B3030....Which oil?

[Sully2]

Ok guys..Ive read PAGES on here on the different oils people are using in their Kubota's. Some I think? "Yeah..that would work"..and others "NO WAY!" So here is my dilemma..

10W-30 KUBOTA oil at my dealer sets me back $3.10 a qt! ( geeze???)...but finding a 10W-30 thats diesel rated is TOUGH to say the least. My preference is to change engine oil on a MORE frequent basis than what the book calls for, because for MY USE..200 hr increments will be a LONG time between oil changes.

I am worried a tiny bit about COLD weather startup...but I dont give a hoot about some -40 pour point..because "I" aint going to be OUT in -40 weather.
I want a READILY AVAILABLE oil..so when I need a qt..I can buy it quickly...and $$ isnt the BIG factor..but I would ( as everyone would) like to get my oil as cheap as I can.

Im "semi" stuck between using the Kubota 10W-30 ( available only thru Kubota)..or...when the first oil change comes moving to 10W-30 ( or ??even 5W-30) Mobil 1.

It needs to be CD;CE or ( preferably ) CF rated and 10W-30.

BTW..dont even mention AMSOIL !
A) Not readily available..and
B) I wouldnt use it to start brush fires with

Any HELPFUL input greatly appreciated
Sully

 

[RWEST]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( BTW..dont even mention AMSOIL !
I wouldnt use it to start brush fires with )</font>
This should be interesting (runs to get popcorn). /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

BTW - I just stick Shell Rotella "T" 5W-40 synthetic in everything at 50 hrs, then change every 100 hours. If I'm spending ~$3/quart anyway, it won't be for standard dino oil. Does the Owner's Manual MANDATE only 10-30, or do they show a variety of weights, based on anticipated temp range, as long as you provide proper API service label? All my JD Owner's Manuals list a variety of acceptable weights.

 

[Sully2]

Naw! They JUST show 10W-30 oil. Some have told me I can use the 15W-40 I use in my Cummins and "it'll be OK"..???...but for cold weather ( not that it gets all THAT cold here in southern Ohio...I think Id prefer a 10W in the wintertime.

Thats for the info though..I'll take a long hard look at the RotellaT Syn in that weight range.

Much appreciated

 

[hudr]

We have used Shell Rotella 15w-40 in everything from farm equip to pickups to lawn mowers (even chain saw bar oil in a pinch) here in East Texas. We have used it year round (I know, not a big deal here temp wise) with no oil related failures. And most of our equipment is old with lots of hours/miles on it. Several of our "newer" tractors were built in the 50s and 60s. It boils down to this.. whatever oil you use, can you sleep at night knowing it is in your crankcase?

 

[wushaw]

If your wanting syn oil then the Shell Rotella 5-40 will work just fine, I use the 15-40 Rotella in everything but I'm in Texas not Ohio.

 

[RWEST]

I did some digging around, and found both Motorcraft and Mobil Delvac 1300 are available in 10-30, diesel rated. Wal-Mart carries both brands, although I don't know if they have the 10-30 diesel. Good luck.

 

[Sully2]

Yepper...they sure do. Chevron also makes a 10W30 Delo. Throuble is...nobody carrys it!! Hence the NOT readily available thingy?

 

[arthr31]

i use 15w-40 synth in my truck and tractors. as long as I have block or pan heaters on, there's no worry. And, i don't start putting those on until temps get into the teens (OK, I baby the truck, and any time it gets below 35 it gets plugged in...). This seems to be working for me. It gets cold where I am and sometimes I have no choice to be out in the pre dawn hours while it is -10 (with windchill, usually, which surface temp of metal can be far lower...). -Art

 

[Sully2]

I wish in a way Id have gotten a block heater ( I have no idea what they cost??) but I had my budget stretched thinner than the hair on a bugs leg.... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif...so anything more was out of the question.

I can buy the 5-40 Rotella Syn at Wally World ( close by me)..so at oil change time I'll try that one...

 

[arthr31]

A magnetic oil pan heater will cost about 30 to 35.00. I'd recommend picking one up to easy the warm up time for the tractor...

 

[Sully2]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( A magnetic oil pan heater will cost about 30 to 35.00. I'd recommend picking one up to easy the warm up time for the tractor... )</font>

Hmmmmm!! I "think" I can afford that much... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Thanks

 

[IH3444]

Sully, I got a block heater with my NH TC48DA. My neighbor saw it and bought one outright for his TC35A, it was only $20. I've bought also some of that Wally world Rotella 5-40 "synthetic". Because it's easy to find. Now I also bought a 5 gal pail of NH Mastergold Ambra 10w-30 diesel oil before I found the Wally world 5w-40. It was only $2 qt. in the 5 gal pail. Pail was $40 of course. I was concerned about the cold weather starting also. Remember even tho the pour point may say -40F, the pumping of the oil is usually 20 degrees higher. So a -40F pour, is really a -20F pumping, and even then it's a tough haul for the oil pump. Better to have an easy flowing oil for winter. Rotella post their specs on the web. I had to contact an Ambra sales rep, at the Speciality oil site. Even then he only gave me exactly what I requested, one being the pour point, and the other being the TBN, which was an 8. I believe that Rotella is 11.5, and Amsoil is a 12.2, and another oil, which slips my mind was a 12 also. The TBN is the ability of the oil to handle soot, and neturalize the acids that burning diesel creates. The sulfuric acid may not be much of a problem as the sulfur content is reduced in future fuels. The piston injection pumps tend to handle the lack of sulfur better than the rotary injection pumps. IH3444

 

[Sully2]

Good info...GREAT info in fact. Thanks much.

Im worried about the itty bitty battery too...maybe having to crank and crank to get it fired up with "heavy" oil. It dont look all that big to me...LOL. If it was a 1400 AH like my Cummins RV has..Id turn the key and say to it to "Get 'er done"...but I don think that std Kubota has a lot of "cranking" in it!

Mucho appreciated!

 

[ronjhall]

My B2910 now has a block heater. But I started it in below zero weather before I got the block heater with no problems while using Shell Rottela T 15w-40 oil. Engine sounded rough until it warmed up. The <font color="orange"> Kubota </font> block heater for my B2910 was $36.00 (part #70000-73274). I believe the B3030 should use same one.

 

[IH3444]

I also forgot to add that I also bought a Wally World battery maintainer. It's a 1.5 amp model, and I'm going to install it for winter use. It will keep the battery up to snuff, and ready to Git-er-done. It was about $26 I believe. it's in the battery section. I'm surprised that the Kubota block heater is $36. The NH is $20, and it's 400 watts. More than enough for our small diesels...... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifIH3444 You could also have an oil sump heater, but that's a bit of a challange with our split oil pans.