Oil and other preventative maintenance for extreme cold road trip, for the 3.4ltr V6?

[SDmtnbkr]

Hey all, I'm leaving for a 4 week road trip from Southern California to Banff, Alberta, Canada this weekend and I've been keeping an I'm eye on the weather and it's getting as low as -15 def F. I need to do an oil hange before the trip obviously and hadn't really thought about how the weather will affect the car... should I put some type of special oil for temperatures that low?? I will be in extreme cold for at least 2 weeks of the trip.

Also, anything else I need to think about?? Any help would be great, cause I live in San Diego and don't know shit about car maintenance in the extreme cold. I tried to buy an ice scraper at my local Napa Autoparts store and they almost laughed. Needless to say, I will have to wait until further north to pick one up haha. I just bought new duratracs which are snow rated, so I should be good there.

 

[jgue467]

I'm no snow/ice expert being from central texas but I'd go with castrol 0-40 full synthetic and your favorite quality filter.

I'd make sure to lube the driveline zerks (don't pump more than 3 times into the slider yoke though).

Don't forget to deal with the windshield washer fluid.

Then I'd invest in a remote start for those -15 mornings - haha. Luck and enjoy. :cowboy:

 

[StreetCreeper]

Hey all, I'm leaving for a 4 week road trip from Southern California to Banff, Alberta, Canada this weekend and I've been keeping an I'm eye on the weather and it's getting as low as -15 def F. I need to do an oil hange before the trip obviously and hadn't really thought about how the weather will affect the car... should I put some type of special oil for temperatures that low?? I will be in extreme cold for at least 2 weeks of the trip.

Also, anything else I need to think about?? Any help would be great, cause I live in San Diego and don't know shit about car maintenance in the extreme cold. I tried to buy an ice scraper at my local Napa Autoparts store and they almost laughed. Needless to say, I will have to wait until further north to pick one up haha. I just bought new duratracs which are snow rated, so I should be good there.

Three things come to mind immediately:

1) Go get some quality full synthetic motor oil. Emphasis on "full synthetic". Or have whatever shop do it.

2) Definitely want to make sure you have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the coolant and that your coolant is in good condition. So do that or have a shop check and replace if needed.

3) Be sure to have the proper window washer fluid that won't freeze. Get all the old stuff out if it's just bug cleaner type.

I'm sure the cold weather folks will have more thoughts on this. I'm a California guy so I don't worry too much about the temps.

Oh and check your nearest truck stop for an ice scraper. But check in the truck department not the car area.

 

[SDmtnbkr]

Three things come to mind immediately:

1) Go get some quality full synthetic motor oil. Emphasis on "full synthetic". Or have whatever shop do it.

2) Definitely want to make sure you have the proper ratio of antifreeze in the coolant and that your coolant is in good condition. So do that or have a shop check and replace if needed.

3) Be sure to have the proper window washer fluid that won't freeze. Get all the old stuff out if it's just bug cleaner type.

I'm sure the cold weather folks will have more thoughts on this. I'm a California guy so I don't worry too much about the temps.

Oh and check your nearest truck stop for an ice scraper. But check in the truck department not the car area.

Awesome, good tips! Yeah I just replaced the radiator for a new one yesterday and it has OEM Toyota red coolant. Is that ok? Oh and didn't even think about the bug, washer fluid! It's just the normal one from the auotparts store which was in it when I bought the truck, so I might need to change it just in case. Is there a way to drain it, or do I just need to spray it all out?

 

[T4R2014]

They salt the piss out of the roads. Fluid film the hell out of the undercarriage.

 

[alumarine]

January is the coldest month for Banff and the average low is 10 degrees F.

5W30 oil, either synthetic or dino will be fine.

Drain windshield washer tank, put in winter washer fluid.
It might drain from the bottom somehow, or remove tank and dump out.

Check to make sure antifreeze is good to -25 to -35 F.

That's it. We don't even call that cold or do anything special for it.

Once you hit Oregon or Washington you can buy winter stuff.

Have fun!

ps
Do not try and bring any type of gun across the border. It will mess you up.
If you get to the border and realize oops, I've got a gun, tell the border guys before they find it and it will be ok.
Make sure you have good photo id or passport. Not only to get into Canada but back into the states.

 

[68whiskey]

Last winter whee I'm from reached -20F. I've never done anything special to any of my vehicles regarding cold weather. Oil has always been to OEM spec, and I've never used any special coolant or washer fluid. On days where its that cold, the motor cranks over slowly, but always turns over. Ive never used a special battery, either. Top of your fluids, go through your rig to make sure that everything is functioning as it should, and you should be good to go.

Winters here are always really cold, but I've never gone above and beyond just generally good maintenance and I've always been alright. Enjoy the trip, be careful!

 

[MN4runnerman]

On that ice scraper topic some states do have laws about the amount of snow left on vehicles while driving. Most don't realize it but in MN it is against the law to have snow blocking any part of the windshield, driver and passenger front windows, and the rear window. It doesn't specifically say you must clean the snow off but it provides leeway for an officer to determine if it's unsafe or not. A lot of people scrape a peephole or just the driver's side of the windshield and think that's good but a cop can pull you over for not clearing the whole thing. You wouldn't believe the amount of people around here that scrape a peephole open and then go drive.

Just don't go out on the roads like this.......

 

[MtnT4R]

The only thing I can add is to let the old girl warm up for a few minutes before you drive anywhere. Around 0F my power steering gets pretty cranky but that's about it. 4x4 takes a little longer to engage as well.
If your windshield is iced up just hit it a few times with the -20 washer fluid you put in there and wait a few minutes to loosen things up, then scrape it off.

Aside from that, driving on snowy roads is fun as hell. easy on the gas, easy on the brakes will keep you out of the ditch. just no sudden moves. and if you find an empty parking lot, head in and spin a few donuts, learn how your 4Runner handles skids and how to correct them will come easily enough. Just make sure there aren't any cops around because you can get a ticket for reckless driving.
Safety-wise on snowy roads, if its colder than 10F you will have pretty good traction, especially with new Duratracs. However, if temps are around 30F, sh*t will get slick and dangerous in a hurry, so slow wayyyyyy down.

Have fun up there!

 

[Kanoe]

-15 f? That's cold but not extreme cold. It's been -35c (-30f) here all week.

I run the standard 5w30 here year round. No need to get crazy, just a good synthetic. I have all synthetic fluids also.

You can get a mechanic to freeze point test your coolant if you have any doubts about the concentration. Only takes them a minute to do. If it's weak you could drain a bit and add more coolant to stiffen the mix. I use 60/40 toyota red.

Most likely issue you might have is starting system. If it's not in good shape you will soon know. Carry jumper cables.

You likely do not have a block heater, or need one where you live. You'll likely get by fine without, but the truck will be happier plugged in. I run block heater, battery blanket, transmission heater (on the wife's car) and oil pan heater. A couple of hours plugged in and they start and run happily.

I don't think Alberta is too crazy with the salt, not as bad as other provinces. They do tend to use chunky gravel which is hard on windshields and headlights.


Have fun, it's beautiful there.

 

[diverscale]

Don't worry too much about it. Most people here drive their cars on 5W30 dino oil and start going right away after starting their cars at -35degF.

Personally, I drive very easily for the first few minutes when it's extremely cold and insure I have 5w30 full synthetic. We often get under -20F here in quebec. Lot of people forget to change over their washer fluid from summer type to winter type though, which can cause some problems.

 

[Mark_BC]

Make sure you wash off the underside and inside the frame really good when you go back if you don't drive through rain on the way back. Also spray any rust underneath with rust inhibitor oil before you go.

Make sure you have winter windshield washer, I have learned the hard way this week that you can't mix with summer or water, it leaves ice behind on the windshield.

Make sure you have warm gloves and clothes and a shovel, ice scraper.

Make sure you can lower your spare tire.

 

[gmv4k]

I just did my brake vacuum check valve for good measure before it got really cold. Took 10 minutes. Last winter I had some issues with the brakes not working when I first got going on cold days.

 

[marcus clarkus]

Keep an eye on your tire pressure throughout the trip. Carry one of those tire pressure gauges in your car, if you don't already.

Check your battery voltage and connections before the trip. If it's an old battery (>3 years old) you should replace it.

It might be a good time to swap the oil in your differentials and transmission, if you're due.

 

[kolelt]

Don't think there is any kinda of magical stuff. The regular stuff is already engineered for cold weathers. Wouldn't really add anything. Just make sure you use good oil and warm it up a little.

 

[SDmtnbkr]

Awesome, thanks for all the tips everyone. We will be sleeping in the back of the Runner, so hopefully those low temps are with the wind chill!

 

[shahsmerdis]

Fluid film,

Anti freeze check, wiper fluid check etc

any high quality sync fluid.

check your battery, get a top shelf battery.

when you get back to warmer climate wash your under carriage fully.

 

[I_bRAD]

Look up under your bumper on the front RH and you'll see a black tube coming off the windshield washer pump (not sure if it's the front or rear pump but it doesn't matter) Grab a bucket, remove the tube and presto there's your drain. Don't forget to reconnect the hose before you refill! Also don't forget to purge out what's in the feeder tubes to the windshield jets (just spray until the new stuff comes through)

Take it easy in the snow as others have mentioned! Things can literally go sideways quickly if you're not used to driving on snow! I recommend you leave it in 2wd when you're out on the roads so you don't get false confidence in the road conditions. You can always go back to 4wd if you get into thick stuff.

Definitely check your battery! You're going to need a strong battery to start it after sitting in the cold all night.

Edit: And yeah, regular old 5w30 is just fine and would be for much colder than -15F. Take it easy on the engine until it warms up!

 

[Kanoe]

Awesome, thanks for all the tips everyone. We will be sleeping in the back of the Runner, so hopefully those low temps are with the wind chill!

Get a heater! Small electric heater, run the cord in through the window. Makes all the difference. Try to find one with 2 or 3 settings, 600, 900 and 1500 W is ideal. The ones with the temp sensor that kick on and off will drive you nuts. Get one you can set on low or med and leave on all night.

We have done this a lot, you'll love it.

 

[ThorInc]

-15 f? That's cold but not extreme cold. It's been -35c (-30f) here all week.

I run the standard 5w30 here year round. No need to get crazy, just a good synthetic. I have all synthetic fluids also.

You can get a mechanic to freeze point test your coolant if you have any doubts about the concentration. Only takes them a minute to do. If it's weak you could drain a bit and add more coolant to stiffen the mix. I use 60/40 toyota red.

Most likely issue you might have is starting system. If it's not in good shape you will soon know. Carry jumper cables.

You likely do not have a block heater, or need one where you live. You'll likely get by fine without, but the truck will be happier plugged in. I run block heater, battery blanket, transmission heater (on the wife's car) and oil pan heater. A couple of hours plugged in and they start and run happily.

I don't think Alberta is too crazy with the salt, not as bad as other provinces. They do tend to use chunky gravel which is hard on windshields and headlights.


Have fun, it's beautiful there.

The above is solid advice. -20C is likely a standard. In addition to above, don't ignore the block heater option, put silicone/vasoline on all door rubber seals to stop doors from freezing shut, get a good door lock deicer (I use Amsoil spray lube). 5w30 is fine. Drain out/use all washer fluid and refill with -50C.....keep a spare onboard.

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