Anyone use 0W-30 oil in the winter?

We have super cold winters here, constantly below freezing for months at a time.
So I've been thinking maybe I should start using thinner oil in the winter to be nicer to my Truck.

Any thoughts on the subject?

 

I use 0w-30 year round and there is no reason anyone running synthetic shouldnt regardless of ambient temps (im here in so cal). FYI 0w at 100*f ambient is STILL thicker than the 30weight property at a fully warmed up oil temp... that is to say even the "thin" 0w when cold is still too thick to properly lube a motor... but its MUUUUUUUCH thinner than a 5w or 10w cold.

 

I run what the manual says to run. But with Mobile One Full Synthetic.

 

Ya, I've never really had an issue in the winter, however after doing some research I think it would be beneficial to switch to a thinner oil for those cold starts in the winter. It gets well below freezing here. I just didn't know if it would be OK to run a 0w30 in my 2008 2.7 MT 4x4. Never done it before, and I think the manual suggest a 5w20, however I think I've been using 5w30, or vise versa can't remember ( conventional ).

 

BTW with a few different cars I would notice certain sounds my engine made after starting up in the winter, didn't think much of it until just now after doing some research. I guess those engine sounds were from thick oil cold start problems, or maybe the internet is playing with my head.. IDK, all I know is I want to make this taco last as long as possible.

 

fyi the 2.7L after i think 2010 calls for 0w-20 to help with mpg 's .... Id run 0w-20 without any issue or hesitation in the 2.7

 

Interesting, that's great to know. Now I won't feel so hesitant. Might switch to 0w-20 this weekend then

 

No.

 

I run Mobil 1 0w-30 year rounding my V6. I didn't use my block heater last winter due to the location of my parking spot at the place I was renting. I feel like it started much better (easier and less of the sketchy cold weather start noises) than in the past when I was running the recommended oil weight in the same temps - minus 20F starts were pretty common last winter.

 

+1.

 

I run 0W-30 synthetic year round. Like was said before the 0 weight at 100F is still thicker than is needed to properly lubricate. At operating temp they all end up at a 30 weight (which is quite a bit thinner than the 0 was at 100F). You end up at the proper viscosity faster because the oil starts out thinner. The faster you get to a viscosity that will properly lubricate the engine the less wear you ultimately have.

It does help tremendously in cold weather though!

I have oil pressure and temp gauges. With 5W-30 synthetic at startup I would peg out my 100 psi gauge if the temp got into the single digits (lowest I saw running that weight). With 0W-30 I started on the coldest day we have had around here in a long time, -22F! This time oil pressure was right at 90 psi on initial startup.

Warmed up though, the pressure was the same.

 

I have not, and I live in the Mid West. I just run the weight recommended on the cap. But if I lived in a colder climate like Minnesota or Michigan or especially Canada, I'd probably go for the thinner stuff for better protection.

 

I live in a northern state with below freezing temps for months. I've always used 5W-30 M1.

 

0w30 amsoil year round

 

I've ran 0w20 the past several years, 2 of those years I lived in nothern CO. Most all Toyotas and Lexus call for it now.

 

Interesting read here on BITOG forum about 0w-30 oil. There are other discussions there as well. This is just one. But the gist of the conversation is that 0w-30 is only beneficial under very extreme circumstances. Under more normal situations 0w-30 is actually thicker at startup than 5w-30.

https://www.bobistheoilguy.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=2581168