I have a 95 f150 300 L6, it is time for an oil change and I am going off to college in North Dakota in 3 weeks, what weight oil should I use, I hear it is hot at first, but come winter it gets COLD

 

I would use a good multi viscosity oil in either the 10w40 or 20w50 range. And when the winter cold gets here it will be time to have ghanged the oil again.

 

10w30 or 10w40 in summer and 5w30 in winter.

 

In winter you are going to want something down in the 5Wxx range. I used 20W50 a long time ago and got hit by a couple surprise freezes, and the oil turned to peanut butter. the engine cranked really slow. That also meant the engine probably was not getting much lubrication during waqrm up.

So use thin oil for winter.

If it was me, I would use a synthetic 5W30 and not worry about summer winter. If I was using dino I would probably go a 15w40 or 20W50, but be real sure that I changed to 5Wxx before it got much below 40.

The new 0Wxx synthetics might be interesting if you get below zero, I think ND does. I don't like 0Wxx syn since my car makes more startup noise with it, but then where I live getting into the teens is a once every 10 years or so thing.

Good Luck,

Jim Henderson

 

What makes you think your current oil isnt good enough? What weight are you using now?
I would think a 10w30 would be fine year round......maybe a 5w30 thru the winter if it concerns you. Try to stick with the same brand if you do switch winter to summer.

 

I hope you have a block heater in that F150. I think you are going to need it in ND.

0w in the winter is good advice.

 

I recommend using Mobil 1 0W30. Great oil, it will give you excellent hot weather protection, extended drain periods, and perfect for when it gets cold in ND. Here's more, if you really want some added protection for your truck, in cold weather: Insulate your exhaust system. Using a good quality wrap, such as Thermo-Tec, makes your engine much more efficient. In the summer, it keeps your engine compartment hood area noticeably cooler. The heat reduction extends the life of your battery, starter, and alternator. Exhaust pipes that run next to the transmission, add uneeded heat to the transmission, and trans fluid. Keeping the heat inside the pipes let the engine run at maximum effiencey, Max MPG too. Insulate your radiator and heater hoses. This will again reduce heat under the hood, but keeping your coolant warmer, longer, will help in cold winter weather. Lastly, insulate your oil filter. When it's zero outside, an insulated oil filter will help the engine turn over better. These tricks are proven to help vehicles used in bitter cold winter conditions, when those winds howl across the North Dakota flatlands in January, you'll be glad you took the time one afternoon and performed the easy above mentioned tips! Good luck...

 

Where do you live now?

NOrth dakota is a beautiful place, have fun, follow the tips outlined above and get your truck ready, that way you'll both be ready, and you can focus on school, not fixing your truck in -5 weather, We used to be truck drivers...and it was so cold one winter coming home to spokane (we were close to Fargo) that the dog wouldnt get out to go to the bathroom at a rest area....and shes a labrador retriever to boot.....prep well, learn easy......prep poorly, learn hard

 

I live in central Minnesota, I don't have a block heater, and the college wouldn't allow one anyways, where would i look to get the above mentioned wraps, and can i run a 0wxx year round?

 

Personally I wouldnt worry about stuffing a bunch of insulation under your truck. Prolly turn out to be more trouble than its worth, especially come summer time when you have to take all that stuff off because it will be full of salt and other stuff, thus making your hose connections rust out. Not to mention all the additional stress that insulation will add to your hoses when they get wet and re-freeze.

A good battery, a 5w30 oil, and a properly serviced cooling system, will be more than enough for the cold that we see in the Dakotas and our hot summer temps.

Might not be a bad idea to get a cold front for your truck....but its not totally necessary.