Oil & Fuel 1st Oil Change on BX2660

Lumberdink · Feb 14, 2012

I'm coming up on 50 hours and will peform the oil change myself. I ran Shell Rotella T6 synthetic 5W-40 in my Jeep Liberty Diesel. Any issues with running it in the Kubotee?

oldballs · Feb 14, 2012

I'd guess that the Shell meets the Kubota spec. But I use the Kubota 10W-30 brand from the dealer when I do oil changes. Heck there is probably not much dollar differance or quality differance. Based on your temperatures and amout of usage winter and summer the Kubota guide is probably the best guide on your new tractor. The warranty aspect would be the same if the Shell meets the Kubota spec. I tailor my F-250 and Crown Vic to their usage and stock and chage oil accordingly. IMO

gwdixon · Feb 14, 2012

Lumberdink said:
I'm coming up on 50 hours and will peform the oil change myself. I ran Shell Rotella T6 synthetic 5W-40 in my Jeep Liberty Diesel. Any issues with running it in the Kubotee?

If you have any doubt, call the Kubota dealer and ask. Then call the Shell distributor and ask them, too. Searching the Internet is another option.

It is nice to have a single oil for multiple vehicles so it is worth finding out.

That Shell is probably a better oil than the Kubota branded stuff. With the extended oil changes now recommended it is smart to run a synthetic that will hold up a bit better over time.

timswi · Feb 14, 2012

oldballs said:
I'd guess that the Shell meets the Kubota spec. But I use the Kubota 10W-30 brand from the dealer when I do oil changes. Heck there is probably not much dollar differance or quality differance. Based on your temperatures and amout of usage winter and summer the Kubota guide is probably the best guide on your new tractor. The warranty aspect would be the same if the Shell meets the Kubota spec. I tailor my F-250 and Crown Vic to their usage and stock and chage oil accordingly. IMO

I agree..I just buy Kubota's oil while I'm there picking up the filters. Not a major price issues on 3-4 quarts. It's convenience mainly.

RaydaKub · Feb 14, 2012

oldballs said:
I'd guess that the Shell meets the Kubota spec. But I use the Kubota 10W-30 brand from the dealer when I do oil changes. Heck there is probably not much dollar differance or quality differance.

I realize this thread is on motor oil, but I can tell you that Kubota UDT was $49 for 2 1/2 gallons and at Fleet Farm, UDT was only $7 a gallon. If it hadn't been 20 miles back, I would've brought it back.

timswi · Feb 15, 2012

RaydaKub said:
I realize this thread is on motor oil, but I can tell you that Kubota UDT was $49 for 2 1/2 gallons and at Fleet Farm, UDT was only $7 a gallon. If it hadn't been 20 miles back, I would've brought it back.

Is it rated the same though?...I'm cautious on UDT/SUDT. The repair costs on an HST are draconian....$50 is insurance for me...Last time I bought SUDT I think it was more than $50 for 2.5g around here.

Tractor Seabee · Feb 15, 2012

Off the oil subject; but, on the 50HR fist service part of subject. Other things I did and things I thought about doing, didn't, should have.

Pulled the Hyd oil sump screen, I was very surprised to find it full of grit and gunk. Drained and refilled the Hyd oil right then. Oil level was low and no sign of leak also, never since.

Found several loose bolts and battery cable was loose.

Cut the oli filter open and found grit also, reason to change at 50 HR.

Thought about changing the fuel filter, said Ah it's cannot need it. Today (350 hrs now) engine was strarving for fuel. Oh, Oh, pulled the outlet hose on the first filter, no fuel flow. Pulled the other end full flow. Wished there was a shutoff valve, clamped with vise grip. Replaced filter, started and ran like new. Changed the second one for drill. First one was jammed with black junk, grit and bugs. Second was like new.

Now, what else did the factory leave in various places for me to find. Unique, Kubota says the fuel filter change is a dealer shop function. That would have been a 2 week down time with the dealer I bought from. We had it going in 10 minutes. Pays to do your own work. Oh, I bought my BX 25 exactly one year ago, so now out of warranty.

I use NAPA lubricants and Delo 400 oil, not Kubota, same spec, half the price as I get fleet prices at NAPA.

Ron

Lumberdink · Feb 22, 2012

I checked the manual and it seems to recommend 15w-40 for all seasons. 5w-40 or any other synthetic was not mentioned. Called the stealership and they didn't necessarily offer their blessing but "didn't see anything wrong with it" so I went ahead and used the synthetic. The manual says it should take 3.7 quarts but with the filter it took a gallon and the dipstick is still reading between low and full.

gwdixon · Feb 22, 2012

Lumberdink said:
The manual says it should take 3.7 quarts but with the filter it took a gallon and the dipstick is still reading between low and full.

Always trust the dipstick (unless you think it is a replacement

).

Sometimes the engine design changes and the manual doesn't catch up or isn't edited correctly.

kubotafool · Feb 22, 2012

The 50 h service is most important. As posted before, there is a lot of debris from wear - assembly so stuff in the suction screen is not unusual.
Super UDT is good oil and is IS expensive but change all oils including front end and keep things clean. Don`t add dirt with the oil. You be better off in the long run.

Lumberdink · Feb 23, 2012

Maybe I read the manual's maintenance schedule incorrectly but if I did, it didn't recommend an oil FILTER change until 200 hours?

I changed the oil and filter (duh) and I'm glad I did. It looked pretty beat up.

gwdixon · Feb 23, 2012

Lumberdink said:
Maybe I read the manual's maintenance schedule incorrectly but if I did, it didn't recommend an oil FILTER change until 200 hours? I changed the oil and filter (duh) and I'm glad I did. It looked pretty beat up.

Yeah, that topic has been kicked around here every since Kubota changed the maintenance schedules to use less oil and consumables.

It seems like the engines are the same. Maybe the fluids and filters are just so much better - but I doubt it.

It is engine oil and filter every 200 hrs. for my equipment. Hydraulic oil and filter(s) every 300 hrs. regardless of how it looks. But my tractors get used hard at times.

At the first 50 hours everything that flows, filtered or not, along with the fluid filters are changed around here. It is not like it happens all of the time since buying a new tractor doesn't happen that often.

Big fleets might have economic issues with such treatment. We small guys would rather not have to deal with the repairs.

Lumberdink · Feb 24, 2012

Here's a pic of a Rotella T6 label. I'm having 2nd thoughts about using it---the manual says no CJ-4

although I thought the Rotella synthetic was the diesel oil.

Label says it's suitable for farm equipment.

bp fick · Feb 24, 2012

I think your manual was printed so long ago it is out of date.

If it's oil, it's wet, it was made in the last 5 years, it'll lubricate and you're engine won't break. That's how seriously I take all this stuff. :laughing:

deezler · Feb 24, 2012

Lumberdink said:
Here's a pic of a Rotella T6 label. I'm having 2nd thoughts about using it---the manual says no CJ-4 although I thought the Rotella synthetic was the diesel oil. Label says it's suitable for farm equipment.

Why would the manual possibly say "no cj-4" ?? That is a darn good diesel engine oil, and I can assure you you'd have no problems running it. For pete's sake, these are just little diesel engines running pretty low cylinder pressures and light cam-train forces. I can't understand why the manufacturers get so picky - have they really ever had field failures and warranty issues due to lubricating oil, or is this just more pointless CYA and liability elimination?

Any diesel tractor ever made will run perfectly fine with Rotella or mobil 1 (diesel) oil. Old, new, turbos or not. These are state of the art lubricating oils and using them should not cause any worries.

Lumberdink · Feb 24, 2012

Sorry to be so cautious but I've got a lot on the line here. Only 54 more payments and she'll be all mine

so I want her to last. After some more researching, I think the issue with the CJ-4 is that it may not be compatible with ULSD. This seems to confirm what you guys are saying about the manual being out of date. Sigh...

bp fick · Feb 24, 2012

Lumberdink said:
Sorry to be so cautious but I've got a lot on the line here. Only 54 more payments and she'll be all mine so I want her to last. After some more researching, I think the issue with the CJ-4 is that it may not be compatible with ULSD. This seems to confirm what you guys are saying about the manual being out of date. Sigh...

Understand, I guess, that I'm a skeptic by nature. Mobil and Shell are the world wide leaders of oil products. Spend more money on research than just about anyone. They dominate the diesel engine oil market.

Kubota owns no oil company, not a one, and simply has Ashland/Valvoline puts Kubota stickers on their Ashland jugs of oil. Whoopi. I'm not knocking Kubota stickered Ashland motor oil, not in the least, but honestly, no.... for hootin' Pete's sake. What difference could using ANY of the leading oils possibly make? Change it on time, fresh filter, and the tractor will likely be traded off long, long before the engine gets used up. I dunno.

dennisgw · Feb 24, 2012

The internet is your friend.....
CJ-4 Service Category Description

Lumberdink · Feb 25, 2012

The internet is your friend.....

Yes, aware of that. I had been googling "Rotella T6 in Kubota" but was coming up a little short. Thanks---I printed that page and will "do my diesel right!" :thumbsup:

oldballs · Feb 25, 2012

Lumberdink...thanks for bringing up this discussion. Being a relatively new BX2660 owner, I got my manual for review. The maintenance interval does recommend an oil filter change at 50 hrs. It also says that a 15W-40 or 10W-30 oil will cover all temperature ranges. Then it says that "the CJ-4 engine oil is intended for DPF (Diesel Particulate Filter) type engines, and cannot be used on this tractor". The Kubota branded oil that I have used in the three oil changes thus far is labeled as CI-4 Plus. I use the Low-Sulfur fuel. So I'm good.

But there is another note that talks about EGR type engines as well as DPF engines. What type engine is the BX2660 in this regard? Page 2 of the manual says it is a "Indirect injection, vertical, water-cooled, 4-cycle diesel". I haven't found a mention of whether it is a EGR or DPF type. Anybody that isn't already bored with this thread can reply.:laughing: