Bought my truck in summer, and now it's freezing cold.

Currently has 15w 40 in. Anyone else run this year round, or should I swap it for something a bit lighter. Cold starts etc.

Don't really want to switch to synthetic, as I assume that means a more thorough flush etc..

What's everyone else do?

Location NY.

 

For what its worth i run it all year in mine, but this has been a particularly cold year. I am big on letting vehicle warm up 3-4 minutes even in the summer

 

Another thing I wondered. Of late, starting has sounded rather, er - thin.

More like.... Net ner ner ner ner, vroom..

Instead of.... Chug chug chug chug vroom....



My mind tells me this is because the cylinders arnt lubricated properly, as the oil is too thick at the low temps, and compression is low. But my other mind (I have two) tells me this is nonsense.

Am I going insane? Or are the drugs working correctly?


NURSE!...

 

We have been having record warm weeks here in the Pacific NW

 

I don't know what you mean by synthetic needing a more thorough flush, but nothing is needed. Just switch to Rotella T6 and you are done. It'll flow MUCH better when cold.

 

i hav erun 15-40 all year round and every winter when the temps hit the way they are I always think I should switch out something lighter. never have. I just let the truck warm up a wee bit longer. I am sure that some will say that it is harsh on the top end for oil starvation etc.. maybe they are right. to me it makes no difference. at some point the engine gets rebuilt or replaced once they are over 150k anyway.

 

I am in the same boat as Drowssap and Jeff. 15-40 year round. It was 2 degrees when I started it for work the other morning. I actually let it warm up for 10 minutes while I got more coffee. Mind you, I did this for myself, NOT the engine because I didn't want to drive to work in a cold car. When it's cold, I might wait an extra few seconds before I engage the go lever, but I think that is also a combination of the cold effecting my body and might be better for the engine.
The oil light might stay on for ~about half a second longer when it's super cold out than it does in the summer time.

 

I thought that Dino and synth didn't mix well. So Dino needed to be washed out a bit. I might have dreamt it.... Yep, I'm pretty sure I dreamt that now.


Seems at least a few don't consider it an issue.

 

Dino and synth mix fine, that's what these partial synthetic oils are.

I use 15w40 Royal Purple year around. That's a little different from your Rotella since it costs twice as much and it's full synthetic, but I wasn't about to take any risks on my rebuilt engine wearing out. I'd like it to last as long as possible, because when it goes again the whole engine and transmission go.

 

mine sits outside all year long so it gets 5w20 for the winter, and 20w50 in the summer. I thought about Mobil1 but at $8 plus a quart...and it does tend to leak more than regular oil.