winter time and my 521

[bustedknuckles]

i gotta say my 521 is a champ fires right up every morning at 24 degrees. ive been driving her up mt ashland for work the last couple mornings. this morning there was snow on the access road the whole way up and she took it like a champ no sand bags studs or chains... im currently running 10/30 what do u guys run for oil in the winter time?

[datzenmike]

10w30 should be fine. Engine oil viscosity should be based on the highest temperature you expect before the next oil change. 10w30 is good to over 100F. If you don't expect the temp to go above 60 between now and when you next change your oil you could run straight 10 in it or even 5w30.

[DanielC]

I happen to have a owners manual for a 521 Datsun pickup. It recommends a 20 weight oil for 10 degrees to 90 degrees, and a API grade of MS.

 

If you still have the stock Hitachi carb, it will be happier with the air cleaner switch on to draw hot air off the exhaust manifold.

 

When I ran my 521 in the winter, I blocked off part of the radiator with a sheet of cardboard. It made the heater work better. Going up to the mountain, you will need a little cooling. Coming back down, you could block off more of the radiator.

 

If you get a good pair of reinforced lug tire chains, the 521 will climb hills in the snow that 4 wheel drives are stuck on.