What To Use In Sub Zero Temps..

[Ilikeoldfords]

I was just wondering about motor oil. I am getting ready to change mine before a big trip and was thinking about switching to synthetic. The ONLY reason I would do the switch at the moment is for cold flow properties. At the moment, I am running Delo 400 and when it is -20 to -30 in the mornings before work, it takes a good 5 minutes or more of idling to get up to 40 psi. That cant be good!!

 

What does everyone think? Will the synthetic really flow that much better at those temps? I have never run synthetic before.

[rancherman]

I run   Conoco  fleet  15w40... in everything I own...  gas, diesel,  four wheelers motor cycles..  you name it.    but  I'm  probably close to  10-15 degrees  warmer here  on average.        You bet,   it  takes  time  for  full pressure to  'read'  at the gauge,   but   I'd  really  like to know  if  it's  actually  that low for that long!

 

Our  stock   sending unit's  moving  part  gotta be  stiff as  a   board,   and   it's gotta   take time  for it to actually  move  its  rheostat to indicate pressure..   but   I see you have isspro,  and   are they  mechanical?

 

I  have a tractor with about 4 foot of   mechanical oil pressure line,   and  it  takes    a  few minutes  for it  to sweep up to  80 @ idle.     There is a lot of   stiff oil in that tiny line..  which never really  warms up....   

 

no doubt  the    synthetic  will  flow  quicker,  but  I really  think  your  indicated pressure  isn't   quite as  slow as you fear..

[hex0rz]

Even when I do not see my oil pressure gauge go up at startup, I listen for the engine to make a different noise indicating oil pressure. I can usually hear it about a second before the gauge starts to read any pressure.

[diesel4life]

With those kind of temps I would use synthetic hands down.

[CTcummins24V]

plug it in plug it in

[Ilikeoldfords]

This is with it plugged in all day/night. I am running a mechanical isspro oil pressure gauge. It is running off the port right above the oil filter. That is why I am wondering if I should do something about it. I never thought about that little plastic line making it hard to build oil pressure to the gauge though.

[Wild and Free]

And just think when it takes that long to build up full oil pressure, I need to rub it in to AH64ID and his filter info.

 

When you are running a full blown dino oil in cold temps you are running about......... oh lets say nearly none of it through the filter media, nearly 100% of the oil is bypassing the filter, To pump something the consistency of honey through a filter media is not going to happen, if it didn't bypass you would do one of 2 things, either blow the filter off or collapse the filter media which is very common, I can't even think of the times I have pulled engine oil filters off that were totally collapsed in on themselves. This is where a quality filter comes into play as well some are more robust and have better built in bypass abilities.

[Ilikeoldfords]

I am running the stock fleetguard filter. Not sure how well the bypass is set up in it but I think I have decided to change over to synthetic. Now, which brands should I look at?

[Wild and Free]

Fleetguard or Donaldson are about as good as you can get in an oil filter.

 

Most synthetics are good now days, just a matter of preference.

[Ilikeoldfords]

Ok. Should I go straight to a 0w40? Or would a 5w40 be ok? Spending this much money on oil I just want to get the best fit the first time.

[Mopar1973Man]

I found some oil filters just because the name people use them and tend to have drain back problems. Like I've heard a report of AMSOil filters having this issue. The owner was telling me the filter would typically be partial filled at oil change time even after just running the truck.

 

As for Wix, NAPA, and Fleetguard I've not seen that issue.

 

As for subzero operations with petroleum oil (15w-40) and Fleetgaurd filters no issues with delay of oil pressure.

 

Just my

[anoldbiker]

I swear by 5w-50 year round. But where you live, I'd run the 0w-40. I know there have been big discussions on dino vs. sync oil, but I will only run the sync.

 

Doing this, I feel comfortable going anywhere except to Alaska / Canada in the middle of winter, then I will change out to the 0w-40.And the comment on the Donaldson filters, I only use their ELF series now. After sending samples into Blackstone, I'm happier.

 

About a year ago I asked BlackStone Labs what is the best full sync oil they found i their sampling, and their answer was any of the major brands full sync oils that are rated for our diesel engines are fine. Just stay away from the mix blends or lesser known off brands. If you have a question on oil, call or email them, they respond promptly. 

[anoldbiker]

Mike when I first bought my truck I was trying different filters each change. I've used the NAPA/Wix, Fleetguard, Mobil1, Baldwin and Donaldson to name a few.

 

No matter what I had on, I pulled the drain plug about 1/2 hour to one hour after driving it and let it drain for an hour. I have 'always' found the filter about 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" below the lowest threads when pulled. 

[Ilikeoldfords]

Thanks for the input everyone. Gonna get some 0w40 in and see how it runs with that maybe. I can get all kinds of brands at my store so I will probably go by price. I think the amsoil is probably cheapest.

[Mopar1973Man]

Mike when I first bought my truck I was trying different filters each change. I've used the NAPA/Wix, Fleetguard, Mobil1, Baldwin and Donaldson to name a few.

 

No matter what I had on, I pulled the drain plug about 1/2 hour to one hour after driving it and let it drain for an hour. I have 'always' found the filter about 1 1/2" to 1 3/4" below the lowest threads when pulled. 

 

Mine no matter what I do when I spin the filter off it drains out of the filter base all down the side of the filter and dripping on the ground. Never drains back.

[dripley]

Mine has always been full also. It can get messy. Our Dakota has a filter that is on about a 60* angle and its just a blast to take off.

[jlwelding]

I can say my 05 and my 01 have never ran over on filter change, I thought it was normal. That's running Amsoil filters on both trucks. I am going to try Fleet guard and see what happens.
I got to get over to Austin, give me a few days and I will let you know.

[Wild and Free]

I find it doesn't matter which filter you use, I have seen it both ways with several filter brands of full flow filters mainly mopar, fleetgaurd , amsoil , Hastings and Donaldson.

My amsoil bypass filter stays full no matter what.

I find that if you drain the sump first and let it sit for a bit before pulling the filter it will almost always syphon a bit back out of the filter which is how I usually do it. If you just pull the filter first if it is still warm I always get a hand full of oil. If you let it sit until cool I find it the same way, if you pull the filter first you get oil if you drain the sump first depending on how long you wait before pulling the filter I may or may not find oil in the filter head yet as the cold thicker oil doesn't syphon back as fast.

Edited January 23, 2014 by Wild and Free

[rancherman]

Has  anyone  noticed  on  these  drain back  concerns...

 

 

I'd  bet   the  guys  who  are seeing    NO  oil  at the time of  filter spin-off     have already  dropped  their  sump  oil.   

 

(usually hot oil  at the  time  I'd  venture too)      and  with  all the claims  that    synthetic oil    'flows  faster'  at  cold  temps  gotta  make it  flow faster  @  temp too??     See where I am  going with this?         Drop the   sump,  you lower the    'head'   level in the  pickup tube..       oil  upstream  GOTTA   go   somewhere        

 

HOT  synthetic    (under pressure)   makes  a   wonderful  lube   no doubt.          But   it  does    not    behave  like  mineral  oil   in  a  'hold by vacuum'   cohesiveness?    not sure of the  right   term here..

Kick this around  a bit.

[rancherman]

ah bill,  ya  beat me to it!