Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every year... it's
usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up the rigs to
get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
outlet to plug into up there <g>!

Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil before
the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably switch
back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000 miles. Is
it bad to switch like that?

-jeff

Re: Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

In weather that cold, a synthetic is definitely a good idea since it really
does flow much better in extremely cold conditions. I'd run 5W-30 synthetic
in those conditions. Maybe even 0W-30 synthetic would be a good idea for
those cold starts. I don't run synthetic due to its added cost and in my
temperate climate, I don't see a whole lot of REAL benefit to synthetic over
a high quality mineral-based multi-weight oil. But I sure would run
synthetic without a second thought if I lived and drove in an extremely cold
climate like you do. :)

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
PP-ASEL N6TAY
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/
"Handywired" <handywired@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040813004932.25491.00003344@mb-m29.aol.com...
> It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every year...
it's
> usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up the
rigs to
> get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
> outlet to plug into up there <g>!
>
> Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil
before
> the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably
switch
> back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000
miles. Is
> it bad to switch like that?
>
> -jeff

Re: Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

In weather that cold, a synthetic is definitely a good idea since it really
does flow much better in extremely cold conditions. I'd run 5W-30 synthetic
in those conditions. Maybe even 0W-30 synthetic would be a good idea for
those cold starts. I don't run synthetic due to its added cost and in my
temperate climate, I don't see a whole lot of REAL benefit to synthetic over
a high quality mineral-based multi-weight oil. But I sure would run
synthetic without a second thought if I lived and drove in an extremely cold
climate like you do. :)

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
PP-ASEL N6TAY
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/
"Handywired" <handywired@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040813004932.25491.00003344@mb-m29.aol.com...
> It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every year...
it's
> usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up the
rigs to
> get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
> outlet to plug into up there <g>!
>
> Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil
before
> the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably
switch
> back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000
miles. Is
> it bad to switch like that?
>
> -jeff

Re: Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

In weather that cold, a synthetic is definitely a good idea since it really
does flow much better in extremely cold conditions. I'd run 5W-30 synthetic
in those conditions. Maybe even 0W-30 synthetic would be a good idea for
those cold starts. I don't run synthetic due to its added cost and in my
temperate climate, I don't see a whole lot of REAL benefit to synthetic over
a high quality mineral-based multi-weight oil. But I sure would run
synthetic without a second thought if I lived and drove in an extremely cold
climate like you do. :)

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
PP-ASEL N6TAY
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/
"Handywired" <handywired@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040813004932.25491.00003344@mb-m29.aol.com...
> It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every year...
it's
> usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up the
rigs to
> get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
> outlet to plug into up there <g>!
>
> Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil
before
> the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably
switch
> back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000
miles. Is
> it bad to switch like that?
>
> -jeff

Re: Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

In weather that cold, a synthetic is definitely a good idea since it really
does flow much better in extremely cold conditions. I'd run 5W-30 synthetic
in those conditions. Maybe even 0W-30 synthetic would be a good idea for
those cold starts. I don't run synthetic due to its added cost and in my
temperate climate, I don't see a whole lot of REAL benefit to synthetic over
a high quality mineral-based multi-weight oil. But I sure would run
synthetic without a second thought if I lived and drove in an extremely cold
climate like you do. :)

Jerry
--
Jerry Bransford
PP-ASEL N6TAY
See the Geezer Jeep at
http://members.cox.net/jerrypb/
"Handywired" <handywired@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20040813004932.25491.00003344@mb-m29.aol.com...
> It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every year...
it's
> usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up the
rigs to
> get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
> outlet to plug into up there <g>!
>
> Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil
before
> the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably
switch
> back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000
miles. Is
> it bad to switch like that?
>
> -jeff

Re: Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

Synthetic is better at these temps but I wouldn't worry about 'only'
-15F, the Jeep will tolerate it easily. (different story around the -25
to -35F range!) Make sure you have fresh oil (5w-30). a good battery,
and get it to operating temp quickly (drive it, don't idle it for 20
minutes)

I'd be more concerned over the battery than the oil. For that temp and
that far from civilization, I'd replace any battery over 4 years old.

Handywired wrote:
> It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every year... it's
> usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up the rigs to
> get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
> outlet to plug into up there <g>!
>
> Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil before
> the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably switch
> back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000 miles. Is
> it bad to switch like that?
>
> -jeff

Re: Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

Synthetic is better at these temps but I wouldn't worry about 'only'
-15F, the Jeep will tolerate it easily. (different story around the -25
to -35F range!) Make sure you have fresh oil (5w-30). a good battery,
and get it to operating temp quickly (drive it, don't idle it for 20
minutes)

I'd be more concerned over the battery than the oil. For that temp and
that far from civilization, I'd replace any battery over 4 years old.

Handywired wrote:
> It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every year... it's
> usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up the rigs to
> get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
> outlet to plug into up there <g>!
>
> Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil before
> the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably switch
> back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000 miles. Is
> it bad to switch like that?
>
> -jeff

Re: Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

Synthetic is better at these temps but I wouldn't worry about 'only'
-15F, the Jeep will tolerate it easily. (different story around the -25
to -35F range!) Make sure you have fresh oil (5w-30). a good battery,
and get it to operating temp quickly (drive it, don't idle it for 20
minutes)

I'd be more concerned over the battery than the oil. For that temp and
that far from civilization, I'd replace any battery over 4 years old.

Handywired wrote:
> It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every year... it's
> usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up the rigs to
> get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
> outlet to plug into up there <g>!
>
> Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil before
> the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably switch
> back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000 miles. Is
> it bad to switch like that?
>
> -jeff

Re: Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

Synthetic is better at these temps but I wouldn't worry about 'only'
-15F, the Jeep will tolerate it easily. (different story around the -25
to -35F range!) Make sure you have fresh oil (5w-30). a good battery,
and get it to operating temp quickly (drive it, don't idle it for 20
minutes)

I'd be more concerned over the battery than the oil. For that temp and
that far from civilization, I'd replace any battery over 4 years old.

Handywired wrote:
> It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every year... it's
> usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up the rigs to
> get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
> outlet to plug into up there <g>!
>
> Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil before
> the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably switch
> back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000 miles. Is
> it bad to switch like that?
>
> -jeff

Re: Very cold at elk camp... synthetic oil in my TJ?
 

Can you please explain, why do you drive it to heat it up quickly?
Thanks in advance
Frank

RoyJ wrote:
> Synthetic is better at these temps but I wouldn't worry about 'only'
> -15F, the Jeep will tolerate it easily. (different story around the -25
> to -35F range!) Make sure you have fresh oil (5w-30). a good battery,
> and get it to operating temp quickly (drive it, don't idle it for 20
> minutes)
>
> I'd be more concerned over the battery than the oil. For that temp and
> that far from civilization, I'd replace any battery over 4 years old.
>
> Handywired wrote:
>
>> It sort of breaks my heart to start my Jeep up at elk camp every
>> year... it's
>> usually somewhere around -15 F at 4:30 am when it's time to fire up
>> the rigs to
>> get to the trailheads. I have a block heater but dammit, I can't find an
>> outlet to plug into up there <g>!
>>
>> Would my engine be better protected if I switched it to synthetic oil
>> before
>> the hunt? It's a '97 4.0L with 86K on it. Runs great. I'd probably
>> switch
>> back at the next oil change. I typically do the oil every 3000-4000
>> miles. Is
>> it bad to switch like that?
>>
>> -jeff