Loving the 0w-16 in our new AWD Prius in Alaska

[jayg]

So far (6k miles) the 0w-16 has been great in the wife's new AWD Prius. We are getting more mpg than our last FWD Prius right at 54 mpg lifetime average over the 6k miles.

One thing that worried me was the lack of a block heater on the new cars. Here in Alaska, it's nice to have but so far the coldest start was -5F outside of Fairbanks last week and there was zero drivetrain noise at all when the ICE came on. Even with the 0w-20 on our '14 Prius, if the car wasn't plugged in below 0F you would get a second or two of valvetrain clatter. Both TGMO 0W oils but the 0w16 must be a little different or the newer engine has a different design in the ICE's oil pump or valvetrain perhaps. Haven't looked into it too close because it's the wife's Prius and I don't care about it that much considering there are much more fun things in the garage to tinker with.

As we go deeper in to the winter it will be interesting to see how the 0w-16 holds up without a block heater at -30F and -50F on occasion if I find myself in the interior again. Ideally, I'd be parking inside but it doesn't happen every time.

We had a hot summer with crazy wildfires and the same oil saw highway cruising at 80 mph at 85F. Going off the 10k mile schedule puts me changing this oil in March so we should definitely have some -40F days in the mix. That will bring this oil to driving in conditions that span at least 120 degrees.

I don't plan on doing a UOA until at least 20k but I'll report back if anything interesting pops up.

 

[buster]

Nice. Do you plan on sticking with the TGMO? The Mobil 1 0w16 is PAO based.

How long have you lived in Alaska? Beautiful state, but I could never tolerate that cold and lack of sun.

 

[geeman789]

Originally Posted by jayg


As we go deeper in to the winter it will be interesting to see how the 0w-16 holds up without a block heater at -30F and -50F on occasion if I find myself in the interior again. Ideally, I'd be parking inside but it doesn't happen every time.



- 50 F ... ? That temperature seems likely to be OUTSIDE the intended operating temperature range ... OF ANYTHING !!!

I remember a story about Porsche cold weather testing in Alaska ... Tires went flat, weird stuff broke, cars left running overnight.

Good luck ...

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted by buster
Nice. Do you plan on sticking with the TGMO? The Mobil 1 0w16 is PAO based.

How long have you lived in Alaska? Beautiful state, but I could never tolerate that cold and lack of sun.



The plan is keeping it TGMO. Never had an issue with their 0w20. Summers are mild with 20 hours of light so that balances the cold and darkness on the winter.

Not sure when Porsche did that Winter testing here but we don't leave our cars on nonstop. Tires get round again after a quarter mile or so at -40. Lots of every day drivers do fine with a good battery and 5w30 believe it or not.

 

[eljefino]

Wife's 2019 prius AWD is running supertech 0w16. Seems nice enough. Worst problem is the "twisty dipstick" that doesn't give an honest reading, and the oil just falls off it on the trip up out of the tube.

We hit 60-point-something for a summer lifetime MPG (bought it in June) but it dropped into the fifties with the colder weather.

Snow tires are mounted and ready to install and I'm

salivating to go driving in the first snowstorm. Also have an 05 an 06 prius and both are lousy in the snow.

 

[jayg]

^ Our 14 was ok on studs except for climbing steep hills. We live on a mountain so everyday in the winter even on studs we had some wheel spin coming home. We've had some snow already but we haven't had full blown winter yet. I'm anticipating the awd to be an improvement.

We got about 60 mpg highway in the summer on road trips but mixed in the mid 50s. Can't complain.

 

[Pelican]

Originally Posted by geeman789

- 50 F ... ? I remember a story about Porsche cold weather testing in Alaska ... Tires went flat, weird stuff broke, cars left running overnight.


Are you sure that Porsche tested in Alaska? Most cold weather testing by northamericans, european & japanese manufacturers is done in Kapuskasing Ontario where there is a centre specifically set up for this and I remember hearing of Porsches there as well. Weather wise, Kapuskasing is colder than southern Alaska.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted by Pelican
Originally Posted by geeman789

- 50 F ... ? I remember a story about Porsche cold weather testing in Alaska ... Tires went flat, weird stuff broke, cars left running overnight.


Are you sure that Porsche tested in Alaska? Most cold weather testing by northamericans, european & japanese manufacturers is done in Kapuskasing Ontario where there is a centre specifically set up for this and I remember hearing of Porsches there as well. Weather wise, Kapuskasing is colder than southern Alaska.



Actually it's northern Alaska that lots of manufacturers do their testing (VAG group included) It's actually colder in interior Alaska than the north slope most of the time and that's where I am for work often. I take the Prius when I need to drive to the interior of the state and I do it year round.

https://www.adn.com/arctic/2016/12/...cretive-cold-weather-automotive-testing/

 

[paoester]

Originally Posted by jayg
... without a block heater at -30F and -50F on occasion................. we should definitely have some -40F days in the mix.
Wow. I'd get Ravenol 0w16 at https://www.amazon.com/Ravenol-J1A1507-0W-16-Fully-Synthetic/dp/B00WMQ9VF0/ref=sr_1_10 or blauparts.com carries it too.
Pourpoint is a phenomenal -76F (-60C). Pennzoil 0w16 is -60F (-51C), not as good, and typical for non-Ravenol non-PAO oils.

 

[simple_gifts]

Quote

Lots of every day drivers do fine with a good battery and 5w30 believe it or not.


My brother is closing in on 30 years in Fairbanks. His DD is a 1995 Camrywith 5w-30; basically problem free except for door wire bundles that don't bend too well @ -30 to -40

He has the assortment of required heating accessories.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted by paoester
Originally Posted by jayg
... without a block heater at -30F and -50F on occasion................. we should definitely have some -40F days in the mix.
Wow. I'd get Ravenol 0w16 at https://www.amazon.com/Ravenol-J1A1507-0W-16-Fully-Synthetic/dp/B00WMQ9VF0/ref=sr_1_10 or blauparts.com carries it too.
Pourpoint is a phenomenal -76F (-60C). Pennzoil 0w16 is -60F (-51C), not as good, and typical for non-Ravenol non-PAO oils.


That would be more expensive and yield about the same results as TGMO. I've never had any oil wear related issues in hundreds of thousands of miles up here so the easiest oil I can get in spec will be what I run with. No point buying a boutique oil to be shipped up here and spend more than necessary.

As simple_gifts noted, basic heating pads and block heaters do fine with most 5w30 conventional oils even. With no block heater, I'm confident in this 0w16. It is pretty funny seeing people on here worried about boutique 0w oils living in places like Kansas or somewhere it doesn't stay below freezing for weeks at a time. Every year, the cold weather threads on here get more paranoid and convoluted.

 

[edyvw]

Originally Posted by Pelican
Originally Posted by geeman789

- 50 F ... ? I remember a story about Porsche cold weather testing in Alaska ... Tires went flat, weird stuff broke, cars left running overnight.


Are you sure that Porsche tested in Alaska? Most cold weather testing by northamericans, european & japanese manufacturers is done in Kapuskasing Ontario where there is a centre specifically set up for this and I remember hearing of Porsches there as well. Weather wise, Kapuskasing is colder than southern Alaska.

They test all over the world. Sweden, Finland, here in CO high altitude testing etc. Add to that climate controlled testing facilities they have where they drop temperatures below those available during outside testing.

 

[jayg]

.

 

[geeman789]

Originally Posted by jayg


... It is pretty funny seeing people on here worried about boutique 0w oils living in places like Kansas or somewhere it doesn't stay below freezing for weeks at a time. Every year, the cold weather threads on here get more paranoid and convoluted.




Where I live, 0*F is common in the winter, and - 25 * F happens occasionally. And 15w40 conventional is the most commonly used oil. And the trucks ( usually ... ) start, and don't seem to blow up too often ! Engines are tougher than we think.

 

[paoester]

Originally Posted by geeman789
Originally Posted by jayg
It is pretty funny seeing people on here worried about boutique 0w oils living in places like Kansas or somewhere it doesn't stay below freezing for weeks at a time. Every year, the cold weather threads on here get more paranoid and convoluted.
Where I live, 0*F is common in the winter, and - 25 * F happens occasionally. And 15w40 conventional is the most commonly used oil. And the trucks ( usually ... ) start, and don't seem to blow up too often ! Engines are tougher than we think.


jayg, Then use some common sense and stop wasting money on your boutique expensive dealership TGMO 0w-16. What you don't know is that just about any 0w20 flows better at ultra-cold temperatures (MRV) than 0w16's do. Due to thinner base oil usage in 0w20 formulation.

 

[PimTac]

Good to hear your experience from The Last Frontier. It sounds like that TGMO 0w16 is working out very well for you.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted by paoester


jayg, Then use some common sense and stop wasting money on your boutique expensive dealership TGMO 0w-16. What you don't know is that just about any 0w20 flows better at ultra-cold temperatures (MRV) than 0w16's do. Due to thinner base oil usage in 0w20 formulation.



Who is the new guy? You realize you've been here like 10 minutes and are telling some one who has been around many years I don't have common sense because I don't do what you would do?



I can pick up all the TGMO I need for $30 a year for this car. I've never had an oil related failure even with 10w40 in my FJ60, I'm not going to have one running TGMO 0w16. Why pay double and wait for shipping when the engine isn't going to care either way?

 

[kschachn]

And can anyone please explain the significance of "flow"? As long as the oil flows to the pump pickup tube and doesn't gel at extremely low temperatures, what relevance does flow have?

 

[racin4ds]

You folks must be nuts to live in an area where it gets that cold! lol and even crazier to use a 0W16 in anything....

BTW- VW TDI's were getting that kind of fuel mileage ages ago with no $20k batteries...

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted by racin4ds
You folks must be nuts to live in an area where it gets that cold! lol and even crazier to use a 0W16 in anything....

BTW- VW TDI's were getting that kind of fuel mileage ages ago with no $20k batteries...

Yep, beautiful wildlife and scenery. Aurora borealis, no traffic, clean water. Crazy.

Don't worry about my engine wearing out with 0w16 because it won't. In fact I've never had to replace a battery in a Prius in 12 years. And they're not $20k.

Also TDIs don't get the same mileage as a Prius up here, I would know, I had one before I bought my truck. The cold weather affects the diesel efficiency more than the Prius by far. Besides that, they aren't all wheel drive and if they added a rear diff they mileage would drop even more.