Which oil API class???

[hooked up]

I'm currently waiting to see what kubota Canada tells me...i'm on a mission now!
I don't like the idea of 'having to' buy Kubota oil because they won't bother answer a customer's question. that just ain't right.

Brian

 

[brucew44guns]

CI-4 diesel oils are readily available from many suppliers, Delo 400 is still made in CI-4. I called Chevron this week about this question, because I have a new ZD331 myself with 4 hours on it. I also have a JD Gator, and want to continue using 10W/30 oil in the Gator, and also the Kubota mower. My manual on the Kubota allows for 10W/30, and the Delo 400 is plenty capable of lubricating that little 31 HP. The tech rep also mentioned that it was a concern over people buying high sulfur diesel, that CJ-4 is a lower TBN product, not recommended for fuel like that. I quit driving tankers 3 years ago, but I believe that high sulfur diesel is not able to be loaded any more at refineries---(could be wrong but don't think so) TBN is the Rolaids of the engine oil, it neutralizes sulfuric acid so that wear and corrosion arn't lethal to the engine. Low sulfer fuels have 15 parts per million sulfur, negligible, and a lower TBN oil can be used. I plan to use Chevron Delo 400 LE in 10W/30 in my ZD331, and you might have to buy that at a Chevron Distibutors place, not at Wal-Mart most likely. Chevrons # is 1-800 LUBE-TEK.

 

[hooked up]

CI-4 diesel oils are readily available from many suppliers, Delo 400 is still made in CI-4. I called Chevron this week about this question, because I have a new ZD331 myself with 4 hours on it. I also have a JD Gator, and want to continue using 10W/30 oil in the Gator, and also the Kubota mower. My manual on the Kubota allows for 10W/30, and the Delo 400 is plenty capable of lubricating that little 31 HP. The tech rep also mentioned that it was a concern over people buying high sulfur diesel, that CJ-4 is a lower TBN product, not recommended for fuel like that. I quit driving tankers 3 years ago, but I believe that high sulfur diesel is not able to be loaded any more at refineries---(could be wrong but don't think so) TBN is the Rolaids of the engine oil, it neutralizes sulfuric acid so that wear and corrosion arn't lethal to the engine. Low sulfer fuels have 15 parts per million sulfur, negligible, and a lower TBN oil can be used. I plan to use Chevron Delo 400 LE in 10W/30 in my ZD331, and you might have to buy that at a Chevron Distibutors place, not at Wal-Mart most likely. Chevrons # is 1-800 LUBE-TEK.

That is some good info -thanks:thumbsup:

I really want to find out if CJ-4 is approved by Kubota to use and if not, why. I know a lot of you are using it...

I have found a lot of contadicting info regarding the oil to be used, so i'm going to wait for Kubota Canada's official reply. I should have it by the end of next week....I'll post what they say.

 

[brucew44guns]

I appreciate your concerns Hooked Up, I too see it right in the operators and owners manual of the ZD331, that CJ-4 should not be used. I wonder if any of the major companies are even blending 10W30 in CI-4 as of now? There would be so little demand for that in these times. In older engines using 10W/40, people trust that CJ-4 is backwards compatible, so the oiul companies won't be blending 10-30 in CI-4. I believe in 15W/40, especially in summer months for the 331, no problem at all, and easily buyable in CI-4 from many suppliers. But for them to say that CJ-4 is for engines with that exhaust filter on it, not applicable to a Kubota, seems like baloney to me, and the Chevron rep thought so too. Please email me on this forum when you hear back from Kubota, I've got a way to go before an oil change is needed, and I'm not against 15-40, just wanted one oil for my Gator and mower.

 

[hooked up]

As soon as I get an answer I will post it.:thumbsup:

 

[hooked up]

Update: Kubota said they would have an answer in 2 to 4 business days, that was on the 17th...I guess they're only open one day a week! lol

Anyway, sorry I have no answer yet. Just got off the phone with them again. I will keep harassing them until I get the info

Brian

 

[BigSteve63]

Check out this link - Service Categories . Gives good overview of the API classes. Your CJ-4 oils are fully backward compatible unless you are using a 500ppm low sulphur diesel. This will result in diesel particulate filter (DPF) plugging. EGR based systems will be OK to use this product

 

[piller]

BigSteve63: Thanks for the link, good info.

hooked up: Please do post when you hear something.

A few months ago I contacted Shell and Kubota with the same questions. Shell said that T6 was their best oil and they would definitely recommend it for my tractor. They also said that Kubota preferred 10W-30 and that their Rotella Triple T product would be OK.

Kubota responded and said I could use synthetic oil, but that they recommended I wait until I had about 150 hours on the tractor, that the oil needed to have the proper API rating, and that I could not extend the oil drain intervals.

So, I'm going with Rotella T6 with ULSD (15 ppm sulfur) fuel. The link that BigSteve provided shows that CJ-4 (current, introduced in 2006) can replace CG-4 (obsolete, introduced in 1995) which can be used in place of CD, CE, and CF-4. CJ-4 should be used with ULSD fuel.

 

[hooked up]

Thanks for the link BigSteve, very useful.

Piller, that is what I'm looking for. Thank you. I want to go with the T6 as well, but I think I'll wait until I hit 150hrs.
All I need now is for Kubota to put something in writing for me. I can't believe how bad their customer service is . Twice I have been told " as long as it's diesel oil, it's fine" then when I ask for it in writing noone gets back to me! I may just have to drive to their office and raise **** to get an answer.

Brian

 

[bp fick]

Part of the issue is that Kubota, a world wide corp, cannot endorse a huge, enormous list of products produced by someone else. They certainly haven't tested for all the myriad of oils, fluids and other products. They would have to employ several employees doing nothing more than answering inquires as to the use of an endless, almost infinite list of products from filters to fluids marketed by others. Think how large the scope of this really is.

Since Kubota, through their dealerships, already markets their own endorsed products and branded with their name, they do not feel compelled to comment on the 1000's and 1000's of products produced by others.

We'd like to think that Kubota would answer each and every inquiry in a timely fashion, but I wonder, just wondering out loud here, how realistic that is.