I found myself in an interesting place a couple of weeks ago, and thought it might make for an interesting discussion.
Background info: I had to put a new engine in my plow truck (1983 K20) so I upgraded the new(used) engine with a new camshaft. nothing wild, but brand new cam none-the-less. So to break in the new cam I filled the sump with Amsoil SAE 30 break-in oil. Ran it for 20 minutes at high idle and took it for a test drive. it had about another hour or so of high idle time, and about an hour's-worth of use plowing snow up to this point. I really wanted to get as much time on the engine with the break-in oil to give the new cam as much time as possible to break in with the high ZDDP oil.
here was the situation:
It had snowed and we had between 4-5 inches of snow on the ground. the temp had fallen into the low single digits. I had to move snow either that night or early the next morning. Sump is full of SAE 30 break in oil still. Ready to go in is 6 quarts of Amsoil 3000 5w30 diesel rated oil.
So my choices, as i could see them, were:
1 - start it up, warm it up good and use it, then change oil warm
2 - Drain oil cold, refill, then put it to work.
3 - put on a pan heater for the night, drain oil in the morning before use
4 - put on pan heater, warm it up good and use it, then change oil warm
5 - stop worrying about it and just use the truck ...
the problem with 3, 4, and 5 is that the temps are still falling and by the next morning they will be pushing double digits below zero.
anyone that has ever handled SAE 30 in the cold knows the problem with 1 & 2 already, but for those of you who haven't -- SAE 30 in single digit temps is just about like honey at room temp.
so ... what would you do.
if there is any interest, i'll tell you what i did and why later.
i just thought it would make for an interesting topic to discuss.
Background info: I had to put a new engine in my plow truck (1983 K20) so I upgraded the new(used) engine with a new camshaft. nothing wild, but brand new cam none-the-less. So to break in the new cam I filled the sump with Amsoil SAE 30 break-in oil. Ran it for 20 minutes at high idle and took it for a test drive. it had about another hour or so of high idle time, and about an hour's-worth of use plowing snow up to this point. I really wanted to get as much time on the engine with the break-in oil to give the new cam as much time as possible to break in with the high ZDDP oil.
here was the situation:
It had snowed and we had between 4-5 inches of snow on the ground. the temp had fallen into the low single digits. I had to move snow either that night or early the next morning. Sump is full of SAE 30 break in oil still. Ready to go in is 6 quarts of Amsoil 3000 5w30 diesel rated oil.
So my choices, as i could see them, were:
1 - start it up, warm it up good and use it, then change oil warm
2 - Drain oil cold, refill, then put it to work.
3 - put on a pan heater for the night, drain oil in the morning before use
4 - put on pan heater, warm it up good and use it, then change oil warm
5 - stop worrying about it and just use the truck ...
the problem with 3, 4, and 5 is that the temps are still falling and by the next morning they will be pushing double digits below zero.
anyone that has ever handled SAE 30 in the cold knows the problem with 1 & 2 already, but for those of you who haven't -- SAE 30 in single digit temps is just about like honey at room temp.
so ... what would you do.
if there is any interest, i'll tell you what i did and why later.
i just thought it would make for an interesting topic to discuss.
