Doing 50 hour service early? Any reason not to?

[Omega Woods]

So, my BX and RTV are both at about 30 hours. I work them both fairly hard and am thinking about doing the 50 hour service on them early. Can you think of a reason I should wait another 20 hours before I do this very important work? If I wait until 50 hours, it'll be August and miserably hot here.

Anyway, I'd appreciate your thoughts on this.

Thanks!

 

[mercdv]

I wouldn't do service early unless your fluids are looking bad. The only times I've ever done service early was after a piece of equipment sat for a really long time and all the fluids looked bad or I found metal shavings in fluids. I'd stick to the service intervals unless you see a pressing need to deviate from it. Just because you run something hard doesn't mean you need to change the interval unless there is a problem. If you change the interval, you will either be off at some other interval and need to document the new interval or you will want to try to sync back up on your service intervals by staggering them a little. When I did my service early, I just completed the service again on the regular service interval so I could get back on the recommended service intervals...just easier to keep up with your service that way. Completing it early won't hurt but completing one late could hurt so just keep up with what you do.

 

[Langanobob]

I recently went ahead and did my 50 hour service at a little over 30 hours because, like you, I have been working it hard and I also wanted to use a better quality tractor hydraulic fluid. The stuff that came out of the hydraulic system didn’t look very good so I did the right thing. I think from a purely practical viewpoint an initial 30 hour change is better, but if the manufacturers recommended it we would be complaing “I just bought this thing and I have to service it already?”

 

[swnoel]

Nothing wrong with doing a service early... just keep in mind the next one will have to be early in order to keep the time consistent.

 

[big bubba]

not sure if kubota uses a special engine break in oil, probably not, but if so i'd want the full 50 hrs break in on it.
also, if manufacturer recommends a 50 hr 1st service there must be good reason for it. the majority of castings, filings, initial metal to metal wear occur during the 50 hrs
.
if you change the initial change @ 30 hrs, there's a possibility the break in filings will continue up to the 50 hrs mark. in your case, those filings will remain until the 2nd service.
it's all theory, but something to consider. i'd certainly wait to the recommended 50 hr point
enjoy the new equip!!!

 

[Wagtail]

No reason not to, it's only a recommendation.

 

[RickB]

I recommend that my customers wait. I’d rather see them run a little long on the first service than shortchange it.

 

[smstonypoint]

not sure if kubota uses a special engine break in oil, probably not, but if so i'd want the full 50 hrs break in on it.

So, does anyone know whether Kubota et al. use special break-in oils? How about auto manufacturers? My last new auto purchase was a 2007 Honda Pilot. I was specifically instructed to make the first oil change at/near the specified mileage.

Steve

 

[Omega Woods]

So, does anyone know whether Kubota et al. use special break-in oils? How about auto manufacturers? My last new auto purchase was a 2007 Honda Pilot. I was specifically instructed to make the first oil change at/near the specified mileage.

Steve

Honda does. I think Deere does. Kubota does not. I don't know beyond that.

 

[Gary Fowler]

My LS P7010 had non detergent break in oil in it. I know this because after 50 hours the oil was still clean like new oil. I put in Shell Rotella T6 and within 10 hours it was black, like diesel oil should be. Break in oil allows for some wear in of rings which is good.

I think more and more engines are coming from the factory with full synthetic oil now. I don't know how well that works for run in of the engine. Maybe they do it prior to installation.