Amsoil

   / Amsoil #11  
PaulB, have you been to see a specialist about your "organic waste" obsession? I mean, well, first it was manure spreaders, then it was owl poop in the oil - doesn't this seem like something of a pattern? /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Mark
 
   / Amsoil #12  
Well, I'm not Paul, but I can spread it pretty thick. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Amsoil simply recommends that you not switch until the engine is broken in.

I switched all the fluids in mine. HST temps went down quite a bit as measured in a controlled test by a laser-aimed infra-red thermometer - I've forgotten the numbers and don't have the book in the house (18 degrees, I think) - I've still got to get it to report back to Wen on the fuel consumption issue, but I posted them a while back and the post is in the archives. Less HST whine. Much easier cold weather starting and operation. Hard to tell about fuel consumption because of the varying jobs, etc, but if it didn't help, it's the first thing I've ever put it in that it didn't.

Mark
 
   / Amsoil #13  
JimB - I switched at 100 hours, because I figured it was plenty broken in at that point ( I had changed my oil at 25 and 50 hours already), and because, well, I just couldn't wait! I have not changed the Super UDT to amsoil yet, but will at the scheduled next change, which I think isn't until 300 hours. I will, at least for now, always stick to Kubota filters, just because I am scared to switch, as I figure there must be some internal features of filters that I don't understand, and that might make a difference ( in other words, just because it fits might not mean it is equal). I have no idea what I shoud use in my front axle (see other post), so have not decided on that yet, but for sure it will be some sort of Amsoil. Have I noticed a difference? No. And likely never will. At 150 hours of use per year I will die before I will wear out the tractor, so in practical terms I bet I could put in straight 30 weight recycled oil, change it every 5 years, and never wear out the motor. I take pristine care of my tractor just because I want to - I bet I will never detect any performance or longevity changes. Most of the tractors I see my farmer neighbors using to do real work, work that puts food on their and everyone elses tables, sit out all year round, look like rust heaps, and most likely do not get their fluids changed as often as my little toy tractor does. Which approach is right, who knows, but I do it because I enjoy it and I enjoy caring for the equipment in as good a way as I know how. From a dollars and cents (and sense also) position I should have bought used, done absolute minimum maintanance, and replace it when it broke with another beater tractor, but like I said this is as much hobby as work for me.
 
   / Amsoil #14  
PaulB, I didn't want to tie the owl poop to you, but that was a good thread.

My wife will sometimes read this board as well. We will build a 10 stall horse barn this fall. She has decided that we need a spreader (there goes my Freedom Hitch again!). Anyway, she said let's get one like the one Paul got. She said this as were out clearing some trees. I asked, "Paul who?". She said, "You know, Paul." I didn't know who she was talking about, I was thinking she was talking about one of my neighbors. Paul, she was talking about you. So how well do you know my wife, hummmmm? :)
 
   / Amsoil #16  
Sounds like you're virtually hedging to me, Paul. /w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Mark
 
   / Amsoil #17  
PaulB, in a strictly practical sense, I suspect there's a lot of truth to what you say. But there's a lot of "value" to being proud of what you've got and the pleasure derived from taking care of something, which was your point as well, of course. Anyway - I agree. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Another factor is that I've used well maintained stuff and I've used poorly maintained stuff and I've seen other people use both kinds. And, personally, I'm positive that the operator does a better job with well maintained equipment because of taking greater pride in the work as well as the equipment.

Yet another factor is that I love tinkering with stuff, but not when there's something else to do. If you're always maintaining your equipment on a reactive basis, by definition it's going to tell you when it needs it. I can't work like that. I want my stuff to be in top-notch condition and maintained perfectly so I know that I've done everything in my power to ensure that it will be ready to do whatever job I ask of it.

My stuff doesn't always stay as clean as I'd like, and I don't spend nearly as much time washing it as I do "improving" it, but it works and it lasts. And when I've got something that needs doing, I know it's ready to go. And I suspect yours is, too, though yours may be ready and clean. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Mark
 
   / Amsoil #18  
Amen! I'm a bit lazy, but I don't mind doing the maintenance too much. However, I really hate having something break down and have to stop and fix it, and you can bet on it happening at the worst possible time and location. I have a cousin who is an exact opposite personality. He does the absolute minimum of maintenance on anything, so he kids me about spending too much money on maintenance, and I kid him because he spends all his time and money on repairs. Of course he doesn't have to worry about resale value, because when he gets rid of anything, you can bet it isn't worth hauling off.

Bird
 
   / Amsoil #19  
Mark - my tractor is as dirty as yours on the outside, but clean like yours on the inside. Have to prioritize you know
Bill - honest, I wouldn't know her from Eve (god help me if her name really is Eve of course). For future reference, I got the Millcreek model 50, pto drive. Love it.
 
   / Amsoil #20  
Bird - That's the main point, exactly. Scheduled maintenance is exactly that. Unscheduled maintenance is always a much bigger pain to me. Especially when I know that the reason it's unscheduled is that I didn't do the scheduled stuff when I wasn't busy trying to work with it.

I've known folks too where the standard line is: "Well, if he's got it, you don't want it." And just because it's never taken care of.

Mark
 

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