Old oil trick

[deerefan]

I know an old farmer who used older tractors on his farm, such as 8 and 9Ns, Jubilees and some older JDs. I have two tractors I use, a 8N and JD5103. Dad and I rebuilt the engine in the 8N about 9 years ago and have probably put around 500-600 hrs on it. It still runs strong, but I notice it smokes some, especially under a load. The above mentioned fellow said when his 8N and 9N started to smoke some, he went with a heavier weight oil, maybe a 40wt. I run 10w-30 in my 8N and wondered if he was on to something. Anyone ever try this to see if they can get by longer before a rebuild? It seems to me the heavier weight oil will rob the engine of some power, not help it. Thoughts?

 

[sweettractors]

I run straight 30W in all my tractors. Always have. Ken Sweet

 

[bp fick]

Have to remember that when that tractor was built, mainly from pieces and parts from Henry Ford's Model T concepts, that there was really bad (by today's standards) oil. :laughing:

There was no idea of a multi-grade oil in those days.

30w was standard for summer and 10w in the dead of winter to turn 'er over.

Yes, as Ken said. If it was mine, it would be 30w for most of year, except if I used it to plow snow in the dead of winter, I'd drop down to 10w, 20w or that 10w-30.

 

[deerefan]

I change the oil in both every spring, as I only put about 50 hrs a year on both. I run rotella 15-40 in the JD, but I will change to a straight 30w for the 8N and see how it does. Heck, can't hurt anything.

 

[clemsonfor]

It will help a little as its thicker, but it also wont flow as well to the top end of your worn out motor esp on cold startup unless you use that 10-40. The thicker oil isnt as thin so it dosent "blow by" as easily. The 40 wt will increase your oil pressure as its resistance to flow is higher but this may not help lubricate the top end as well as it may not push the same volume of 40 up there as 30. I would still use 30 wt and just add it more often. Your still lubing just blowing it by. But if the 40 wt has less blow by you may be creating more compression and thus more power as it thicker. I would still run 30 wt.

 

[zmoz]

Yes, that is a great way to stop/reduce oil consumption and is a common trick with old leaky cars. 10w40, or 15w40 won't hurt that old motor, and will likely slow down the consumption some. You have nothing to lose, that old engine will never know you put thicker oil in it.

Also, modern "car oil" probably isn't very good for that tractor due to what the EPA has done to it. Something diesel rated would be much, much, much better for it and likely offer better wear protection.

As engines wear the tolerances get larger and the oil needs to provide a thicker cushion on the parts than it did when the engine was new. Also, older technology like that generally likes thicker oil too, because the tolerances weren't that great from the factory. That's why a new Ford, made by a computerized robot, can run 5w20 oil, but that would probably kill your old tractor.

 

[Eagleview]

20W 50 is the go , the oil should be thin enough for winter and when it gets hot the Polymer chains will straighten out and make it thicker when it gets hot .

 

[ToadHill]

Yep. When my 8n started to smoke several years ago I switched to 20w50 oil and it really helped for almost 10 years. The engine's out of the old girl now getting rings.

I couldn't believe when I took her down the bearings looked brand new, I had been concerned that the heaver weight oil may have been a problem at startup in cold weather but that hasn't been the case.

 

[deerefan]

I was talking about this with dad last night and he told me grandpa had an early 60 chevy crib truck they used on the farm until the early eighties, the truck was a 2 ton if I remember correctly. It had a 4 spd and straight 6. In the mid 70s, it started to smoke some. He used to run 30w but switched to 40w and added a quart of gear oil (80 or 90w) every oil change in place of a quart of the 40w. He did this for over 6 years with no problems and dad said it helped with the smoking problem. Unfortunately, that truck is sitting in a pasture now. I would love to get it and restore it. Just need to find the time!!

 

[clemsonfor]

I was talking about this with dad last night and he told me grandpa had an early 60 chevy crib truck they used on the farm until the early eighties, the truck was a 2 ton if I remember correctly. It had a 4 spd and straight 6. In the mid 70s, it started to smoke some. He used to run 30w but switched to 40w and added a quart of gear oil (80 or 90w) every oil change in place of a quart of the 40w. He did this for over 6 years with no problems and dad said it helped with the smoking problem. Unfortunately, that truck is sitting in a pasture now. I would love to get it and restore it. Just need to find the time!!

Essentually he made 50 wt. Not sure if they had 20w-50 , i think they did (im only 28) back then but i think this would have been easier to pour in it.