Oil & Fuel 50 hrs is coming up fast. Flush???

[ritcheyvs]

My issue now is whether to extend my change interval as I am using full synthetic this time. I may just change the filter at the regular interval.

The synthetic will lubricate just fine but it gets loaded with soot so you need to change oil, more or less on schedule, to remove the soot. If you are really "gung ho", you can test the oil for soot and TBN and (maybe) extend the change interval (particularly with newer engines). But it's generally cheaper to just change the oil for small engines. Besides, scheduled changes protect the warranty if that applies.

 

[DK35vince]

I can't find synthetic rotella 10w40 anywhere. Only 15w40. My manual says 10w40 only.

Rotella 15-40 is dino oil.
The synthetic is Rotella T-6, 5w-40. (this is what I run in my DK)

 

[rsewill]

Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40 oil.

 

[IslandTractor]

The synthetic will lubricate just fine but it gets loaded with soot so you need to change oil, more or less on schedule, to remove the soot. If you are really "gung ho", you can test the oil for soot and TBN and (maybe) extend the change interval (particularly with newer engines). But it's generally cheaper to just change the oil for small engines. Besides, scheduled changes protect the warranty if that applies.

I've never heard that soot causes any particular problem. Most engines that are run on synthetic oil have two or three times the change interval in miles or hours and I've never heard that soot did damage. There are even continuous bypass filtration systems that allow oil in diesel truck and marine engines to be run without changing (just adding as needed and monitoring oil tests) for over 100,000 miles. Do you know of references regarding soot problems?

I'm now out of warranty and into my fifth year.

 

[ritcheyvs]

I've never heard that soot causes any particular problem. Most engines that are run on synthetic oil have two or three times the change interval in miles or hours and I've never heard that soot did damage. There are even continuous bypass filtration systems that allow oil in diesel truck and marine engines to be run without changing (just adding as needed and monitoring oil tests) for over 100,000 miles. Do you know of references regarding soot problems?

I guess tit's conventional wisdom from years of maintaining diesel cars and boats. As I understand it, the soot can amalgamate into larger particles that can do damage so C-rated oils use dispersants to ****** this process and keep the fine stuff in suspension. Indeed, big diesels (with huge oil capacity) use special filters that can remove the fine stuff. Just a fast Google search revealed the following of possible interest:
ScienceDirect.com - Tribology International - Effect of diesel soot contaminated oil on engine wear ? investigation of novel oil formulations
Effect of diesel soot contaminated oil on engine wear
Four Lethal Diesel Engine Oil Contaminants
Diesel Engine Oil Particle Analysis - Solutions to the SOOT Problem

 

[pickeringchris]

maybe I'm thinking outside the box here but how much does an oil change cost, really? $50? On a $20-30 thousand piece of machinery why would anyone debate the pros and cons of change intervals, whether or not to just change the filter etc. What am I missing here? My tractor engine takes 5 liters of oil and a $10 filter. I wouldn't even consider extending oil change time with synthetics. Unless I go over a bit by error and my wife likes to do in her car.

 

[IslandTractor]

maybe I'm thinking outside the box here but how much does an oil change cost, really? $50? On a $20-30 thousand piece of machinery why would anyone debate the pros and cons of change intervals, whether or not to just change the filter etc. What am I missing here? My tractor engine takes 5 liters of oil and a $10 filter. I wouldn't even consider extending oil change time with synthetics. Unless I go over a bit by error and my wife likes to do in her car.

On the other hand, some of the worlds most expensive and highly engineered vehicles, Mercedes, have oil change intervals of 10,000 miles with synthetic oil which is two or three times the commonly accepted interval. Modern lubricants and filters are WAY better than what was used in the past but we often remain wedded to old change intervals that have little if any basis other than to insure that a driver brings their car to the gas station for service at least every few months.

Why waste time, natural resources and generate unnecessary oil disposal problems if you don't measurably benefit? Unnecessary oil changes are a useless placebo.

 

[kiotiken]

On the other hand, some of the worlds most expensive and highly engineered vehicles, Mercedes, have oil change intervals of 10,000 miles with synthetic oil which is two or three times the commonly accepted interval. Modern lubricants and filters are WAY better than what was used in the past but we often remain wedded to old change intervals that have little if any basis other than to insure that a driver brings their car to the gas station for service at least every few months.

Why waste time, natural resources and generate unnecessary oil disposal problems if you don't measurably benefit? Unnecessary oil changes are a useless placebo.

I have to agree with both of you. My Volvo calls for oil every 12,000 KM (7200 Miles) and does NOT take synthetic, straight regular oil. Funny how they still want over $100 at the dealership to do it, must be one expensive filter!

Now, I know there's no difference in the oil that goes into my wifes Toyota Sienna, but I still change it every 5000 KM, as stated by the car's computer and service schedule.

A couple weeks after they changed the HST in my tractor, the Sienna's transmission exploded gears all over the road, the dealership says they've never seen such a catastrophic transmission failure. The van being AWD, I'm glad I didn't have to pay the bill ($6000+ apparently). For me, while something is under warranty, I just do as I'm told for service, if I agree with it or not.

 

[IndyIan]

maybe I'm thinking outside the box here but how much does an oil change cost, really? $50? On a $20-30 thousand piece of machinery why would anyone debate the pros and cons of change intervals, whether or not to just change the filter etc. What am I missing here? My tractor engine takes 5 liters of oil and a $10 filter. I wouldn't even consider extending oil change time with synthetics. Unless I go over a bit by error and my wife likes to do in her car.

Once I get out of warranty I'll extend the intervals a bit running synthetic, it certainly won't hurt anything and that will bring down the cost of engine oil to running dino. In your situation Chris, I'd stick with dino at the suggested or even shorter intervals as I assume you'll be doing a lot of "short tripping" and idling. That usually means the oil rarely gets hot enough to evaporate some of the contaminents.
My usage more resembles "highway miles" and so far I usually run it for 3-4 hours moving dirt around and especially with the box blade, it gets warmed right up so the oil stays abit cleaner.

 

[pickeringchris]

I'm finding that I will put 3-4 hours on it then go a week without using it. She certainly gets up to temp in that time. In about 2 weeks time I will be done my spring work and she will sit for a few months. Then I will have a bunch of work in the fall for it. I don't mind using synthetics on the engine. It's cheap.
The hydro, I may just use Donax Td. It's easy to get around here and 1/3rd the cost of synthetic. Correct me of I am wrong but the hydro oil wouldn't see the temps that the engine would. Is that a good assumption?