So recently I started a new job and moved due to this. The good thing is I found a nice apartment just a mile from work. The bad news is I found an apartment just a mile from work...

My question is: what do I do this winter? I live in up-state NY, about 30 miles from the Canadian boarder where temps can reach -30 or so in the winter. So what's better for my truck. Letting it run every morning for 10 minutes just to drive for 2? It seems like it's still not going to get up to temp in those 12 minutes, so I might as well just get in and go in the morning and not even bother letting it warm up...

What do you guys think? Should I let it warm up every morning or is it not worth it or even doing anything? I know it's early for winter but I love winter and am sick of summer already...

 

Any chance you can put in a block heater?

 

I would have no where to plug it in... I can't express to you guys how much I hate apartment living...

 

Drive to work Monday to Thursday , take Fridays off and drive it like you stole it for three days.

 

Walk... just Kidding

I have never lived anywere cold cant help sorry

 

I'm from Alberta, during the winter it is not uncommon for the temperatures here to reach -40. I remote start it and let it run for 10-15 mins, even for short commutes. Need to get the oil warmed up and flowing before you start driving. I use synthetic oil at 5W30, flows easier.

Just starting it and driving it right away could have consequences as the oil is slow to circulate through the engine at cold temperatures.

EDIT: I have the same color, cab style and tool box as you. We're practically twins.

 

Well you could switch oil viscosities. I don't know what weight they recommend for the 4.7, seems I remember you saying a while back you use Pennzoil 10W30. If so maybe check your manual and see if you can run a 5W30. It is thinner when cold and will make cold starts a bit easier on your engine's innards. It should help your engine start a bit faster in cold weather too. If it were my truck I would not run a synthetic, I don't really follow the synthetic hype but that's not why I say that. I would run a good conventional and change it based on time instead of miles. I say that because of oxidation. The longer an oil sits in your crank case, the more moisture builds up in it and causes condensation and flash rusting on the cylinder walls can occur. It makes more sense to me to use a good conventional and change it every 6 months instead of an expensive synthetic that you would have to change at the same 6 month interval anyway.

Take this for what it's worth but I will also say you could substitute a quart of Marvel Mystery Oil oil for a quart of your motor oil. If you do that then stick with your regular 10W30 or whatever weight you normally use, because MMO will thin it out some, some say it will take you down one grade in viscosity. The upper cylinder lube properties of the MMO will keep the cylinder walls lubed even with the engine off and it will help lube the fuel pump, clean and lube the fuel injectors and it will help fight carbon build-up in the cylinders. Some people hate MMO and any other oil/gas additives, but I know a few guys on other forums who live up north who use MMO in their oil in the winter months. They say it works great for cold starts. I have used it in my oil here in Florida a couple of times but only as a cleaning agent for the last 750 miles before an oil change. I have no need for it in my oil all the time. If you do run MMO in your oil you need to keep a close eye on the oil level, check it often because it will burn off faster than motor oil. Top off with motor oil, not more MMO. Adding MMO to your gas will help too, it may help offset some of the negative effects of ethanol, I have no idea how ethanol would play into winter fuel in -30 degree temps but I have an idea it can't be very good for the fuel and engine. MMO can help restore some of the lubricity that is lost in ethanol-laced fuel. Some people hate MMO but I use it in my gas all the time and it helps a lot.

Making a lot of short trips is harder on your engine than putting on highway miles. You can do like Fdup said and drive the truck hard every chance you get. At least once a week get it out on the highway for a good long run at highway speeds, at least a half hour or so. This will help blow the carbon out the exhaust and help cut back on oil contamination due to condensation build-up.

In a way I have the same problem as you do. I work at home now, have been working at home for a year and a half. I don't drive near as much as I used to when I commuted 56 miles round trip to work and back home every day. So now I get my truck out on the highway and stretch her legs as often as I can. In winter it is a bit easier to do since we take a 120 mile round trip to visit my wife's mom every Sunday. My wife only drives about 2.5 miles to her job, so I keep her oil changed every 6 months too, regardless of mileage. I don't add any MMO to her oil though. Hers is a Honda Accord and the tolerances in her engine are already close enough as it is. I run Pennzoil 5W20 conventional in her car. My truck runs great on Quaker State 10W30, I have been using it for a few years now. I tried Pennzoil conventional 10W30 on the oil change before my most recent one and my MPG went down a bit. Power on the butt-dyno seemed to suffer a bit too. Quaker State and Pennzoil are similar oils, both are Shell products but I think Pennzoil is a wee bit thicker and that was the reason. Pennzoil is a great oil but it has a ton of molybdenum in it. I have a theory that the added moly was detrimental to power and therefore MPG too but I am no engineer or mechanic. My engine seems to really run its best on Quaker State.

I think it would be best to use the thinnest oil you can get away with, change it every 5 or 6 months and get the truck out for a road trip as often as you can. Regular exercise will do your truck the most good. I also agree it is best to let the truck warm up for a few minutes, maybe longer depending on how cold it is. The thinner oils will help with cold start warm up times too.

Jimmy

 

use MMO in the gas. its easy to do. and it doesnt cost much. been using it for 3 decades. what i did is i got a can of staibil, just to get the measure riser. a real cool way to get MMO in the engine. is this lubricator. www.ampcolubes.com but on a V engine be sure it gets on both sides.

 

I would let it run it doesn't seem like it but it does warm up enough so its not super thick

 

mmo for cold weather?

Well I dont know cold weather or how it affects cars but decided to use it in my gas this summer my 2.5 runs like crap every summer so Im trying mmo to see if it helps the summer engine drag down I get every summer. At least it will keep my cylinders lubed up

mmo for winter hmmm!!!