As a seasoned Canadian driver, you know how hard freezing temperatures can be on you and your vehicle. Especially when it’s a -25°C morning and your engine is begrudgingly turning over as you rush to get to work.

Using the right motor oil matters more in the winter than in any other season. Luckily, Liqui Moly is one of the engine oil brands that can help keep your engine at its best, even when winter is at its worst.

What Cold Weather Does to Your Engine Oil

Engine oil gets thicker as it gets colder, meaning it flows more slowly to engine parts on start-up. At the same time, cold temperatures slow down your vehicle's battery. At -18°C, a battery has about 40% of its normal cranking power, while the engine needs about 210% of its normal starting power to properly turn over.

Together, these factors can be a recipe for a sluggish start-up. Even worse, the engine may not turn over at all.

How to Choose the Right Oil for Winter

Not all engine oils are equal. Before adding new engine oil, always check your owner’s manual to find the required viscosity and specification for your make and model.

Next, you can select engine oil that is designed specifically for colder weather. You’ll notice certain engine oil formulas have a specific viscosity grade followed by a “W” that stands for winter. The lower the first number, the better it will flow on a cold start. If you live in a region with extremely cold winters, 0W grades will work best. Consider using a synthetic oil, since it flows better than conventional oil in the cold.

Where Liqui Moly Fits in a Canadian Winter

Liqui Moly makes a German range of engine oils carried by NAPA Auto Parts. With a wide variety of grades and specs, you’ll be sure to find the right formula for your vehicle and region. Top Tech 6600 0W-20, Molygen 0W-20, and Top Tech 4210 0W-30 are rated for cold weather. Leichtlauf 5W-40 is a specific formula designed for engines that call for this grade.

The Special Tec family of Liqui Moly oils is built to specific carmaker specs, so always match the spec in your manual before committing to an oil from this line.

Easily Get Through Winter With Liqui Moly

Alongside Liqui Moly's engine oils, use its fuel system additives for better engine efficiency.

For example, Jectron Fuel Injection Cleaner is a routine maintenance product for port-injected and carbureted gasoline engines. Add a can to your fuel tank every 2,000 km to keep the fuel system clean.

Pro-Line Gasoline System Cleaner is a stronger, less frequent treatment that works in port-injected, direct-injected, and carbureted gasoline engines. Use it once a year or at each inspection, after fuel system repairs, or when you’re already dealing with a fuel system problem.

Cleaners are an important part of preventative maintenance and are added directly to the fuel tank. How often you should use a cleaner depends on the product’s interval recommendations.

Liqui Moly engine oil is a great option for smooth operation all winter long, so long as the grade and spec match your owner’s manual recommendation. For even more confidence that your engine will start on the coldest of days, pair Liqui Moly with an engine block heater.

For any questions about which engine oil is best for your vehicle and driving habits, stop by your local NAPA Auto Parts store to speak with an expert, or browse our full range of engine oil formulas at www.NAPACanada.com.