Anyone actually go 100 hours between oil changes?

[ZackaryMac]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The point is that these are all things that do not happen on a daily driver but will happen on a tractor (or car) that is only used on weekends or is put away over the winter. The 6,000 hours happened over the course of 30 years. That is a very long time for any engine. If the 6,000 hours of use occured over the course of five years vice thirty - the story would likely been much different (he probably would have gotten another 6,000 hours over the next five years).
Joe )</font>

Agreed with this one.
I have a single-cylinder diesel Kubota engine from a highways flashing arrow, and the air-filter shows 4910 hours on it (someone wrote this on it with a paint pen), so I feel that I can safely assume this is representative of the hours on this unit. I have NO idea how often the oil was changed, but the company that owned them likely had SOME maintenance schedule.
Anyway. it starts and runs great, even in the cold. Doesn't use oil, and is reliable. I use it as a 12v/110v generator. I believe it is from the mid 90's.
My point is, I feel I could run it for MANY more hours yet. I can't help but wonder, if it took 30 years to rack up this many hours, would I feel this content with this engine? Likely not, for the simple reason that I agree that a motor that sits a lot often ends up having a shorter operating life than one used a lot.

 

[robison]

Many diesel engines run more than 100 hours between changes. Consider some non-tractor examples for perspective . . .

A generator engine that provides power for a work camp for six months of winter . . . 100 hours will come up every 4 days. Do you think these generators get weekly oil changes?

Four months of running, over 2500 hours, and such generators often last 10 years . . .

Now, consider light truck diesels, most of which are now sold with a 7500 mile service interval. Average running speeds for cars and light trucks are in the 20-25mph range. Those of you with trip computers who can look at "average speed" will agree with the truth of this.

So how many hours is 7500 miles at 20mph? Almost 400.

The principal difference between a tractor engine's environment and the examples I mentioned is dust and dirt. But not all rtactors run in a high-dust environment. The only way to know would be oil analysis for your application.

In any case, there is no reason to think oil should be changed more frequently than once a year or in the manufactorer's specified hours interval.

 

[CT_Tree_Guy]

<font color="blue"> In any case, there is no reason to think oil should be changed more frequently than once a year or in the manufactorer's specified hours interval. </font>

John, I couldn't agree more, and thanks for the very informative posts. Sorry you had to take some "heat", no pun intended, for your real-lfe observations about how synthetics can help save an engine in cases of overheating. I have a lot of racing friends, and they tell me time and time again how synthetics have come in very handy indeed from time to time.

For the record, as always I am not saying that synthetics are "better" than dino oils. Just reiterating my belief that there are SOME advantages, that might or might not be worth the extra cost involved, depending on many factors.

John D.

 

[Volfandt]

I go 100 hrs between oil & filter changes.
Back when I worked my ole TE20 yr round I'd change the oil & filter once a yr every spring. Same for my Wheel Horse. Since neither had an hr meter I never knew how many hrs they'd have so once a yr was my schedule. I don't know how many total hrs they have on them but the TE20 is a 1948 and the WheelHorse is a 1966 and neither have had their engine's rebuilt yet. I sold the TE20 last yr when I bought the BX23 and the WheelHorse is still running strong.
My BX23 has an hr meter and it appears that I average around 100 hrs a yr. Seeing as how thats what Kubota calls for in scheduled maintenance after the 50hr, I feel fine in staying with my tried & true. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Volfandt

 

[have_blue]

12 months or 100 hours, whichever comes first.

100 hours put on your oil in 10 days is not bad at all. Even 150 hours on oil is not that bad if put in a hurry. (assuming you use high quality oil and filters)

Year old oil is usually stinking for a change, even if you only have 10 hours on it. I would guess synthetic oil would last longer before getting nasty from age.

If your tractor sits for a month or 2 at a time, when starting it, be sure to run it for at least 20 minutes to keep the oil and engine parts dry.

 

[PA John]

Bob, Oil is cheap when it comes to buying 4 or 5 quarts plus a f ilter. I thought that Kubota recommend a 50 hour change? They do on my L2500. John

 

[Jay4200]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Bob, Oil is cheap when it comes to buying 4 or 5 quarts plus a f ilter. I thought that Kubota recommend a 50 hour change? They do on my L2500. John )</font>

Recommended interval for my L4200 is at the first 50 hours, than every 100 hours.

OTOH, all of the arguments for extended changes is making me feel a little better about the 300 hours / 2 years my tractor ran w/o an oil change courtesy of the previous owner. That oil sure looked nasty when I took it out though...

Jay

 

[bandit67]

If the owner's manual says change the oil the first 50 hours, then every 100 hours, that's what I do. For better piece of mind, and better cold and hot weather performance, I run synthetics in all of my engines. My tractor didn't get syn. oil until 150 hours.

But for all of you oil worry warts, you can get your oil tested for $10-20, and determine what works for you. For example, I was changing the oil in my 7.3L diesel in my pickup every 5k miles, and getting oil analyses done at 2500 mile intervals. Turns out, after 15,000 miles worth of oil analyses, I found I was able to extend the change intervals to 10,000 miles, and that recommendation came from the lab. I only put 10,000-12,000 miles on my truck in a year, so each oil change usually runs through each of the 4 seasons, yet there has been no evidence of problems or contaminants. I don't believe regular, or "dino" oil would last that long, and I know that very cold winter starts are much rougher with dino oil than synthetic oil in my diesels.

So, based on oil testing, I'm sold on longer change intervals and synthetic oils. Having to replace worn out regular oil and thinking a benefit of using cheap oil is removing contaminants, is not a risk I am willing to take. Over the course of 10,000 miles on my truck, I'm actually saving money by doing 1 synthetic change vs. 4 regular oil changes, and I've found that a sudden increase in contaminants is usually a warning sign that some component is about to fail. When my turbo went, I was prepared, and had done all of the research into a new turbo before the failure, after following the trends with my oil analyses and the related lab comments regarding the contaminant changes.

 

[Suess]

I have sampled the oil one the B7610 and will change the oil based on them. First sample indicated all is normal but the second showed high soot with 90 hrs on the oil so i will change at 75hrs and see how that tests. This tractor operates at 80-100% load so the oil gets dirty faster than one operating at less load. 100 hrs is a little over a month's use in the summer.