protecting your vehicles’ engine in lancaster’s freezing temperatures
The importance of monitoring motor oil when freezing
Freezing temperatures are far from uncommon in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, which this bring a unique set of challenges to not only those in Central Pennsylvania, but many in of the northern states in the US. Among these challenges is your motor vehicle’s engine health and performance. Motor oil can actually function differently in the col versus the heat, and today you’ll learn how to check and ensure that your vehicle’s oil is suitable for the frozen season.
Motor oil can often be overlooked in the winter when thinking about car care, but the viscosity (thickness) of the oil can change how well your engine performs and for how long. The viscosity of your motor oil can make your engine perform better in the winter when it is thinner. Many don’t know that the first number in your recommended oil refers to cold start ratings. We won’t dive deep into that right now, but basically the first number + letter refers to cold start while the secon number refers to a heat rating.
Being heated and cooling off constantly when the engine runs and sits for long amounts of time, oil needs to flow as designed for the engine components that it cleans and lubricates. This can’t happen properly if your car is built for 0W-20 and you run 10W-30 in it. It will be too thick and engine performance and health will likely be hindered. When temperatures drop, motor oil thickens, making it harder for the engine to pump it through the system. This increased viscosity can lead to delayed engine startup, reduced efficiency, and increased strain on critical components.
In areas such as Lancaster, PA, where winter temperatures dive below freezing constantly, the choice of motor oil and observing it is essential. Due to the constant shifts in weather from a week of single-digit temperatures to over 40 the next, the climate demands your oil viscosity be suited to flow smoothly even in cold starts. This can be ensured through a quick check in your owner’s manual and verifying your vehicle is cared for properly.
Key consiedrations for oil through the winter
Oil Viscosity: Thickness of the oil. Cold makes it thicker, heat makes it thin out. This is why we make sure we heat up engines before fluid changes.
Synthetic, Blend, or Conventional Oil: Three main types of oil are manufactured for vehicles in the US. These are synthetic (distilled and engineered oil with additives), senthetic-blend (a significant amount of synthetic oil mixed with mineral oils), and conventional (refined cruddde oil with additives). Synthetic oil has been physically and/or chemically engineered and altered in order to provide optimal life and performance for engines.
Additives: Many minerals and chemicals are addded to better all three of these types of oil including detergents, dispersants, anti-wear agents, anti-rusting agents, friction modifiers, and antioxidants to keep rubber parts from drying out.
How to maintain your motor oil in the winter
The most beneficial thing you can do to protect and maintain a healthy vehicle in the winter is ensuring that you have the right viscosity motor oil in it. You can do this by checking your owner’s manual and looking it up online. You can do this by visiting online databases like AMSoil or by going to Advance Auto or Walmart and entering your vehicle information. These are often great tools for guiding you to the right oil, but be sure to verify somehow whether it be through your owner’s manual or a call to your local vehicle manufacturer service center. Heavenly Auto Maintenance always provides the oil recommended by the manufacturer as we provide on-site car maintenance in Lancaster County. Ensuring you ddon’t have to sweat the little details regarding your vehicle, we strive to earn your trust by ddoing what’s right the first time.
Following your prep for the winter months, checking your motor oil level both while cold and after running the engine for 15 minutes or more will guarantee you stay current on your engine’s lifeline. When locating your oil dip stick, you never want to see the oil level drop below the dot/line closest to the tip of the stick. Maintaining an oil level between the two furthest dots/lines will keep your engine running smoother, longer.
We will get into Motor oil versus transmission fluid, reading all fluid levels, their immportances, and other helpful vehicle guides in the next posts. Until next time,
