Cold weather oil?

[sngsht]

As some of you know, I'm moving North and will be spending some time completely 'off grid', in a week or so . The only A/C power I will have initially, will be generator produced, and I won't be able to plug in my truck. Temps at night are already hitting zero to -2 or 3, and I'm wondering if i should have put in a lighter oil when I changed it, a couple weeks ago? I'm running 15W40 Rotella oil and Fleetguard LF16035 filter , any suggestions? Thanks!![h=1][/h]

[Ilikeoldfords]

I would run something a little lighter. Maybe like a 10w30. Here in grand forks it has been reaching as low as -12 with the wind chill. I still have the delo 400 15w40 and takes a good 2-3 minutes to get up to 40 psi after initial start up. I am running a mechanical oil pressure gauge so I know it's correct.

[Mopar1973Man]

No problems here. Still running 15w-40 all year round with minus weather coming. People have to remember to break down the weight spec. 15W-4015W - This is the weight characteristics of the cold start oil.40 - This is the weight characteristics of a full warmed oil.So looking towards 10w-30 oil make sure that you can get it in a CI-4 or CJ-4 API grade. Make sure it's not a S(?) spec. C - Stands for Compression Engine (Diesel Engine)S - Stands for Spark Engine (Gasoline Engine) Believe or not no one up here in Idaho sell any other weight of oil other than 15w-40 CH-4. 10w-30 is sold as a SN grade. Shouldn't be used.

[Wild and Free]

One needs to look at temperature pour points as well. I have pulled drain plugs on equipment at -20 to -35 with standard dino 15-40 oils and nothing came out of the drain hole, stick a screw driver in and pull out the honey. Granted as oil gets used up it does thicken as well but one does need to look at the individual MFG specs for both oil and equipment specs.

[Mopar1973Man]

Thankfully enough we don't keep the minus weather for very long and usually escape it after a few weeks. But Wild & Free is right if you are truely expecting long term you might consider it. Mine is short term and typically will warm up in a few weeks. Not to mention the day time high typically positive numbers single digits. Still need to watch API grade spec though. To many grab the gasoline oils.

[sngsht]

Thanks for the info guy's, I knew to break break down the numbers , but wasn't, sure how a 15w oil would relate to the temps. . Hard to find anything other than 15w40 around here either Mike, unless I go to a synthetic - guess that should tell me something. First winter with the baby Cummins, so I'm probably over thinking it!

[Mopar1973Man]

I can see where Wild and Free is with heavy machinery and what the extreme cold does. But a bit different when most people are plugging in there trucks or keeping them inside a unheated shop which is better than parked out in the cold. Like my rigs are both in garages so they don't start with minus temp but with above +32*F usually. But yes there is times I run for a fire call leave my truck standing out at a shed for hours getting cold or go up to McCall shopping for a few hours and allow it go cold. Either case I still just start up and high idle for a short period to build some heat and then roll on.

[sngsht]

That's what has me concerned, it's going to be sitting out, unplugged, in zero to minus temps for a couple months minimum.

[Wild and Free]

I run 100% Amsoil in everything I own and am a dealer as well but with my rigs even with full synthetic 15-40 if they do sit outside in the windy -10 and colder even if plugged in will take several seconds to build oil pressure. If I did not use them to tow heavy on occasion and never knowing when I would run 10-30 diesel oil in winter but choose not to.On another note I know the 6.0 Power Strokes need 15-40 as 10-30 causes injector issues according to Ford and at least 2 guys I know personally who had injector issues after switching to 10-30 as they run a high pressure oil pump to fire the injectors.

[Wild and Free]

I run 100% Amsoil in everything I own and am a dealer as well but with my rigs even with full synthetic 15-40 if they do sit outside in the windy -10 and colder even if plugged in will take several seconds to build oil pressure. If I did not use them to tow heavy on occasion and never knowing when I would run 10-30 diesel oil in winter but choose not to as mine sit in an unheated garage or a lightly heated shop at home and I don't daily drive my cummins anyhow but when I do it only sits outside at work plugged in for 11 hours a day or night depending on what shift I am on.On another note I know the 6.0 Power Strokes need 15-40 as 10-30 causes injector issues according to Ford and at least 2 guys I know personally who had injector issues after switching to 10-30 as they run a high pressure oil pump to fire the injectors.

[diesel4life]

A synthetic would take all the concerns you have away. My brother in law in Wyoming has an 08 6.7 and I have personally seen him leave his truck parked for several days at the cabin and go out, cycle the grid heaters 2 or 3 times depending on how cold it is and fire it up. This is at just shy of 10k feet elevation where temps easily reach into the -20s to -30 and might or might not break 0 during the day. He has run a full synthetic 15w40 from day one and an anti gel in the tank and has never been stranded.One thing I have seen him do if its really windy (his and my versions of wind are different,the wind ALWAYS blows in Wyoming, especially at that elevation), is build up a snow wall with the loader and park the nose into it without physically parking in the snow, this helps keep the wind off the truck some, and he claims helps a little.Good luck with your big move, and try to keep in touch now and again. I would be interested to hear how your making out up there.

[sngsht]

A synthetic would take all the concerns you have away. My brother in law in Wyoming has an 08 6.7 and I have personally seen him leave his truck parked for several days at the cabin and go out, cycle the grid heaters 2 or 3 times depending on how cold it is and fire it up. This is at just shy of 10k feet elevation where temps easily reach into the -20s to -30 and might or might not break 0 during the day. He has run a full synthetic 15w40 from day one and an anti gel in the tank and has never been stranded. One thing I have seen him do if its really windy (his and my versions of wind are different,the wind ALWAYS blows in Wyoming, especially at that elevation), is build up a snow wall with the loader and park the nose into it without physically parking in the snow, this helps keep the wind off the truck some, and he claims helps a little. Good luck with your big move, and try to keep in touch now and again. I would be interested to hear how your making out up there.

Thanks! Have a job lined up already, start no later than the 9th , I'm going to spend the winter in a camper Should be busy working and getting our build sight ready, while my wife stays in Ohio till the school year ends....