What Oil Are You Running in Serious Cold? - Toyota GR86, 86, FR-S and Subaru BRZ Forum & Owners Community

Chezboat24 · 10-31-2022, 12:47 AM

I'm talking in the -40 range because it's fairly common here. Diagram in the owners manual only goes to -20F/-30C. I've run 0W20 the entire time as recommended but I feel like this is an exception.

Before there's an potential confusion, -40 is the same in C and F.

x808drifter · 10-31-2022, 09:39 AM

Seeing as you can't go lower that 0W and AFAIK and can find multi grade oils are tested to -40 degrees. Why is this even a thread?
Serious question.

DarkPira7e · 10-31-2022, 09:43 AM

Like I'm sure many people on here, I've had 0w-20 in my car and driven it at -20f without issue multiple times.

Tcoat · 10-31-2022, 10:06 AM

Where do you live that -40 is "common"?
Are you using windchill temperatures? Windchill does not impact your oil viscosity so just use the actual temperature.
The 0W20 is fine for the temperatures anyplace in populated Canada. In fact we used 0W20 in the military vehicles in Alert where the temperatures are pushing -50 most of the winter. Mind you at that extreme hardly anything else worked properly anyway so oil was the least of the problems.

The Red One · 10-31-2022, 10:43 AM

For the few very cold days to assist in a fast warm-up have you considered a block heater?

https://www.subarupartspros.com/part...ck-heater.html

I used to option my new cars with a block heater but have not needed to in the past 20 years. Reasoning when I will really need it there would be nothing to plug it in(winter camping anyone?) A good strong battery is more important when it gets that cold.

RToyo86 · 10-31-2022, 12:31 PM

Some oils have shown to flow better at colder temperatures. Pennzoil Ultra platinum and amsoil signature are two I'm aware of that Excell in -40.

Project farm on YouTube did an oil analysis on a bunch of different brands and those two came out on top.

Chezboat24 · 10-31-2022, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Where do you live that -40 is "common"?
Are you using windchill temperatures? Windchill does not impact your oil viscosity so just use the actual temperature.
The 0W20 is fine for the temperatures anyplace in populated Canada. In fact we used 0W20 in the military vehicles in Alert where the temperatures are pushing -50 most of the winter. Mind you at that extreme hardly anything else worked properly anyway so oil was the least of the problems.

There are frequently one-to-two week periods south of Calgary that get well in to the deep -30 range without windchill. There are stretches where I’ll be cold starting it without a block heater, though it’ll work most of the winter. I just use the Toyota stuff so wondered if there was any better oil. It seems to be answered later on down the thread so it’s all sorted.

Chezboat24 · 10-31-2022, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RToyo86

Some oils have shown to flow better at colder temperatures. Pennzoil Ultra platinum and amsoil signature are two I'm aware of that Excell in -40.

Project farm did an oil analysis on a bunch of different brands and those two came out on top.

Thank you. Apparently, based on the responses, I didn’t word the initial post properly because this is the exact answer I’m looking for.

Chezboat24 · 11-01-2022, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Red One

For the few very cold days to assist in a fast warm-up have you considered a block heater?

https://www.subarupartspros.com/part...ck-heater.html

I used to option my new cars with a block heater but have not needed to in the past 20 years. Reasoning when I will really need it there would be nothing to plug it in(winter camping anyone?) A good strong battery is more important when it gets that cold.

Car already has a block heater. Won't be able to use it sometimes (nowhere to plug in at work). I've run cars at that temp before without a block heater but they're either bigger trucks with monstrous batteries or small Honda's that would literally start at 0 Kelvin.

Chezboat24 · 11-01-2022, 12:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by x808drifter

Seeing as you can't go lower that 0W and AFAIK and can find multi grade oils are tested to -40 degrees. Why is this even a thread?
Serious question.

Was following the owners manual. If range only went down to -20, I was wondering if there was some other factor affecting the car's ability to run below that, potentially beyond just oil viscosity. No worries.

DrinkenBRZ · 11-01-2022, 12:29 AM

You could try a 0w16 or 0w8 for those stints. You’d see very slightly better cold flow due to less polymer doping to make the viscosity index spread with minimal engine wear increase, if at all. But, as others have said 0w20 should suffice, especially after 1600km or so when it’s sheared from fuel dilution and mechanical shearing when it’s probably closer to 0w16 anyway.

Spairo · 11-01-2022, 07:02 AM

If it were me, I would use 0w-uHaul to move my butt someplace warmer.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Chezboat24 · 11-01-2022, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spairo

If it were me, I would use 0w-uHaul to move my butt someplace warmer.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

Give it a few months and I may be moving somewhere colder haha

soundman98 · 11-01-2022, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spairo

If it were me, I would use 0w-uHaul to move my butt someplace warmer.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

i'm sure he'd be ok with you donating the first $1,000 to his gofundme.

10-31-2022, 12:47 AM	#1
Chezboat24 Click Here Join Date: May 2022 Drives: 2013 FR-S Location: Alberta Posts: 31 Thanks: 2 Thanked 11 Times in 6 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	What Oil Are You Running in Serious Cold? I'm talking in the -40 range because it's fairly common here. Diagram in the owners manual only goes to -20F/-30C. I've run 0W20 the entire time as recommended but I feel like this is an exception. Before there's an potential confusion, -40 is the same in C and F.

10-31-2022, 09:43 AM	#3
DarkPira7e Rust bucket enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2017 Drives: 2013 Turbo Firestorm FRS Location: Vermont Posts: 3,934 Thanks: 3,200 Thanked 4,095 Times in 2,045 Posts Mentioned: 31 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Like I'm sure many people on here, I've had 0w-20 in my car and driven it at -20f without issue multiple times. __________________ Turbo FR-S Build - Build Thread JDL EL Recirc manifold, Boostlab BL58x Turbo w/ T51R, 17x9 ARC-8, IAG block

10-31-2022, 10:06 AM	#4
Tcoat Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Drives: 2020 Hakone Location: London, Ont Posts: 69,845 Thanks: 61,656 Thanked 108,283 Times in 46,456 Posts Mentioned: 2495 Post(s) Tagged: 50 Thread(s)	Where do you live that -40 is "common"? Are you using windchill temperatures? Windchill does not impact your oil viscosity so just use the actual temperature. The 0W20 is fine for the temperatures anyplace in populated Canada. In fact we used 0W20 in the military vehicles in Alert where the temperatures are pushing -50 most of the winter. Mind you at that extreme hardly anything else worked properly anyway so oil was the least of the problems. __________________ Racecar spelled backwards is Racecar, because Racecar.

10-31-2022, 12:31 PM	#6
RToyo86 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2018 Drives: 17 Asphalt 86 Location: Ottawa Posts: 2,168 Thanks: 1,709 Thanked 2,207 Times in 1,128 Posts Mentioned: 13 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Some oils have shown to flow better at colder temperatures. Pennzoil Ultra platinum and amsoil signature are two I'm aware of that Excell in -40. Project farm on YouTube did an oil analysis on a bunch of different brands and those two came out on top. Last edited by RToyo86; 11-01-2022 at 11:13 AM.

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10-31-2022, 09:39 AM	#2
x808drifter LMGTFY Join Date: Mar 2016 Drives: 13 FRS, 91 Miata Location: Lava Town, HI Posts: 2,776 Thanks: 5,561 Thanked 3,646 Times in 1,625 Posts Mentioned: 15 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	Seeing as you can't go lower that 0W and AFAIK and can find multi grade oils are tested to -40 degrees. Why is this even a thread? Serious question.

10-31-2022, 10:43 AM	#5
The Red One Planning summer road trip Join Date: Jun 2019 Drives: 2019 Sport-tech RS. City car: GD3 Location: Mtl south shore Posts: 662 Thanks: 891 Thanked 883 Times in 458 Posts Mentioned: 3 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	For the few very cold days to assist in a fast warm-up have you considered a block heater? https://www.subarupartspros.com/part...ck-heater.html I used to option my new cars with a block heater but have not needed to in the past 20 years. Reasoning when I will really need it there would be nothing to plug it in(winter camping anyone?) A good strong battery is more important when it gets that cold.

11-01-2022, 12:29 AM	#11
DrinkenBRZ Member Join Date: Mar 2022 Drives: 10 RX-8 Spt, 20 BRZ Ltd, 21 Rubicon Location: Colorado Posts: 44 Thanks: 29 Thanked 26 Times in 17 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	You could try a 0w16 or 0w8 for those stints. You’d see very slightly better cold flow due to less polymer doping to make the viscosity index spread with minimal engine wear increase, if at all. But, as others have said 0w20 should suffice, especially after 1600km or so when it’s sheared from fuel dilution and mechanical shearing when it’s probably closer to 0w16 anyway.

11-01-2022, 07:02 AM	#12
Spairo Member Join Date: Dec 2016 Drives: 2013 FR-S 6 spd in Halo Location: San Diego Posts: 81 Thanks: 10 Thanked 69 Times in 34 Posts Mentioned: 0 Post(s) Tagged: 0 Thread(s)	If it were me, I would use 0w-uHaul to move my butt someplace warmer. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

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