULE #1. The recruiter is always wrong.
RULE #2. If, after exhaustive research it is found that the recruiter is indeed not at fault; please see RULE# 1.

 

[TomB985]

Yeah, this is all completely new to me, so I'm gonna be pretty cautious for the first few months. I'm currently in the basic recruiter course in SC; I finish next week.

How long ago were you a recruiter?

Also, good to see that you've had success with mixing oil, I've never heard of anyone doing it until I came here. Thanks!

 

[CompSyn]

5W-40 Synthetic Diesel Oil is the way to go year round. It's proven for 1-to-3% increase in fuel economy and you may not need to use a block heater where the 15W-40 would have required one.

It's all here in this article: Does Syn Oil Lead to Salvation?

 

[TomB985]

CompSyn, thanks for posting that article!

I've read a bit about alleged MPG increases using synthetic oils, but this is the first I've heard of a real study.

BUT...assuming even a 3% MPG increase it's not enough to make up the difference in cost. It costs me $40 more to run synthetic each oil change.

Figure 15,000 miles a year, I'd spend an additional $120 in synthetic oil. Now assuming 13 MPG and 2.50/gal fuel prices I would burn roughly $2900 each year in fuel. Even at 3% I would save less than $90 in fuel over the course of the year. This would be different if I were to remove the DPF and extend my OCIs; the regen cycle diluting the fuel makes this unwise on a stock truck.

Heavy duty tractor-trailers use a 30,000 mile OCI would be a bit different. Assuming 6.5 MPG and a $100 price difference they'd acutually save quite a bit. 3% improvement here would mean they'd save $346 over the life of the oil!

 

[Greggy_D]

Tom....I assume you are in Northern Ohio? I would NOT run a 15w-40. You have many other BETTER choices.

 

[TomB985]

I live in the Columbus area. Not as cold as most, but it frequently gets below 20 degrees in the middle of winter.

I'll be finishing my course and heading back north this week. I'll likely change it before the end of the year with M1 TDT. As stated before, these things cost way to much to use the wrong kind of oil in cold weather.

Seriously, thanks for the replies everyone! Lots of great information here.

 

[Paul2007]

I was a USAR recruiter from 1989-93. From what I've seen in the news, it's still a challenge to make your mission. As much as it pains me to admit it, the marines and Air Force have a better idea. At that time, you could only stay two tours as a recruiter, then you had to return to the mainstream and make your chops in your career field. The Army and Navy were the only ones to have a CMF (Career Management Field) for recruiting/retention. Career 00E's are people I'd frag in half a heartbeat....still!!! Just keep your records straight, and remember; if you have a friend that's a 00E, you don't have a friend at all.

 

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted By: CompSyn
5W-40 Synthetic Diesel Oil is the way to go year round.



While I agree, for many vehicles, 15w-40 is acceptable for use down to near 0F.

 

[wtd]

My Girlfriend owns a 2003 F350 4x4 with the 6.0 diesel that she bought new. She has always used 10W-30 Motorcraft diesel oil year round and changes it every 5,000 miles. Truck only has 72,000 miles on it but still runs great and has never had any of the oil leaks these engines are famous for. We took it on a round country trip from MO to NY to pick up a car pulling a 18' flatbed car hauler trailer and then drove from NY to NC and then back to MO hauling the car on the trailor. Truck did not use any oil at all during this trip.

Wayne

 

[tr4petty]

I think Amsoil now has a 15w40 full synthetic. Wouldn't this be the best of both worlds? Heavy enough for towing and still have the synthetic cold flow properties? I've never used a synthetic. I've always used Mopar 15w40 HD diesel oil in CI-4+ in my Dodge/Cummins 5.9 with no problems but it's been unusually cold so far this winter (global warming????????) here in East TN so I've been considering maybe a switch to the Amsoil 15w40 synthetic for winter. Not yet though. THis morning it got down to about +8 degrees (brrrrrr).

 

[BobFout]

Amsoil has 2 synthetic 15w40s, and 1 semi-synthetic 15w40. They're good to about -20*F while dino 15w40 is good to 0*F.

CJ-4 15w40: http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/dme.aspx

CI-4+ 15w40: http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/ame.aspx

CI-4+ 15w40 semi-syn: http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/pco.aspx

 

[D-Roc]

Originally Posted By: tr4petty
I think Amsoil now has a 15w40 full synthetic. Wouldn't this be the best of both worlds? Heavy enough for towing and still have the synthetic cold flow properties? I've never used a synthetic. I've always used Mopar 15w40 HD diesel oil in CI-4+ in my Dodge/Cummins 5.9 with no problems but it's been unusually cold so far this winter (global warming????????) here in East TN so I've been considering maybe a switch to the Amsoil 15w40 synthetic for winter. Not yet though. THis morning it got down to about +8 degrees (brrrrrr).

 

[D-Roc]

Originally Posted By: D-Roc

Real world experience trumps should be everytime.

From the very next topic in this forum:

It was -32C here this morning. The AME (Amsoil 15W40) started coming through my BMK-11 about the same as it does at about a few degrees below 0C (unaided) I had my block heater plugged in and not my pan heater. So, the oil's going to be stone cold.
I once aimed a laser thermometer at the pan. The time I did that it was about 35 celsius most places on the engine, some colder than others. My pan was -22C.

http://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1700978#Post1700978

 

[Tornado Red]

If you're already buying a synthetic 40-weight oil, then why not select a 5w40 for the winter months? I simply do not understand the reason for using a 15w40 -- cold starts with that oil are going to cause unnecessary engine wear with every start. It can take 20-40 seconds longer to get oil flowing throughout the engine with a 15w40, would you run your engine without oil for 20-40 seconds on a regular basis?