wrote:

Question 1:

To the pilots that fly in this, or similar areas, would you recommend

switching to a multiweight oil? I've asked two mechanics, one said
that I
should definitely switch the oil and the other said that 100 weight
would be
fine and that I would have to just let the engine warm up longer.


It depends on what temperature you'll be starting the engine. At
around 30F, Aeroshell 100 (i.e. SAE 50 weight) is almost a solid rather
than a liquid. It will take some time to get that stuff flowing
smoothly throughout the engine and in the meantime, your metal parts
may experience a lot of wear.

Here in Central AZ, I could get away with using 50 weight pretty much
year round. Problem is that I also fly to destinations that will be
quite cold when I'm starting the engine for the return flight. To be
on the safe side, I just switch to 15w-50 or 20w-50 in the winter. It
makes a big difference in the amount of (unpleasant) noise coming from
the engine after a cold temperature start.
John Galban=====N4BQ (PA28-180)