Here's something that surprises many fleet managers: up to 75% of all engine wear occurs during cold starts, specifically in the first 30 seconds after ignition. When an engine sits overnight, oil drains back into the sump, leaving critical components temporarily unprotected. During those crucial first moments, metal-on-metal contact creates most of the microscopic wear that accumulates over a vehicle's lifetime.
The challenge intensifies in cold weather. At -20°C, conventional oil can become 10 times thicker than at operating temperature, struggling to circulate quickly. This is why viscosity grades matter so much—the "W" in oil specifications literally stands for "winter," indicating flow performance at low temperatures.
Modern synthetic formulations like MOTOR OIL XT 5W-30 are specifically engineered with superior cold-flow properties and film strength to protect engines during that vulnerable startup phase, potentially extending engine life by thousands of hours.
