Winter oil Viscosity

[pmsmechanic]

John Deere sells a 0w-40 synthetic oil that they say can be left in the engine up to 500 hours between changes if you use their filter. I do this all the time and run 0w-40 year round in all my engines.

 

[beenthere]

Coby
No, I was understanding that starting a cold diesel tractor was made easier by moving the steering wheel. Know nothing about "faster warming"..
I've tried it, and it "seems" to help but then my Deere 4300 has always fired right up with no hesitation since new 18 years ago.

 

[drizler]

I run Rotella T6 synthetic 5w-40 year round

That's what I use. Buy it when they are having a rebate if you can and save it for when you need it. That stuffs not cheap even at wallyworld.

 

[DieselBound]

T6 "not cheap?" If they have Delo 400 5w-40 then go with that. I'm currently running Delo in most everything I have and feel that it's a little better than T6: oil consumption seems lower, though I have no real metrics to go by.

0w-40 is always best (especially for folks in really cold locations) if you can get it for a good price: I know that 5w-40 is readily attainable at decent prices all the time, so I'm not willing to be switching between 5w-40 and 0w-40.

 

[DK35vince]

T6 "not cheap?" If they have Delo 400 5w-40 then go with that. I'm currently running Delo in most everything I have and feel that it's a little better than T6: oil consumption seems lower, though I have no real metrics to go by.

I have Rotella T6 in my tractor, zero turn, push mowers, generators, water pumps, Etc.
As far as consumption I never use any oil between changes in any of them.

 

[DieselBound]

vince, I'm OK with T6. I'll buy whichever oil is cheaper: they're both good oils for what I need. Oil consumption was just a minor footnote: I record when I put oil in my cars between oil changes (10k mile intervals), writing down mileage of course; one day I'll look to parse my data and see if there really is any difference (just for now it's been kind of my observation).

Anyone running turbo-charged engines are going to have some oil loss/consumption. It's the nature of turbos. And, diesels, also the nature of the beasts (cold engines). As I mention, I'm running turbo diesel VWs and my oil change intervals are 10k miles (I could go farther; lab tests tell me that), so it's guaranteed that I'll use oil.

 

[tcreeley]

My manual calls for 10W30 and I use just that year round. I have a block heater for temps less than 30F. It will start without one, but the heater removes all of the strain of turning over and catching. I change the oil usually 2x/year. I am late this year- but if I wait till spring that will be ok. I change the hydraulic filter once a year as well. - Winters are not what they used to be- Unless I need to, I'd rather not be out there clearing snow at 0F.

 

[DieselBound]

My manual calls for 10W30 and I use just that year round. I have a block heater for temps less than 30F. It will start without one, but the heater removes all of the strain of turning over and catching. I change the oil usually 2x/year. I am late this year- but if I wait till spring that will be ok. I change the hydraulic filter once a year as well. - Winters are not what they used to be- Unless I need to, I'd rather not be out there clearing snow at 0F.

Your tractor is a 2003? That's info from 13 years ago. Oils have changed since then. CJ-4 spec supersedes what those specs called for. Go with the 5w-40, it's better for your engine (0w-40 is even better, though the cost differential may be hard to justify). NOTE: my 2000 VW TDIs didn't call for 5w-40 either (and now days that's pretty much what everyone with these cars runs- it's not just something that I'm making up).

 

[bigtiller]

I've read here on TBN that while starting, turning a bit on the steering wheel will help. I'd go with thinner oil too, as long as it doesn't cause a problem keeping the oil level up.

I might be wrong, but I think you're referring to how to warm the hydraulic oil once the tractor is started? -So that 3 PTH and hydraulics (FEL,etc..) are more responsive

My understanding is that cranking the steering wheel to max. will rapidly warm the hydraulic oil as it passes through the relief valve.

Beenthere is correct, spinning the wheel full left to full right as fast as you can, while turning the key until it starts, will help it spin over noticeably faster. It worked on my 1969 JD 3020. I can't tell you why, but I think it has something to do with the type of hydraulic pump the tractor has. I can't say if it will work on the OP's 4240 or not, it may be to "new" of a tractor.

 

[oldpilgrim]

I run Rotella T6 synthetic 5w-40 year round

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