More oil fray: What Winter, non-synthetic, grade?

[Paul7002]

CD has said use 20w50 all year. My owners manual recomends 20w50 for summer but 10w40 for winter. So I generally run Castrol 10w40 from roughly Dec through the end of Feb. My 02 gets not much use in the Winter as I refuse to drive it if there's salt on the roads. But I do fire it up at least every couple weeks and will go for a ride if its sunny and dry.

It does seem to turn over a little eaier with the 10w40 when it's really cold.

[FL02]

20w50 is super thick and doesn't run good when cold, and takes a little longer to get to operationg temp. If you are just starting it and cruising some in the winter, and not doing any high rpm runs for a long period of time, you should be OK with what you are using. You should not devieate too muich with what the manual says to do.

[c.d.iesel]

......basic point about the 'correct' oil to use

in any motor is to use the recommended weight.

The top number (30, 40 , 50 ) is the key and not to

use a lower weight oil . The bottom number (0, 5, 10, 15)

can be altered in extreme climates. This point is made by

Mercedes-Benz in their technical lubricants papers .

Consider the fact that when a motor reaches full operating

temperature - which is the same in summer or winter - so you

need that high weight number protection all the time, all seasons.

It's the cold cranking, spin-on oil filter cartridge BURST PRESSURE

you may want to adjust for by lowering the "W" low weight number.

And , any time, summer or winter, any motor - cold starting and warm-up

driving should be like you have an egg between your foot and gas pedal-

until the coolant, AND oil temps are fully up.

[Guest Anonymous]

Every car has a book that came with it. I dont have an 02 book here at the house or I would print the list here. The key is to match the temps you see with the chart. If your in a cold area like Chicago yeah 10/40 is fine. If your in NC 20/50 year round. A good coating oil is key, when you start the car the oil will be cold. This is why you always warm your car so that the oil can be pumped and distributed properly. On modern diesels this process can take 20min. Again your car, local weather conditions etc adjust this warm up time. I usualy warm for 4-5 min, when in NC. Remember once your at operating temps you need protection to match those temps.

Sam

[Guest Anonymous]

Paul,

I think that Richmond is generally warm enough year round to keep using 20w50. I live in Williamsburg and used to have a Rabbit GTI, for which I believe the owner's manual oil recommendations were very similar to that of a 2002. I put a lot of miles on that car using Valvoline 20w50 exclusively. It still had very little oil consumption and it ran very well when I sold it with approx. 230k miles. I never adjusted the valves and the head never had to come off, I just changed the oil regularly.