Oil & Fuel What oil do I use?

[PAPPASMURF]

I have been wanting to do my next oil change on my L3200 using full synthetic oil. Kubota recommends 10w30 oil in my tractor, however I was told by every mechanic I have spoken to that it does NOT have to be "Diesel Oil". I called several Kubota service departments, and every mechanic told me that I can use regular motor oil in my tractor, but really couldn't tell me what the difference is between Diesel, and gasoline motor oils other than Diesel has Zinc in it.....which doesn't mean anything to me and apparently doesn't make a difference to mechanics either. I have purchased full synthetic oil (just because I have used full synthetic in everything I own because of its superior protection) but now I'm skiddish about putting regular 10w30 (for gasoline engines) in my tractor. Anyone know what (if anything) is the big difference and is it o.k. to go ahead with the oil change?

 

[number two]

Wow! What a lot of completely wrong advice.Do not use gasoline engine oil in a diesel engine.Ordinary oils don't keep soot(carbon)in suspension as well as diesel-specific oils.Soot is a by-product of diesel combustion.Diesel engine oil will also have a more robust additive package,with a little more ZDDP(zinc).
Kubota does ship their tractors with a diesel 10W30 oil.
There are oil API ratings(the little round donut on the bottle)that indicate the oil type.SN/SM,etc. for gasoline engines-CI-4/CJ-4,etc. for diesel engines.S is for spark ignition,C is for combustion(commercial)ignition.
Conventional oil guys like myself often use Shell Rotella 10W30 or 15W40 oil,very popular.I use the 10W30 myself here up north.
There are plenty of fully synthetic diesel oils out there,usually 5W40 viscosity.Some examples are Shell Rotella T6,Mobil 1 turbo truck oil,Lubrigard,etc.
You can find a suitable synthetic oil at any auto parts store,Wal-Mart,etc.Just make sure you're getting the "C"rated oil.Good Luck!

 

[94BULLITT]

Here is a link on what zinc does in a engine.

Zinc Oil Additive - Hot Rod Magazine

I would only use a oil a that meets or exceeds the specs for your tractor.

 

[MHarryE]

Zinc is also an inexpensive anti-wear additive in hydraulic oil. However it is not the only way to do the job because some oils like Hy-Tran advertise no zinc. For your engine make urge the C number matches your operator manual.

 

[PHILIP8N]

Wow, 1st bad advice on trailers, and even more bad advice on oils. Think you need to move out of Jacksonville Alabama to broaden your think pool. I suggest you drive to Houston Texas, there you will find automotive stores, or even a Walmart that will carry a modern 'C' rated 15w-40 or 5w-40 HDEO (heavy duty engine oil). There are many good brands out there, but you cannot go wrong with Shell Rotella 15w-40 or 5w-40, or Mobil Delvac 15w-40, or Mobil 1 5w-40. Worse comes to worse, go to a local Caterpillar dealer, they will have the right oil. Any TSC's, Rural King, or similar around you? Even a John Deere dealer will work. DO NOT us an oil that is ONLY 'S' rated for gasoline engines. Many HDEO oils are fleet rated, and will carry both 'S' and 'C' ratings, so do not be concerned with that. Do a search, many threads on this topic. Good luck. Philip.

 

[Gator6x4]

Aw, come on. Engine replacement or repair will be covered by warranty. After all he did say he had already purchased oil for a automobile engine. Surely you don't expect him to not use the oil and go purchase the correct oil for a Diesel engine. My...My we sure are getting picky in our endeavor to prevent engine damage.

 

[Chilly807]

Pretty much what the other guys are saying.. number two has nailed it down. Automotive oils aren't formulated for diesel use. The "C" API rating is what you should be looking for. I also use the 10w30 conventional diesel-rated oil, under normal operating conditions and without a turbo I don't personally see the need for a synthetic, plus I'm noted for spending as little as possible to get good results I do find it unusual that Kubota doesn't at least specify which synthetic you can use if you choose to go that way.

If it were me I'd return the synthetic you bought.

Sean

 

[Sammy3700]

I run 15-40 like the others stated with a diesel rating. Not synthetic.

 

[tshep]

My BX23 called for CF (IIRC). I wanted Mobil 1, and could not find a CF or better rated oil by the bottle markings. I call Mobile 1 and the guy said CF was an old and superseded rating and they just didn't put it on the bottle anymore. The guy showed me where to find it in the web, and the Mobile 1 was CF rated, just not printed on the bottle anymore. Hope that helps.

 

[Chilly807]

My BX23 called for CF (IIRC). I wanted Mobil 1, and could not find a CF or better rated oil by the bottle markings. I call Mobile 1 and the guy said CF was an old and superseded rating and they just didn't put it on the bottle anymore. The guy showed me where to find it in the web, and the Mobile 1 was CF rated, just not printed on the bottle anymore. Hope that helps.

This seems to happen quite a bit, the Kubota requirement doesn't reflect the new oils in production today. Probably because the manuals haven't been updated in years. One exception is the CJ-4 rating, my manual specifically tells you NOT to use it, which is funny because the Kubota branded oil is now CJ-4 rated.

To the best of my knowledge, it was a combination of the way CJ-4 rated oils keep carbon and soot in suspension and use of low sulfur fuels (off road diesel) in relation to oil change intervals.

Sean