Junkman
Super Member
Just curious .... what are others using for engine oil in their BX tractors? I just switched from Mobil 1 to Rotella Synthetic. I change oil and filter every 50 hours.
BX oil change.....
- Thread starter Junkman
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JWE
Gold Member
I started using Rotella Synthetic at 100 hours. Plan to change it once per year (about 60 - 70 hours).
John
John
Henro
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2003
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- 4,982
- Location
- Few miles north of Pgh, PA
- Tractor
- Kubota B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini EX
I have been using regular 15w-40 Rotella since day one. Initially I changed oil and filter at each 50 hours too...
Now I have been changing at every 100 hours on my B2910. That is because I have been putting a lot of hours on it, and for a couple weeks I would have been changing weekly if I changed at 50 hours.
Actually, I am wondering if changing the filter at 50 hours is wise or not. I know it feels good to do it. But I wonder if the filter does not actually start filtering better after it gets some dirt, or whatever you call it, captured. So since my manual says change the filter every 200 hours, if I am remembering correctly, I now change the filter at every 100 hours...thinking I may be doing the engine more good than harm by doing so.
Has anyone seen any studies that show that a filter gets worse at its job from day one? My gut tells me it gets better before it gets worse...but I have nothing but uncommon sense to back me up on that. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Once my stock of regular Rotella runs out, I will probably switch to synthetic oil...and extend my oil changes to half the lenght of Kubota's recommendations...
On my BX I will probably keep changing at the 50 hours points till it gets a couple hundred hours on it...
Now I have been changing at every 100 hours on my B2910. That is because I have been putting a lot of hours on it, and for a couple weeks I would have been changing weekly if I changed at 50 hours.
Actually, I am wondering if changing the filter at 50 hours is wise or not. I know it feels good to do it. But I wonder if the filter does not actually start filtering better after it gets some dirt, or whatever you call it, captured. So since my manual says change the filter every 200 hours, if I am remembering correctly, I now change the filter at every 100 hours...thinking I may be doing the engine more good than harm by doing so.
Has anyone seen any studies that show that a filter gets worse at its job from day one? My gut tells me it gets better before it gets worse...but I have nothing but uncommon sense to back me up on that. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif
Once my stock of regular Rotella runs out, I will probably switch to synthetic oil...and extend my oil changes to half the lenght of Kubota's recommendations...
On my BX I will probably keep changing at the 50 hours points till it gets a couple hundred hours on it...
Jimbrown
Veteran Member
What is wrong with the recommended Kubota Intervals and oil?
Oil every 100 hours filters every 200 hours! After break in. Book says 10-30 or 10-40 I use 15-40 because it never gets cold here. Nothing wrong with synthetic but if you are throwing it away every 50 hours you are wasting your money.
Oil every 100 hours filters every 200 hours! After break in. Book says 10-30 or 10-40 I use 15-40 because it never gets cold here. Nothing wrong with synthetic but if you are throwing it away every 50 hours you are wasting your money.
BIGUN
Gold Member
I'm using 15w-40 Rotella oil with Kubota filters.
Has anyone seen any studies that show that a filter gets worse at its job from day one? My gut tells me it gets better before it gets worse...but I have nothing but uncommon sense to back me up on that. >>>>
In a sense you are right, a "stopped" up filter filters more, but it also holds back oil from getting back into the engine where it is supposed to be. Now it never stops it all, but just like the air filter on your AC, it does slow it down, and that could be detrimental to the engine.
In a sense you are right, a "stopped" up filter filters more, but it also holds back oil from getting back into the engine where it is supposed to be. Now it never stops it all, but just like the air filter on your AC, it does slow it down, and that could be detrimental to the engine.
I have been working in a lot of dusty atmosphere and changing the oil is a cheap insurance policy for me. I checked the air filter and it seems fine. That will be replace at the 200 hour mark. The oil was black when I changed it today. I will probably start to go to the 100 hour oil and filter changes now that the machine has 107 hour on it. I put 7 hours on today after the oil and filter change. At 3.5 quarts of oil ($12.88 per gallon @ Wally World) and a $5.00 Kubota filter, the peace of mind is worth the small extra cost. Maintenance saves $$$$$, it doesn't cost $$$$$. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
From what I had learned from Fram when I visited the manufacturing plant when it was in Providence RI, a filter is at peak efficiency when installed. As it ages, the efficiency is diminished. At a certain point, the filter can no longer hold any more "dirt", and that is when the by pass valve opens and allows the oil to flow around the filter. I have no evidence of this in practicality, but to me, it does make sense. If the filter is designed to allow any thing smaller than a 5 micron to pass through it, then everything that is larger than 5 microns will get caught till the filter is used up. Smaller particles will get past the filter material. I understand your thinking that there is a built up barrier that would trap more, but I believe that by design that can't happen. Time to cut a couple of filters open and look inside???
Henro
Elite Member
- Joined
- Jul 4, 2003
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- 4,982
- Location
- Few miles north of Pgh, PA
- Tractor
- Kubota B2910, BX2200, KX41-2V mini EX
<font color="blue">Time to cut a couple of filters open and look inside???
</font>
Can't see things that small... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
But I do know that my dust collector in my wood shop does filter better after some fine saw dust has been collected...
And I guess if Kubota recommends filter changes every 200 hundred hours, changing at 100 hours would be more than satisfactory...
It would be nice to see a graphical representation of filter efficency over time...
Maybe a 5 micron filter starts to catch smaller particles before it become ineffective?
Hard to determine when we are wasting money by changing too often, isn't it? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
</font>
Can't see things that small... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif
But I do know that my dust collector in my wood shop does filter better after some fine saw dust has been collected...
And I guess if Kubota recommends filter changes every 200 hundred hours, changing at 100 hours would be more than satisfactory...
It would be nice to see a graphical representation of filter efficency over time...
Maybe a 5 micron filter starts to catch smaller particles before it become ineffective?
Hard to determine when we are wasting money by changing too often, isn't it? /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif