Why 30 wt oil?

[geneP]

I posted this on the Case-IH forum but didn't get much discussion. The owner manual specifically recommends AGAINST multi-grade oil in my newly purchased '89 model Case-IH 385 diesel engine. . Surely in 1989 multigrade oils were accepted lubricants (my '85 Kubota recommended 10w-30) so I wonder why Case didn't like them for this engine? Does anyone know if Case has changed their position on oil for this engine since this manual was printed? It seems to me that the better flowing characteristics of multi-grade oils would benefit the engine since much of the wear on an engine is at start-up.

 

[Soundguy]

I don't have specific info fo you.. but let me tell you what I've seen from ford / NH

My old tractors ford, JD, IH.. all from the 40's thru the 60' reccomended sae 30 or sae 40 straight weight oils .. no multiviscosity oils.
Now those were older machines.

On our newer diesels.. like caterpillar and JD, at the GC I work for.. same thing.. sae 30 or 40 depending on temperature. Word I got from them was that a 10w30 oil was a 10w oil that had pour point and viscosity modifiers to make it perform like a thicker oil when it was above 'x' temperature. In the end it was a souped up 10w oil once the mods were worn out...

Now.. NH for instance.. sells 15w40 oil for thier diesels.. and pretty much reccomend it across the board. I asked what to put in my 8n, and they still said 15w40. When I asked about tranny lube, instead of recomending the oem 90w gl-1 mineral oil.. they recomended their 134d UTF oil. ( that 134d oil gois inthe pow steering, tranny, diffy, hyds, final drives.. etc on NH equipment.. again.. pretty much across the board. )

Therefore dealers more or less only have to stock a few kinds of fluids... They then blanked their recomendations to cover other applications... whatever oil is their current spec gets reccomended for most things.. etc.

Find out what oil other owners use in their machines. Bottom line.. your manual gives you an oil spec. You at least know that that is an approved oil.

Soundguy

 

[geneP]

Soundguy, Thanks for the information. I think you are helping me read between the lines on the requirements. One thing I didn't mention in the previous post is that they recommend 5w-20 or 5-30 oils for temps below O degrees F. BUT they specify that the oil must be changed at 1/2 the hours recommended for the single weight oils. That agrees with the statement that the oil is virtually the lower weight as it becomes worn. The manual also states that for continuous full load operation under 0 degrees that SAE 10W oil must be used. Seeing that the recommended oil change interval is normally 200 hours, I can see their concern that the higher end of the multi-viscosity ratings might be diminished as the oil wears. In my case, I put 60-70 hours a year on the tractor, so I MIGHT be safe using 15-40 oil and changing it annually. Also factor in that I never use it "continually under full load". All this is helping me to feel better about using a 15w-40 diesel oil for the faster circulation at startup, especially in cool weather. A multi-viscosity oil that is not left in until it is beat to death just might be a good compromise. You all keep the thoughts and information coming, and thanks in advance. Gene

 

[familyman]

Gene,
If you're going to change it annually why not run a synthetic single weight? All of the benefits, none of the worry. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[littlediesel]

I use AMSOIL synthetic SAE 30 in all my equipment. It works great even in our central NY winters.
Jon,

 

[geneP]

Well, I hadn't considered synthetic....Will 30 wt synthetic flow better in cold weather than 30 wt petroleum oils? Not that I'm going to be running it much in cold weather. Down here in Mississippi we have enough warm days that I'm usually not outside much if the temps are down in the 40's /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I can usually wait a day or two and the temps are back in the 60's.

 

[BRIGUY]

Man I would love to see 40's in the winter never mind 60's.

I have some older and newer small engines and I am using royal purple 30wt down into the low 30's no problem. With those temps regular 30wt would probably be O/K. Synthetic would be great.

Up here I don't even consider it a cold start until it's less than 10 or so outside. The temps you are describing are August nights here. I have see mid 30's here on August nights.

 

[familyman]

Yes, it will flow much better and a trip to any synthetic makers website will tell you why. Amsoil will give you alot of info.

 

[RalphVa]

My new JD 4010 manual says a 5w30 synthetic is okay. That's what I'd use in your old Case. I first converted all my air-cooled engines to Mobil 1 and have now switched to it in my vehicles and plan to change to it in my JD at around 20-30 hours.

Mobil 1 has very few additives and won't have the additive breakdown that the manufacturers of your tractor were worried about.

You'll get better fuel economy AND a tad more hp using synthetic, particularly the multigrade that'll give you extra protection at startup.

Ralph

 

[fractal]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Surely in 1989 multigrade oils were accepted lubricants (my '85 Kubota recommended 10w-30) so I wonder why Case didn't like them for this engine? Does anyone know if Case has changed their position on oil for this engine since this manual was printed? It seems to me that the better flowing characteristics of multi-grade oils would benefit the engine since much of the wear on an engine is at start-up. )</font>

I don't know about case, but briggs and stratton say
</font><font color="blue" class="small">( * CAUTION: Air cooled engines run hotter than automotive engines. The use of non-synthetic multi-viscosity oils (such as 5W-30 or 10W-30) in temperatures above 40°F (4°C) will result in higher than normal oil consumption. When using a multi-viscosity oil, check oil level more frequently.)</font> at http://briggsandstratton.com/display/router.asp?docid=64066

This is a change since the last time when I looked at it when they just plain said "do not use non-synthetic multi-viscosity oils" which was a change from the time before when they said "do not use multi-viscosity oils" period.

Anyway, my 1960's vintage kubota says "use 30 weight". The kubota dealer doesn't even stock 30 weight. He says to use 15w40 so that's what I use here in california where a day in the 30's is unheard of. It MAY dip in to the 30's during pre dawn chill, but neither I nor my tractor are working.