Has anyone had oil-related issues during the polar vortex?

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Originally Posted by SatinSilver
2005 Matrix with 5w30 VWB in it. Car has 150k and started up just fine at -3 the other morning. Just put a new battery in since the old one was over 6 years old. Glad I replaced it. I only let it idle for 30 seconds since the cold idle is pretty high, around 1600 or so. I just go very easy on it and the rpms are around 1800 or so when driving. Car seemed to do fine. Also have 4500 miles/3 months on the VWB so time for an oil change soon.



Good to hear sir. The PP 5w30 did great Wednesday and Thursday morning
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I'm in MN. I parked my VW Golf TDI outside on the coldest night, -50'ish. Cycled the glow plugs a few times and it fired right up in the AM, no drama, no weird noises. It has Castrol SLX professional 5w-30 in it.

Our 2010 Impala and 2006 Sienna also fired right up that afternoon, started them just to run them a bit. They were a little slow to crank but sounded fine on start.The Power steering on both wined a little but only for a few seconds. Both have Pennzoil Platinum 5w-30 in them.
 
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Glad it's warming up to the 50's this weekend. What a difference a few days makes! No more bone chilling temps for a while I hope.
 
Originally Posted by PimTac
Originally Posted by addyguy
January 21st, overnight temp hit -28C, my Soul failed to start. It had started a couple of times at that temp before the 21st, but couldn't do it that day.

Now, mea culpa, it has M1EP 10W-30 in it, a nine-year old battery (original!), and was not plugged in.

Since then, have been plugging it in, but even with that, it struggles to start as we are still in -28C overnight temps.

Battery is obviously on its last legs, but can't change it now or change the oil, so we will see what happens.





Why can't you change the battery?


Serious cash flow problem at the moment. Also reason oil wasn't changed for the winter...a move happened a lot sooner than I thought and $$ have been tied up in that.

I don't blame the car for not starting, it deserves better for that!
 
Well, my 2015 Chevy 2500 gasser pickup did just fine with the 10w30 syn blend that it gets. And my heavy commercial truck did just fine with the 10w30 HDEO syn blend that it gets. Both vehicles starting and running just fine at -20F and below. My commercial truck was in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana for all of this cold snap. Pickup was in Iowa the whole time. Wife used in several times to go to town during this cold snap. Did have to finally change out a fuel filter in the commercial truck this morning, but that was the extent of anything related to the cold.
 
Originally Posted by TiredTrucker
Well, my 2015 Chevy 2500 gasser pickup did just fine with the 10w30 syn blend that it gets. And my heavy commercial truck did just fine with the 10w30 HDEO syn blend that it gets. Both vehicles starting and running just fine at -20F and below. My commercial truck was in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana for all of this cold snap. Pickup was in Iowa the whole time. Wife used in several times to go to town during this cold snap. Did have to finally change out a fuel filter in the commercial truck this morning, but that was the extent of anything related to the cold.


You have them plugged in?
 
No problem each morning after temps of near ~ -40 overnight and dead block heater. This is the first time I'm running Mobil1 0W-30. For going on nine years it had been on a steady diet of Mobil 1 5W-30.

I didn't notice any difference. The engine sounded the same starting and running as it did in earlier years when I couldn't plug it in and with 5W-30 in it.
 
My 04 Grand Cherokee started very slowly even with a new battery but it was -22. It went into reverse fine but hesitated going into drive for a few seconds. Is that normal considering the conditions?
Once I was going it was fine and warmed up quickly
 
When I was a kid we always had a heated dipstick in the car or truck we had in the winter. I can remember the things would barely crank without them.

Somewhere along the line, we/I stopped using them and I don't remember why.... but starting was never a problem after that.

Now yesterday, at a balmy -25 windchill, I got in the ranger to start it and it was slow but started. The oil pressure took about 30 sec to move the needle. I let it run for a while to defrost the windows and off it went.

If this cold is going to be a new normal, I'll have to dig out one of those old heated dipsticks.

One of my sisters old ford vans way back when had a 1500w heater on the water hose... it was toasty warm heat and an easy start every morning and no waiting.

Winters musta been much colder back then.
 
No issues, but block heaters sound nice just to run 2 hours before driving.

Finding one for her Volvo has been oddly difficult. My truck just looks like a pain.
 
Originally Posted by OVERKILL
Originally Posted by TiredTrucker
Well, my 2015 Chevy 2500 gasser pickup did just fine with the 10w30 syn blend that it gets. And my heavy commercial truck did just fine with the 10w30 HDEO syn blend that it gets. Both vehicles starting and running just fine at -20F and below. My commercial truck was in Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Iowa, and Indiana for all of this cold snap. Pickup was in Iowa the whole time. Wife used in several times to go to town during this cold snap. Did have to finally change out a fuel filter in the commercial truck this morning, but that was the extent of anything related to the cold.


You have them plugged in?


Not during this event. The semi truck is the only one that gets plugged in, but that is when it is at home. But during this event, even it was not plugged it at any point this last week since it was out and away from home. The pickup does not have a block heater, so it is moot point.

To be fair, primarily to keep diesel fuel from gelling or any possible water in it from freezing and clogging filters and causing problems, my standard policy for the semi truck when it is out away from home and the temps are 0F or below, it doesn't get shut off except only for short periods. The amount of fuel it uses idling for 10 hrs at current pricing is the same as the cost of one fuel filter. So I just idle most of the time to keep fuel warmer and avoid filter plugging issues at sub zero temps. Obvious from the number of sidelined commercial trucks this last week, that some don't take proper proactive measures.
 
Originally Posted by nyquil_junkie
When I was a kid we always had a heated dipstick in the car or truck we had in the winter. I can remember the things would barely crank without them.

Somewhere along the line, we/I stopped using them and I don't remember why.... but starting was never a problem after that.

Now yesterday, at a balmy -25 windchill, I got in the ranger to start it and it was slow but started. The oil pressure took about 30 sec to move the needle. I let it run for a while to defrost the windows and off it went.

If this cold is going to be a new normal, I'll have to dig out one of those old heated dipsticks.

One of my sisters old ford vans way back when had a 1500w heater on the water hose... it was toasty warm heat and an easy start every morning and no waiting.

Winters musta been much colder back then.


Phillips makes some pretty good heater pads for oil pans, filters, and batteries. I have them on many of my various commercial on road and off road vehicles and equipment. Grew fond of them when I lived 10 years in the interior of Alaska.
 
Originally Posted by TiredTrucker
Originally Posted by nyquil_junkie
When I was a kid we always had a heated dipstick in the car or truck we had in the winter. I can remember the things would barely crank without them.

Somewhere along the line, we/I stopped using them and I don't remember why.... but starting was never a problem after that.

Now yesterday, at a balmy -25 windchill, I got in the ranger to start it and it was slow but started. The oil pressure took about 30 sec to move the needle. I let it run for a while to defrost the windows and off it went.

If this cold is going to be a new normal, I'll have to dig out one of those old heated dipsticks.

One of my sisters old ford vans way back when had a 1500w heater on the water hose... it was toasty warm heat and an easy start every morning and no waiting.

Winters musta been much colder back then.


Phillips makes some pretty good heater pads for oil pans, filters, and batteries. I have them on many of my various commercial on road and off road vehicles and equipment. Grew fond of them when I lived 10 years in the interior of Alaska.


I spent 5 years in FAI, I still miss it sometimes. I'm amazed at how warm it's been up there the past 20 years. Lows of -30F...pfffft. Back in my day -30F was the high temp in the middle of winter. Gimme some -40F, -50F temps
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Back then, 0wXX didn't exist for the average person. If you were lucky, you either plugged in, or left your car running for a few hours during the day.
 
Originally Posted by Garak
Snagglefoot, that's the Pennzoil 0w-30 Caterham was recommending I try in the G37 when that oil first came out. It certainly was and is worthy of consideration, and would meet my specifications, but back then, one litre bottles only were available, and that, particularly from CT, does not a cheap oil change make.
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With temps as low as -24C in January I slept better knowing this exact oil was in use in our GOLF R. I will pull a sample to UOA come April/May. CATERHAM would be proud
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Coldest I saw this winter was -30c.

Couldn't make out the difference between my current 0w40 fill and the previous 5w30 HDD fill - I tend to check by how quickly the dash oil pressure gauge needle rises, as I'm too lazy to open the hood & watch the mechanical gauge while someone else cranks the truck.

Surprisingly, I've never had a noisy/sluggish winter steering issue, though I only use the obsolete MS-5931 PS fluid. Still have a few 12-pack cases of OEM fluid left.
 
224K 08 Avenger rolled over slow but fired right up. Ignition said -7F and it was in a parking lot being blasted by the wind. Car was sitting for 11 hours currently eith Schaeffer 5w-20 with Redline power steering fluid and E85 fuel.
 
Originally Posted by ofelas
Coldest I saw this winter was -30c.

Couldn't make out the difference between my current 0w40 fill and the previous 5w30 HDD fill - I tend to check by how quickly the dash oil pressure gauge needle rises, as I'm too lazy to open the hood & watch the mechanical gauge while someone else cranks the truck.

Surprisingly, I've never had a noisy/sluggish winter steering issue, though I only use the obsolete MS-5931 PS fluid. Still have a few 12-pack cases of OEM fluid left.


You can't hear the difference between 5w30 and 0w40, , unless you are standing in front of the radiator when the engine is started by someone else.
You may even hear a barking oil filter then too.
 
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