Coldest oil temp?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2017
Posts: 5,427
Likes: 2,309
From: Billings Montana. Out in the wild west
The coldest I remember it getting here was -35, oil gets thick when its that cold making it difficult to turn over an engine. Up here in Montana engine heaters are a must when temps drop below zero. Of course I'd never start my Corvette when its that cold, it just sits covered up with it's battery tender.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,807
Likes: 508
From: Oshawa, Ontario
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2017
Posts: 1,752
Likes: 699
From: Covington KY
2022 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I can remember plugging the block heater in my 68 Chevelle in while I was stationed at Grand Forks ND. Even on coldest mornings water temp would read over 100 and she fired right up every time! The first time I pulled up to the dorm I was like, what the hell are all these electrical outlets for, LOL. Needless to say I found out pretty quick.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 271
Likes: 20
From: Colorado Springs Colorado
My 1999 TransAm Firehawk was my daily driver in Cavalier, ND (similar setup to a C5). got -60 a few times. Hurst shifter was like stirring molasses. Had to warm it up to make it to 105 deg.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2013
Posts: 12,502
Likes: 3,631
North slop in the winter time, even with the truck in the garage, it's still plugged in to keep the motor oil warm enough that you can start it to begin with. As for truck outside, you just leave it running and lock the doors if needed instead.
Really, the problem with the cold is not so much the motor oil since that can be over come, but the SMC body panels instead. Hence they can get so cold in sub Zero weather that instead of them flexing when needed, then just end up shattering instead.
Really, the problem with the cold is not so much the motor oil since that can be over come, but the SMC body panels instead. Hence they can get so cold in sub Zero weather that instead of them flexing when needed, then just end up shattering instead.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,807
Likes: 508
From: Oshawa, Ontario
North slop in the winter time, even with the truck in the garage, it's still plugged in to keep the motor oil warm enough that you can start it to begin with. As for truck outside, you just leave it running and lock the doors if needed instead.
Really, the problem with the cold is not so much the motor oil since that can be over come, but the SMC body panels instead. Hence they can get so cold in sub Zero weather that instead of them flexing when needed, then just end up shattering instead.
Really, the problem with the cold is not so much the motor oil since that can be over come, but the SMC body panels instead. Hence they can get so cold in sub Zero weather that instead of them flexing when needed, then just end up shattering instead.
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Safety Car
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 3,807
Likes: 508
From: Oshawa, Ontario
maybe you could show us the link to 1 body panel in the 9 year C6 production run that was shattered by the cold.there are thousands of Corvette's driven in the cold and I have yet to see a single panel that has shattered in the cold.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 6,271
Likes: 113
From: Texas
I remember when working in the CO mountains about this time having to address squared off tires due to the part where the rubber hits the pavement freezing flat. We used torches to thaw the engines so they'd start if they didn't have block heaters. Smart guys had in car heaters as well.
To get the propane torches going, we lit butane torches to heat the propane cannister or it didn't flow.
To get the propane torches going, we lit butane torches to heat the propane cannister or it didn't flow.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,959
Likes: 526
I remember when working in the CO mountains about this time having to address squared off tires due to the part where the rubber hits the pavement freezing flat. We used torches to thaw the engines so they'd start if they didn't have block heaters. Smart guys had in car heaters as well.
To get the propane torches going, we lit butane torches to heat the propane cannister or it didn't flow.
To get the propane torches going, we lit butane torches to heat the propane cannister or it didn't flow.
Can we say BOOM !!!!!
Last edited by windyC6; Jan 4, 2018 at 10:30 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 6,271
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From: Texas
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
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From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Back in the days of DieHards being great batteries, I used to purchase them a lot. Never forgot the one time I didn't in Minnesota. All month, less than zero outside, car outside, too. Had one of Sears' 30 mo. batteries. Couldn't start worth a damn. Got it towed to Sears. Inside the garage area there must have been 10-high by 75-long row of batts. stocked in the garage area. They were doing big BIZ!
I went in, said just replace my batt. for a DieHard. Guy went out and said I have the 30 mo. I said, yeah, I don't care, just replace it. His reply? Hey, you still got X mos. left on that---we'll honor it, and your new DieHard will be ........... $21 incl. tax. I told him, you got a customer! Just wish Sears wasn't going down the toilet.
I don't recall having 5W or 0W dino oil, but I did use 10W which wasn't worth much at all, until I switched to some synthetic (can't recall if it was Amsoil or Mobil1--I used both in those days). I sure don't miss that cold, altho it's been in single digits here off and on, and will be for the next few days at least.
Be safe out there!
I went in, said just replace my batt. for a DieHard. Guy went out and said I have the 30 mo. I said, yeah, I don't care, just replace it. His reply? Hey, you still got X mos. left on that---we'll honor it, and your new DieHard will be ........... $21 incl. tax. I told him, you got a customer! Just wish Sears wasn't going down the toilet.
I don't recall having 5W or 0W dino oil, but I did use 10W which wasn't worth much at all, until I switched to some synthetic (can't recall if it was Amsoil or Mobil1--I used both in those days). I sure don't miss that cold, altho it's been in single digits here off and on, and will be for the next few days at least.
Be safe out there!
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 2016
Posts: 4,457
Likes: 1,391
From: SC
My Corvette does not get started if the temp is less than 40 degrees because the tires have no traction. I've started and driven plenty of cars in -20 temps, no big deal really. Things get interesting at -40 which I've only done in winter testing. Only time I've used a block heater was when skiing in Banff. The HIGH for the week was -20 F.
Safety Car
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Safety Car
Joined: Nov 2006
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Last winter, I had my 2011 GS in WV to see my relatives, and one night it was about 10 below. It started up fine, I just drove sensibly until I warmed it up. No issues for the 700 mile ride back to Florida either.
I drove cars all the time in subzero winter temps in WV while growing up, and never had an issue.
I rode my Honda CL-350 to high school one day when it was 19 below zero, that was my personal stupid best one.
I drove cars all the time in subzero winter temps in WV while growing up, and never had an issue.
I rode my Honda CL-350 to high school one day when it was 19 below zero, that was my personal stupid best one.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 21,631
Likes: 1,144
From: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
Last winter, I had my 2011 GS in WV to see my relatives, and one night it was about 10 below. It started up fine, I just drove sensibly until I warmed it up. No issues for the 700 mile ride back to Florida either.
I drove cars all the time in subzero winter temps in WV while growing up, and never had an issue.
I rode my Honda CL-350 to high school one day when it was 19 below zero, that was my personal stupid best one.
I drove cars all the time in subzero winter temps in WV while growing up, and never had an issue.
I rode my Honda CL-350 to high school one day when it was 19 below zero, that was my personal stupid best one.
And of course, for long engine life, you should stay out of the throttle til the engine warms up (any time of year, but more so in the winter.)
EDIT: Ha, motorcycles. I never drove one THAT cold, but when I was young we would come ripping out of the bar at 2 AM and the seat would be covered with frost. I hate being cold, so riding a bike colder than that was not for me, even with insulated gauntlets.
Last edited by Bruze; Jan 4, 2018 at 05:06 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,959
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Aside from sliding into something (or someone sliding into you) there are no issues driving in cold weather as long as you have a strong battery to crank it over.
And of course, for long engine life, you should stay out of the throttle til the engine warms up (any time of year, but more so in the winter.)
EDIT: Ha, motorcycles. I never drove one THAT cold, but when I was young we would come ripping out of the bar at 2 AM and the seat would be covered with frost. I hate being cold, so riding a bike colder than that was not for me, even with insulated gauntlets.
And of course, for long engine life, you should stay out of the throttle til the engine warms up (any time of year, but more so in the winter.)
EDIT: Ha, motorcycles. I never drove one THAT cold, but when I was young we would come ripping out of the bar at 2 AM and the seat would be covered with frost. I hate being cold, so riding a bike colder than that was not for me, even with insulated gauntlets.
Yep....I did the winter riding thing one season and hung that up quicker than Matt Lauer is calling for attorneys. But I have an excuse as I was young and stupid. As you suggest, it takes you an hour to dress the part and then if you leave one square inch open by mistake then that cold air WILL find its way in. Just wasn't/ain't worth it to me.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2017
Posts: 4,929
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From: Etobicoke (Toronto) Ontario
Well, here in TO area it can get his cold: Temps plummeted to something in the -30's (as indicated on their outside thermometer) on an Xmas eve in the early 80's and having spent the night at the in-laws, started driving home the next day. Snapped a leaf on the rear spring in my wife's old Comet on the way back, the cold made it that brittle.
A friend who worked in Calgary at the time went to the airport to get his rental car that had been sitting in their lot overnight, and when his business partner threw his briefcase into the back seat, the vinyl shattered.
Tonight it's predicted to dip to -23C (-9.4F), so I guess I'd see that if I was going to start it up. It's been colder.
A friend who worked in Calgary at the time went to the airport to get his rental car that had been sitting in their lot overnight, and when his business partner threw his briefcase into the back seat, the vinyl shattered.
Tonight it's predicted to dip to -23C (-9.4F), so I guess I'd see that if I was going to start it up. It's been colder.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 21,631
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From: Below the bottom of Berby Hollow, NYS
Yep....I did the winter riding thing one season and hung that up quicker than Matt Lauer is calling for attorneys. But I have an excuse as I was young and stupid. As you suggest, it takes you an hour to dress the part and then if you leave one square inch open by mistake then that cold air WILL find its way in. Just wasn't/ain't worth it to me.
Cold: Yes, I quickly learned the value of gauntlets. Even the best insulated gloves don't prevent the cold air going up your sleeves when riding a motorcycle. Nowadays, with the popularity of snowmobiles, I'm sure one can buy gauntlets much better insulated and warmer than what I had.
A heavy scarf around my neck, heavy leather jacket zipped up tight, face shield, long johns, it still wasn't fun after a while.
In 1971 my best buddy bought a new 750 Honda (I already had one), he drove it home in January and it was around +10° as I recall. About halfway home it quit. He called the dealer, they picked it up, and we later found out that the kill switch wire inside the handlebar had pulled apart (broke?) from the cold temperature.
Last edited by Bruze; Jan 5, 2018 at 03:51 PM.