0' Degree Start Up Worries.......

[mjk]

Originally Posted By: 285south
Originally Posted By: rccraw
In that same vein,would it be wise to use an 0w-30 oil in a cold climate, vs a 10w-30 which is what is recommended in my older vehicles?


Yes 0w-30 is a must in the Midwest during the winter and then use a High mileage oil during the summer.


Are you kidding me? I guess the decades of using 10/30 or 5/30 in the midwest, resulted in many, many people not getting to work each day.

If your car doesn't crank 5/30 at 0 degrees, there are other issues.

 

[MNgopher]

I'll pile on too. If you don't start at 0 degrees with a 5w30, then something else is amiss - not the engine oil.

I remember when 5w30 was considered too thin and new fangled stuff. 10w30 was the norm. Yet somehow, living in Minnesota, we still got started and went to work.

Is 0w30 a must in the midwest? No.

FWIW, my truck is running 5w20 and has started up fine after nights in the teens below zero (not windchill - actual temp). My work Explorer started fine yesterday after not being run for over a week in the sub zero temps, and it gets bulk fleet 5w30 oil.

Modern fuel injection has cured a great deal of the issues that used to plague cold starts.

 

[camrydriver111]

Originally Posted By: KCJeep
It has to get pretty darn cold to gain any real "benefit" from a 0w, in fact many of them are thicker than their 5w counterparts at typical winter temperatures in many locations.


That's what I was thinking. 0W30 is also thicker at operating temperature.

 

[demarpaint]

Originally Posted By: camrydriver111


0W30 is also thicker at operating temperature.


Thicker than what?

 

[SwampSurvivor]

Originally Posted By: offroader613
Was -20F the other day and my Jeep with 5w-40 T6 showed little hesitation starting. Even my folks' WJ (also a 4.0) started alright and I think that's got some sort of 10w-30 conventional in it, not sure why when we use 5w-30 in almost everything else


I did a pour test with a quart of RT6 and 10w-30 conventional. The 10w-30 conventional poured a bit better after spending the night in the freezer.

 

[Garak]

Right, and depending upon which 0w-30 one chooses. Some have a higher HTHS than a typical 5w-30 or 10w-30 (i.e. Euro 0w-30s or HDEO 0w-30s) and others are ILSAC rated, like AFE or Petro-Canada 0w-30.

 

[GenesisGuy70]

Originally Posted By: demarpaint
Originally Posted By: camrydriver111


0W30 is also thicker at operating temperature.


Thicker than what?


Thicker than thick! Duh.

 

[camrydriver111]

I'm only familiar with Euro 0W30 oils, they have lower pour point, but they are generally thicker than 5W30. At higher temps they are closer to a 0W40 or 5W40, than a 5W30. If it's so cold that 5W30 is not cutting it I'd be thinking perhaps about a block heater.

It's kinda funny that OP says it could even be a belt but people are discussing oil. Could be because it's a high mileage car, weak battery, weak starter, old belts and pulleys. It's not going to sound the same as a brand new car.