10w30 Users

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Northeast Nebraska
We normally only see 4/5 days of below zero temps during the winter and it usually doesn't get much past -10 so I've never worried about using 10w30 but this year has got me thinking about next winter and switching to 5w30.

At what temp do you guys that use 10w30 start worrying about the 10w being good enough.
 
I run 10w-30 in my 6.7 PowerStroke and have started at -40F, where I live we usually never see -10F with the record cold for the area at -20F. I run 10w-30 year around, never an issue.
 
Are you using a synthetic or conventional oil?
Conventional 10W30s are typically good down to ~ -30°F or even lower temps for cold startups. Synthetic oil(my pref in winter) is even better.
I don't think you need to worry. However it is a good idea to put in a 5W30 for the winter.
 
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Originally Posted By: Char Baby
10W30s are typically good down to ~ -30°F or even lower temps for cold startups.
I don't think you need to worry. However it is a good idea to put in a 5W30 for the winter.

-30F or even lower? Whoa, not for me thanks. My BMW has started lots of times at -25F or below, no way I'd want a 10W in there.
 
Originally Posted By: roadrunner1
I run 10w-30 in my 6.7 PowerStroke and have started at -40F, where I live we usually never see -10F with the record cold for the area at -20F. I run 10w-30 year around, never an issue.

-40F, unaided? Why?
 
Originally Posted By: kschachn
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
10W30s are typically good down to ~ -30°F or even lower temps for cold startups.
I don't think you need to worry. However it is a good idea to put in a 5W30 for the winter.

-30F or even lower? Whoa, not for me thanks. My BMW has started lots of times at -25F or below, no way I'd want a 10W in there.


Well, I use 0W in our winters. But I was just answering the OPs question as it pertained to 10W.
 
Above 0 degrees Outside AIr temp, 10w30 should be fine. If you’re worried, just use 5w-30 in the winter. No worries for me where I live
 
Even before I changed to synthetic and ran Dino I've started my Toyota Corolla on 10w-30 and below -15 on several occasions with no problems.
 
I guess I am in the minority. I use 10W-30 conventional until I see forecast temps for < 40F for extended periods of time, at which point I switch to 5W-30 conventional.

Am I saving anything? Don't know, don't care.

Does the engine make much less noise at cold startup with 5W as opposed to 10W? Abso-friggin-lutely.

Does it give me the warm and fuzzies when I hear fewer noises coming out of my engine when it's cold? You know it, and that's all that counts.
 
The coldest day was New Year's day, it got down to -26. Luckily I didn't have to go to work so neither of my vehicles were started (see sig). But the next day it was -17 so I drove my truck which has the Magnatec in it, thought it would be better since it's a blend. So far since then the lowest it's been is -5 which I feel the PYB in the car is ok.

I just don't remember this many days below 0 in a long time.
 
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Interesting that you notice the difference between a 10w and 5w. I believe what you are saying/observing. Just interesting. I will say when we got down to 6°F the other week I noticed my lady's Camry was MUCH more noisy than say at 30°F. It has Valvoline Maxlife full synthetic 5w30 in it. But, boy it was rather loud at that low temp. Plus when I drove around that am I could hear other people's motors a lot too. My car which had Mobil Super 5w30 in it was just a touch louder than normal but no where near the difference as seen in the Camry.
 
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Originally Posted By: bbhero
Interesting that you notice the difference between a 10w and 5w. I believe what you are saying/observing. Just interesting. I will say when we got down to 6°F the other week I noticed my lady's Camry was MUCH more noisy than say at 30°F. It has Valvoline Maxlife full synthetic 5w30 in it. But, boy it was rather loud at that low temp. Plus when I drove around that am I could hear other people's motors a lot too. My car which had Mobil Super 5w30 in it was just a touch louder than normal but no where near the difference as seen in the Camry.


my engine is particularly susceptible to the cold weather pumpability of the oil. If it's even borderline poor, the rocker arm assemblies will make a racket that is akin to what I imagine a bunch of midgets with ball-peen hammers must sound like when they're inside the valve covers trying to hammer their way out.
 
Originally Posted By: Char Baby
Are you using a synthetic or conventional oil?
Conventional 10W30s are typically good down to ~ -30°F or even lower temps for cold startups. Synthetic oil(my pref in winter) is even better.
I don't think you need to worry. However it is a good idea to put in a 5W30 for the winter.


Curious as to where your getting this from.
The 10W-30 grade isn't even tested at -30F.
Have I started cars at ridiculously low temperatures on 10Ws?
Sure enough.
Nothing that one should recommend, though and nothing that I'd intentionally do again since there are better alternative grades these days for real cold.
 
In my good car, the fusion, I use the recommended 5w20, but what I remember was the old days when the thinnest oil you could get was straight 10 weight. We ran it in all types of engines even splash lubed 216 ci Chevys in very cold weather. So is the multi weight 10w30 not as thin in the cold as the old straight weight? Briggs and Stratton said to use 30 down to 40 degrees, and those are purely splash lubed.
 
Ive been running 10w30 all year lately...my manual says 10w30 ok as long as it never gets below 0.
Id use it down to about 0 ish . Lol with this cold snap we got down to a snippy 28 F . But all year range was 28 to 110 F .
No problems with this Maxlife though, never tried it before.
1,500 miles in and im sitting just under Full. Mostly highway.
 
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