Synthetic/lower viscousity oil for winter?

[XeonPony]

here our winters average -4f to -40f and never warmer, so I was thinking if I put in lighter or a synthetic oil it would reduce the drag improve range! any one ells thoughts ideas?

 

[Wennfred]

Oil for what? Your other ICE car?

 

[siai]

The GM Ev-1 and the S10-E trucks used a very low viscosity oil in the reduction gear. It was a synthetic oil that (on the bottle) claimed "for electric vehicles, reduces viscous drag, increases vehicle range". The viscosity is about the same as water. Although I have never put it in my LEAF (its leased) I have put it in my I-MiEV which normally uses ATF in the reduction gear. When cold, there is a noticable (slight) difference in drag when coasting. The stuff worked and was designed for this purpose. It hasn't caused any problems with the I-MiEV and of course was used as OEM oil in all the GM EV's. The only problem is GM part # 12371288 is no longer available. I still have several pints that have the MDS data printed on the label but no clue as to who made the stuff for GM.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Please don't change the gear box oil. It already is a synthetic, low viscosity oil specifically for the LEAF.

It's doubtful that any other oil you might try would be better, and still protect the gears and bearings from wear and tear.

 

[XeonPony]

I'll be waiting for more information befor I do/if I do change the oil.

 

[xado1]

is the gearbox oil in the leaf a lifetime oil? in my zotye 5008 EV the gearbox oil is a 75W90 hypoid oil.

 

[XeonPony]

pretty much the same as I recall on the manual for the leaf, and it needs to be changed every X number of miles.