Oil for extreme cold

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Hi everyone, been awhile anyways I'm up in North Dakota for a few months thanks to my job... Nice place really like the area completely different from the Gulf Coast but this area gets freezing cold. I decided to take the old Regal I bought a few years back.

The most noticeable thing I've encountered is the extreme cold. Where I'm from 3 days a year hit freezing but this area tends to stay in the -20's. I remember 2-3 days back it was -40 with windshield. The car has 10w30 in it and I know that can not be good for these temps.

The motor is a L27 series 1 3.8 with roughly 100k miles on it. It leaks minor oil nothing major but I know these motors keep very high oil pressure (50 psi). Something about the design requires them to keep high pressure but with these temps I'm worried about the oil. I can't comfortably keep 10w30 in this thing and I've been thinking about throwing in some 0w30 due to the extreme temps.

I know I'll probably get a little more wear during this OCI due to it but I figure that would be miniscule compared to running 10w30 at -20/-30 weather.

Any thoughts?

Considered getting a block heater for it but no place to plug it in short of running a few 50ft extension cords out to it at night (apartment parking lot).
 
Your battery is a big factor as well here. How old is the battery?? Also how long ago was a spark plugs change done on it?? Good plugs help a lot I would think too.

Far as the oil... Given a minor leak I would just go with Valvoline Maxlife Full Synthetic 5w30. It would be fine at -20 to -30°F.

Take some time to read Tig1's thread about coldest unaided starts.... Very good thread and information in that one.
 
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Originally Posted By: bbhero
Your battery is a big factor as well here. How old is the battery?? Also how long ago was a spark plugs change done on it?? Good plugs help a lot I would think too.

Far as the oil... Given a minor leak I would just go with Valvoline Maxlife Full Synthetic 5w30. It would be fine at -20 to -30°F.

Take some time to read Tig1's thread about coldest unaided starts.... Very good thread and information in that one.


Just ran into it after writing this, battery is 3 years old and plugs are less than a year its started every time first try no problem but the oil light stays on for a good bit of time and I let it warm up but I don't always have time to let it sit.
 
Originally Posted By: 3800Series
..... I've been thinking about throwing in some 0w30 due to the extreme temps.


Yes, that's an excellent choice.

Even in that cold, the oil light should go out after 2-3 seconds MAX.
If it's longer than that, you need to clean the pickup screen.
 
Originally Posted By: 3800Series
2-3 days back it was -40 with windshield.


WindCHILL only affects the moisture in your skin...

windchill doesn't affect the car, only temp.
 
Any 5w-30, including MaxLife, will do the job for that vehicle, year round. A 0w-30 would be fine, too, but then you're getting into M1 AFE territory for pricing, plus leaks are never fun.
 
Ignore the windchill, it is only relevant when thinking of how fast (anything) will cool, but the end temp is still the actual temp outside. If I'd have an oil pressure light on longer than a second or two, I'd be changing oil to a better W rating now, like right now.
 
Yeah I would lean towards the Valvoline Maxlife Full Synthetic 5w30... It will be just fine in those very cold temps. Reading Tig1's thread was interesting and informative. Quite cool to read guys real world experiences at temp below -30°F and colder. Jayg who lives in interior Alaska says many people around his area run 5w30 routinely.
 
I agree that 5w-30 would be the good choice here. The Valvoline bbhero mentions is a excellent product. You could run that with no worries. Also as suggested already, keep on top of your battery and the terminals. If a really severe cold front hits then a oil pan warmer might be a good option if you have access to a plug for overnight.
 
An oil pan heater is just a couple hundred watts, and you can run it with a 100' 16-ga extension cord easily with no worries.
 
Won't bore you with block heater and battery maintenance etc. Just go for a good brand name 0w30. It might get even colder still so the zero part might come into play . Good luck my friend and keep warm !
 
Originally Posted By: Linctex
Originally Posted By: 3800Series
2-3 days back it was -40 with windshield.


WindCHILL only affects the moisture in your skin...

windchill doesn't affect the car, only temp.


Sorry, was phones auto correct. The town is Williston it's generally considered the second coldest city in the U.S. I mentioned wind chill because of the area, no trees so -30 with 30mph winds are somewhat normal although its mostly 15-20 but yeah I thought high winds like that would come into play to some degree and keeping the car from getting up to temp.

Drove it the day I originally mentioned and the oil light came on 3 times while driving it granted I did let it warm up for about 15 mins before I left. I just know these motors require high oil pressure and it is highly suggested to not go below 10w30 but I feel conditions call for it.

I'm fine with 5w30 I just thought 0w30 would help a little more as most of what I read said 5w is good to about -20 I also don't care about price I know its a older vehicle but they are a dying breed and I don't mind spending a little more to not have to worry if the motor will lock up going down the road one morning if I can only give it 5 mins to warm up due to driving conditions and the time it takes to get to work.

Somewhat unrelated but I spoke with a few people here who mentioned last year it got down to -50 with 20mph winds and I know this is on the extreme end I simply do not want to have to worry about it going forward lol.
 
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If you want good flowing oil then a group 3 while good is no match for group 4 and group 5 oils. Mobil 1 is a 3+ and they do their voodoo to make it flow like a group 4. Amsoil Sig Series , Redline, and Motul Ester. 0w-XX of course. So I would say Mobil 1 for low price and ease of access from say....Walmart.
 
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That's pretty doggone funny 4wd
smile.gif

Well done.
 
Man I would get some 0-30 in asap if your light comes on while driving.
That is never a good sign.
 
0w30 and some sort of heater. You won't always be able to plug it in and you should maintain the car so it can start unassisted. But if you can add ten degrees you make it 2x easier on everything.
 
Originally Posted By: 3800Series
I just know these motors require high oil pressure and it is highly suggested to not go below 10w30 but I feel conditions call for it.


I'm not sure you understand how the oil number system works.

You feel you NEED a 10W-30 ("to not go below 10w30")
....but you have an aversion to running 0W-30 for some reason?

Originally Posted By: 3800Series
the oil light came on 3 times while driving it granted I did let it warm up for about 15 mins before I left.


You are driving a ticking time bomb, then.


Put a new oil pickup screen in it TODAY. Not tomorrow.
Maybe a new oil pump while you are at it.
 
Valvoline synthetic w/Maxlife 5w30 has my vote, too. The 3800 spec'd 10w30 quite a while after a lot of engines spec'd 5w30, so I wouldn't do 0w and I don't think it's necessary. A full syn. 5w will be the last thing that causes your 3800 any harm because of cold.

However, oil light coming back on after running for several minutes is not normal no matter how cold it is. It could be a sensor but if it's related to extreme cold I'd have the oil pan gasket replaced along with the pickup tube cleaned and inspected, soon. At least on the Series II it isn't hard to get the pan off so it shouldn't cost an arm and a leg from a fair mechanic.
 
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