Oil & Fuel MX5800 HST Engine Oil Change Interval

[bdhsfz6]

The maintenance schedule in the manual states engine oil & filter changes should occur after the first 50 hours and then every 400 hours after that! 400 hours between oil changes? I put around 200 hrs. per year on a tractor. Does that mean I change the oil every 2 years? I thought it must be a manual misprint but I verified it online via the Kubota website.

This is my 5th Kubota tractor but my first in the M series. All my other machines were in the B and L series which had 200 hour engine oil change intervals after the first 50.

I'm showing my ignorance here but is this 400 hour oil change interval common in larger tractors? The only real difference I see is the M has a 10 quart crankcase capacity vs 5 quarts on the B and L's

I realize there is nothing, except perhaps the $$, that keeps me from changing the oil more frequently and I plan to do so. I am however interested in the advice and experience of others here.

 

[C4Ranch]

Oh boy. This is an area of debate.

The Grand Ls also have 400 HR intervals. Some here say to do every year, which ever comes first.

It's up to u. You could read for days on this topic.

I think the real answer would only come from an oil analysis.

YMMV!

 

[C4Ranch]

Also, IIRC, the bigger Ms are 600 HR interval.

 

[KennyV]

My L holds 8 quarts... I use Rotella T6 full Synthetic and change once a Year...
If you are doing 200 hrs a year, and if youare using a good oil, it's additives should still be good in a year, so you could go longer than a year... to be Sure, have a $25 oil analysis done... it will tell you how your oil is holding up.
I Could go Much Longer than annual oil changes, But it is Easy to remember and I change All my engine oils at the same time. KennyV

 

[devildog1]

No mater what type of oil your using ,dino or full synthetic and Rotella T6 is what I use in my Grand L, do it once a year, cheap insurance for a well running engine.
DevilDog

 

[Code54]

I use the standard Rotella and change it every year on my low usage machines. Figure it is better to change it to much than not enough....

 

[motownbrowne]

I change mine once a year, usually in the springtime. Pretty much across the board, both tractors, riding mower, Jeep, etc.

If I only put 200 hours/year on the machine, but used it for 2 hour+ sessions at PTO RPM (or close to it) most times it was used, I might consider going to 18 or 24 months, but i often start the tractor several times in a day and the oil might only get hot one of those times, maybe not even. I think it's not just about engine hours, or months gone by, but how many heat/cool cycles the oil has gone through. Of course, there's probably several other factors too. Also, I don't think I could trust an oil filter for 2 years.

 

[MHarryE]

Technology improvements, dreaded emissions improvements result in cleaner burning engines and less contamination. Better oils are developed. Pollution requirements have required improved sealing (rings) reducing oil in the combustion chamber and gases in the crankcase. Also in dome cases larger sumps - mire oil allows higher dilution. All reasons oil change intervals can be extended.

However if you don't feel comfortable with the interval, you can always change earlier with no problem except for risks that always come with changing oil.

On my construction equipment side, we have long had demands from our large customers to extend intervals - productivity. Oil change time takes a machine off the job. However these users still are changing engine oil multiple times yearly.

The one tractor I sample now has had 3 oil samplings in 3 years, 800 hours, with the oil tested by our Cat lab. They have all come back normal wear metals, but still in break-in due to low hours. Continue to sample. I change engine oil yearly with a synthetic by the way. Transmission has been changed once but I am probably going to change it again this year because it runs hotter than the machines I followed at Cat.

 

[troverman]

This is an old thread, but thought I'd chime in. I just purchased a brand new MX4800 HST to go along with my L4310 GST and B2920 HST. With any engine that has a DPF and performs regenerations (MX series, for example), bear in mind that each regeneration provides an opportunity for diesel fuel to be diluted into engine oil. During a regeneration, extra diesel is injected into the cylinders at the beginning of the exhaust stroke with the intent of sending raw fuel into the exhaust manifold and into the DOC for combustion and heat generation. However, some of this fuel will inevitably make it past the rings as blow-by and end up in the crankcase. So I'd be pretty careful with a two-year oil change interval. Synthetic doesn't help a bit in this regard.

I suspect Kubota expects higher hour accumulation on the larger tractors such as an MX and up...supposing that 400 hours might be accumulated in a year. But I bet a lot of folks put 100 hours or less on in a year.

If it were me (and it will be once the MX4800 arrives) I will change the oil once per year unless I exceed the 400 hours a year mark. I won't be using synthetic, either. Likely either the Kubota branded dino oil or perhaps Mobil Delvac.

On my L and B, I change the oil and filter twice per year...once in the spring, just before I put on major hours, and once in the fall...right before I once again put on major hours. But do what you feel is best.