Considerations for Extreme Cold (1 Viewer)

[TheGrrrrr]

I need to make a trip from Arizona to Western Illinois this week and will be encountering extreme cold in the neighborhood of -20f with highs around 2f during part of my stay in Illinois. I really only have two concerns that are specific to my truck in particular. Like most, my original radiator has been showing indications of the infamous crack for nearly two years, but so far has not ruptured. As the vehicle is under warranty for another year, I have simply been keeping and eye on it, and when taking longer trips, I have OBD Fusion setup to alert me if temps get high. I feel like that should keep me from an overheat scenario. My question is about if the extreme temps would make the radiator more brittle and susceptible to rupture? I'd rather not have the radiator replaced in a town that has never seen a 200 Series. My second question is about oil as I am currently 2000 miles since my last oil change running Mobile1 5w-30. The truck likes it way better than the 0w-20, but given the temps I'm going to encounter, maybe I should do a change back to the 0w-20 before I leave. I'm looking at a minimum 3000 miles round trip, but almost all highway driving with the engine at running temps, so I'm undecided on that. My only real concern is the radiator.

 

[TeCKis300]

I think your intuition is correct on those two concerns. I personally would address them, mitigating those risks on managed terms, rather than rolling the dice. Sure, you might be okay. But the risks of incidental issue are higher for such a trip. I would not mess with car reliability issues going into consequential weather like that.

That said, there may be a couple more options here

For the radiator, if you don't have time to swap it, make sure to bring some JB Weld. I now have it as part of my kit after saving a buddies radiator that failed in 100* weather. Fortunately there was a NAPA close by and it did wonders sealing a 1/8" x 10" long split for a 100 mile drive home. I would recommend applying it ahead of time as it can almost fix it indefinitely to avoid stress riser forces concentrated there. If and when it leaks, I doubt they'll try to deny warranty for a temp fix.

Oil, as a compromise, you can try 0W-30 as that should help with any cold startup wear.

 

[doru]

Oil wise you have a very versatile oil in your engine. It is good to -31F.
Once the engine is at running temps it does not matter you are in the cold.
Compared to 0W20 it will only make it harder to start because the viscosity at low temps is higher. As long as you have a good, charged battery you should be good. At the other end your oil is more viscous providing better protection in exchange for lower MPG.
With only 2k miles on this oil I would not change the oil before the interval just because of this trip.

Regardless of this trip my question to you is what exactly do you mean by your car likes it better?

Radiator wise yes do the JB weld as the plastic is going to be subjected to a big variation on temps from -20F to well over 100F.

 

[TheGrrrrr]

Oil wise you have a very versatile oil in your engine. It is good to -31F.
Once the engine is at running temps it does not matter you are in the cold.
Compared to 0W20 it will only make it harder to start because the viscosity at low temps is higher. As long as you have a good, charged battery you should be good. At the other end your oil is more viscous providing better protection in exchange for lower MPG.
With only 2k miles on this oil I would not change the oil before the interval just because of this trip.

Regardless of this trip my question to you is what exactly do you mean by your car likes it better?

Radiator wise yes do the JB weld as the plastic is going to be subjected to a big variation on temps from -20F to well over 100F.

"likes it better" = Less valve train noise on cold start, better oil pressure (reading between 1/4 to 1/2 depending on load vs constant 1/4 with 0w-20).

 

[goldwater58]

I'd make sure your battery is in good shape as well.

 

[Alpine4X4]

Don't forget to get that -32 rated windshield washer fluid, and carry an extra gallon in the back with you.

 

[sleepycruiser]

"likes it better" = Less valve train noise on cold start, better oil pressure (reading between 1/4 to 1/2 depending on load vs constant 1/4 with 0w-20).

Interesting....I've always read the opposite which is why I was going to put in OW-20 my next oil change. Maybe bc you are in a hotter climate?

 

[Ratchey]

Don't forget to get that -32 rated windshield washer fluid, and carry an extra gallon in the back with you.

Definitely this ^. Make sure you have a good recovery kit, plenty of water and snacks and extra warm dry clothes in case you get stuck. Never hurts to carry some kitty litter as a traction aid if you aren't running good winter tires. And take it easy on bridges and slushy areas. This can mess up a good day real quick.

 

[OSS]

IF
You got stuck
AND
You ran out of gasoline
AND
it was -20°F outside
YOU would die of hypothermia inside your unheated car even with all your clothes on.

Bring a super warm sleeping bag

 

[RandyDaytona]

Definitely this ^. Make sure you have a good recovery kit, plenty of water and snacks and extra warm dry clothes in case you get stuck. Never hurts to carry some kitty litter as a traction aid if you aren't running good winter tires. And take it easy on bridges and slushy areas. This can mess up a good day real quick.

For water, it’s better to have a flexible container than a solid one. Plastic can snap/crack very quickly if it’s really cold (-32). And obviously, anything carbonated will become a ticking time bomb at around that temp.

 

[bloc]

Interesting....I've always read the opposite which is why I was going to put in OW-20 my next oil change. Maybe bc you are in a hotter climate?

Where did you read this?

Tons of anecdotes on this board supporting use of 5w-30 over the factory 0w-20 fill, myself included.

 

[Sandroad]

My 2c. If you have time to replace the radiator, do it. If not, put the JB Weld on proactively. The last thing you need (well, almost the last) is for your already cracked radiator to give up in those extreme conditions on a 3k mile road trip. No worries about the oil, in my pretty much meaningless opinion, unless it needs changing anyway before the trip.

Edit: photograph the crack before gluing.

 

[sleepycruiser]

Where did you read this?

Tons of anecdotes on this board supporting use of 5w-30 over the factory 0w-20 fill, myself included.

On Mud. Lots of LC200 users supporting OW-20 as well. I assume mine has 5W-30 in it now, but I'm not sure as I've only had it a few months and the oil was changed right before I bought it. I was going to put OW-20 in it when I change the oil next, but if I can use 5W-30 it would save some coin for sure. What oil are you using, brandwise?

 

[stonepa]

I run 5w30 in all my LCs. Never a problem at any cold temp.

-15 last night here in northern Minnesota. Supposed to be -20 tonight. My 200 fired right up this morning on 5w30. Wasn’t plugged with the cartridge heater as my mom thinks it wastes too much electricity. Whatever cold they get in Illinois will be gone in a day or so. Should not be an issue.

 

[04UZJ100]

IF
You got stuck
AND
You ran out of gasoline
AND
it was -20°F outside
YOU would die of hypothermia inside your unheated car even with all your clothes on.

Bring a super warm sleeping bag

Not in Illinois.

 

[stonepa]

IF
You got stuck
AND
You ran out of gasoline
AND
it was -20°F outside
YOU would die of hypothermia inside your unheated car even with all your clothes on.

Bring a super warm sleeping bag

Not bad advice at all. Spent several nights stuck in -xx due to bad weather and a highway closing. In Alaska and the northern part of lower 48 i always have food, a very warm sleeping bag for each passenger, a white gas cookstove and kit with fuel, a mountaineering shovel, and mukluks. I can survive through anything mother nature can throw at me.

 

[bloc]

What oil are you using, brandwise?

Lots of people run 0w-20 because that’s what is in the manual and came in the truck, and can do that for many many miles just fine. But a lot of us have switched to 5w-30 and noticed a more quiet valvetrain and easier to find oil.. not to mention that weight is specd in this engine in much of the world outside the US. But there are whole threads devoted to the topic.

I’ve been running pennzoil platinum mainly because I can easily get significant discounts on it, making a 5k OCI manageable vs pushing up to 7500. But I’d have no problem running any of the name brand synthetic oils in that weight.

 

[stonepa]

Don't forget to get that -32 rated windshield washer fluid, and carry an extra gallon in the back with you.

I swap out my blinker fluid as well.

 

[TheGrrrrr]

Not bad advice at all. Spent several nights stuck in -xx due to bad weather and a highway closing. In Alaska and the northern part of lower 48 i always have food, a very warm sleeping bag for each passenger, a white gas cookstove and kit with fuel, a mountaineering shovel, and mukluks. I can survive through anything mother nature can throw at me.

Im always amazed when folks take off on a winter road-trip like it’s a summer trip to the mall. I grew up in the cornfields of Illinois and wouldn’t think of heading out without a full emergency survival kit in my vehicle. Lots of good advice in this thread, but I’m like you, my vehicle (running or not) is stocked for a good 48+ hours of relatively comfortable survival. The Kaon shelf is perfect for stuffing all the warm layers, sleeping bags and food.

 

[Alpine4X4]

I honestly believe all the auto makers specify the lighter weight oils to increase fuel economy, even though that increase is negligible. No different from making the front droop on many vehicles and trucks, just like the 200-series for the US market.

Last time I purchased oil, I noticed that they now offer a synthetic 0W-16.