They test cars here too, but I think it's just an excuse for a holiday.
Car Manufactures and Death Valley, CA
- Thread starter HTSS_TR
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Originally Posted By: Shannow
this OCI, both my cars have started at 18F, and 93F
If I did yearly oil changes I could get -10F and +90F. Maybe -15/+95.
Now, they are towing up and down 5k elevation. Do that until 150k so as to prove that it's a lifetime ATF?
this OCI, both my cars have started at 18F, and 93F
If I did yearly oil changes I could get -10F and +90F. Maybe -15/+95.
Now, they are towing up and down 5k elevation. Do that until 150k so as to prove that it's a lifetime ATF?
Having been there many times for work, it's the unique combination of the hottest place in NA combined with the serious climb out of there in every direction. You start at the bottom with a heat-soaked....everything and then start up a hill at max weight. Towne Pass (heading 190 west from Stovepipe Wells) is the really nasty one, as you have a pretty high climb (~5200 feet total, elevation is just about 5000 feet) in a just a couple of miles. Going east into Beaty Nevada isn't a whole lot better.
When you get to the top of Towne Pass, there are some low speed corners that really test the cooling system as you have a low vehicle speed combined with a high engine output. Then you shut everything down at the top and hope the radiator cap holds on.
I agree Australia is hotter on average, but nowhere combines the heat with a 5200 foot climb like Death Valley.
Another hot-spot is Bullhead City to Davis Dam where California, Arizona and Nevada all come together. This is another monumental climb up that stresses cooling systems with high engine speed and low vehicle speed. There is one more in California that has scorched sections every quarter mile where an unfortunate car has puked out and caught fire, Baker Grade. This is a fairly steep grade, but is constant and Interstate grade (limited turns), so we would only stop there if we were ahead of schedule or Death Valley had flooded.
As far as cold testing, I used to spend weeks in Denver going up and down I-70 and doing cold-starts at altitude. We would usually stop in there twice a year in the summer and winter (summer for cooling and winter to test cold starts). Depending on the OEM and what they are testing, Canada is usually on the roster at some point. GM has a facility in Kapuskasing Ontario for very cold testing, Ford is Thompson Manitoba on an airbase (I think left over from the "cold war", get it?), not sure where FCA is doing their cold start testing.
These test trips were fairly expensive, with a rather large group of people heading cross-country with prototype vehicles that you couldn't just take anywhere if something let go. This means you had to travel with a support truck and trained technicians who can fix just about everything. There has been a lot more investment in the recent past on environmental test chambers that can do all of these points without going anywhere. Some of the specialized ones can even do altitude and temperature control. Hopefully this means that by the time you actually get to Death Valley, you are making sure it all works as it did before, not finding out what doesn't.
When you get to the top of Towne Pass, there are some low speed corners that really test the cooling system as you have a low vehicle speed combined with a high engine output. Then you shut everything down at the top and hope the radiator cap holds on.
I agree Australia is hotter on average, but nowhere combines the heat with a 5200 foot climb like Death Valley.
Another hot-spot is Bullhead City to Davis Dam where California, Arizona and Nevada all come together. This is another monumental climb up that stresses cooling systems with high engine speed and low vehicle speed. There is one more in California that has scorched sections every quarter mile where an unfortunate car has puked out and caught fire, Baker Grade. This is a fairly steep grade, but is constant and Interstate grade (limited turns), so we would only stop there if we were ahead of schedule or Death Valley had flooded.
As far as cold testing, I used to spend weeks in Denver going up and down I-70 and doing cold-starts at altitude. We would usually stop in there twice a year in the summer and winter (summer for cooling and winter to test cold starts). Depending on the OEM and what they are testing, Canada is usually on the roster at some point. GM has a facility in Kapuskasing Ontario for very cold testing, Ford is Thompson Manitoba on an airbase (I think left over from the "cold war", get it?), not sure where FCA is doing their cold start testing.
These test trips were fairly expensive, with a rather large group of people heading cross-country with prototype vehicles that you couldn't just take anywhere if something let go. This means you had to travel with a support truck and trained technicians who can fix just about everything. There has been a lot more investment in the recent past on environmental test chambers that can do all of these points without going anywhere. Some of the specialized ones can even do altitude and temperature control. Hopefully this means that by the time you actually get to Death Valley, you are making sure it all works as it did before, not finding out what doesn't.
Originally Posted By: HTSS_TR
Australia has fairly narrow temperature range in the whole country/continent so car manufacture may recommend a specific oil grade for the drivers there.
America has very wide temperature range, above 110F in some place for 3-4 months in summer and other area can be as low as minus 20-30 in winter, but the car and engine speed is fairly low so after all the summer/winter test results they came up with the oil grade for U.S.
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Really ?
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victori...3f75-1469006696
Quote:
Australia is the ideal testing ground for the world.
Our government is stable, and our continent can offer everything from alpine snow to baking deserts and tropical heat and rain, with roads from the smoothest freeways to the dustiest outback tracks to test the mettle of new models before they’re sold to the public.
Hottest 123.3F
Coldest -10F
As to the dustiest outback roads, you can drive 100s of miles on dirt, often corrugated, as Ford found when they brought the falcon to Oz in the 60s and the shock towers caved in.
edit...this OCI, both my cars have started at 18F, and 93F
Most Australians live in milder climate, not many live in extreme cold ?
There are millions American live in northern states such as Minnesota, Wyoming, North Dakota ... and there are millions live in desert southwest such as Nevada, Arizona ...
As I said, car manufactures tested their vehicles where they sell their vehicles.
Each location may requires specific oil grade because of the unique weather and driving condition.
Oil recommended for America may not be suitable for Canada, and may not be the same grade as in Middle East or Australia.
It is not correct to say the same vehicle with the same engine is using xWyy oil in Australia or Middle East or Germany then that same vehicle should use same oil grade in America.
Basically, the oil grade recommended in the owner manual is thoroughly tested for the vehicle where it is operated.
Australia has fairly narrow temperature range in the whole country/continent so car manufacture may recommend a specific oil grade for the drivers there.
America has very wide temperature range, above 110F in some place for 3-4 months in summer and other area can be as low as minus 20-30 in winter, but the car and engine speed is fairly low so after all the summer/winter test results they came up with the oil grade for U.S.
Originally Posted By: Shannow
Really ?
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victori...3f75-1469006696
Quote:
Australia is the ideal testing ground for the world.
Our government is stable, and our continent can offer everything from alpine snow to baking deserts and tropical heat and rain, with roads from the smoothest freeways to the dustiest outback tracks to test the mettle of new models before they’re sold to the public.
Hottest 123.3F
Coldest -10F
As to the dustiest outback roads, you can drive 100s of miles on dirt, often corrugated, as Ford found when they brought the falcon to Oz in the 60s and the shock towers caved in.
edit...this OCI, both my cars have started at 18F, and 93F
Most Australians live in milder climate, not many live in extreme cold ?
There are millions American live in northern states such as Minnesota, Wyoming, North Dakota ... and there are millions live in desert southwest such as Nevada, Arizona ...
As I said, car manufactures tested their vehicles where they sell their vehicles.
Each location may requires specific oil grade because of the unique weather and driving condition.
Oil recommended for America may not be suitable for Canada, and may not be the same grade as in Middle East or Australia.
It is not correct to say the same vehicle with the same engine is using xWyy oil in Australia or Middle East or Germany then that same vehicle should use same oil grade in America.
Basically, the oil grade recommended in the owner manual is thoroughly tested for the vehicle where it is operated.
Last edited:
Actually they test in New Zealand because they can do winter testing in Northern Hemisphere summer. So, how come 4 cars in my family are recommended to use 20W-50?
Originally Posted By: MichiganMadMan
...Another hot-spot is Bullhead City to Davis Dam where California, Arizona and Nevada all come together...
Indeed. SAE J2807 specifies the 'Davis Dam Grade' or equivalent for light-duty vehicles' tow and GCWR certifications.
OEM 'heavy-duty' tow packages and upgraded heat exchanger circuits are almost always an inexpensive and worthwhile investment...for some of us.
www.trucktrend.com/how-to/towing/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard
&
www.automotive-fleet.com/fc_resources/pdf/j2807.pdf
...Another hot-spot is Bullhead City to Davis Dam where California, Arizona and Nevada all come together...
Indeed. SAE J2807 specifies the 'Davis Dam Grade' or equivalent for light-duty vehicles' tow and GCWR certifications.
OEM 'heavy-duty' tow packages and upgraded heat exchanger circuits are almost always an inexpensive and worthwhile investment...for some of us.
www.trucktrend.com/how-to/towing/1502-sae-j2807-tow-tests-the-standard
&
www.automotive-fleet.com/fc_resources/pdf/j2807.pdf
Thanks for sharing, MMM!
Originally Posted By: MichiganMadMan
(snip) not sure where FCA is doing their cold start testing.
För söre it moose be in Sweden?
Originally Posted By: MichiganMadMan
(snip) not sure where FCA is doing their cold start testing.
För söre it moose be in Sweden?
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