Change oil every year or at the recommended 300 hours

[fried1765]

I go by hours on tractors like I do miles on cars between oils changes. But if I dont reach the hours recommended I do yrly then.
Ive never left oil in longer than that due to moisture that collects in it.

I use each of my tractors 10 hours or less per year.
I store them inside.
I do not consider moisture in oil to be a potential problem for me.

 

[Cycledude]

Oil threads usually get interesting with comments from doom and gloom enthusiasts. I prefer not to waste perfectly good oil and have no problem slightly stretching the factory recommended oil change intervals. My Honda Goldwing currently shows 573,000 miles and still runs like new.

 

[RjCorazza]

Within reason I go by hours. My 400h engine oil and hst oil change took 3 years to get to. Similar time frame with my truck.
I will say that I don't do "short trips" in my truck, and always work the tractor hard when I use it.

 

[kornowsd]

I've used Blackstone, every year, for the past 10 years on several of my pieces of gear just to "see" whether or not the "chronological" changes are necessary, or if hours can/will work. I've got a JD 5055E, Chevy Duramax, Briggs Dual Cylinder Intek and a 30 year old Tecumseh motor on that rotation. For the JD and the Duramax I do tranny/hydraulics, coolant and engine. I realize that the $40 charge seems excessive for a few of those pieces but... for me... I wanted to know if the oil suffered any, or if I could dispense with most of the maintenance intervals and go with extended oil changes. The Duramax sits in the garage when not in use. Everything else is outdoors 24 x 7 x 365. The JD 5055E has a 500-hour change interval specified (in the manual) for the engine and 1200-hours on the hydraulic fluid. I'm on 800-hours on the engine and tranny. Water = Undetectable. Fuel = Undetectable. TBN = 7.0 (nearly new, as JD oil has TBN of about 10 new). Silicon = Undetectable. Metals all in range. Additive package good. This unit is, also, tested under the JD Oil program, results are the same as Blackstone's. I'm 7 years past the manual's chronological requirement and 300-hours past the 500-hour interval specified for JD oil and filters and the oil is in great shape by all standards and not far off from new. Hydraulic oil has been in the unit since I bought it (2012) and TAN is 1 point below new, additive package is good, no water, or contaminants. Even my 30-year old Tecumseh goes at least five years between changes and oil, at that time, still tests "good." My 2007 Duramax is on it's fifth year with oil/fluids and ALL of them test near new, as well. There's about 30K miles on everything in the truck, right now. This truck is run 6-8 miles at a time, to put things in perspective. Most of the time it's a "short trip" vehicle and, still, all fluids are fine after 5 years and 30K miles.

When these change intervals are specified, by the manufacturer, they are always specified for worst-case conditions, not like how many of us actually care for the units. If you're keeping the dipstick tight in the holder, air cleaner clean and cared for, you're not pressure washing directly into seals and seeping water into the engine, etc... chances are you can run CONSIDERABLY longer than the specified intervals. A quick oil test will give you what you need to know. The results of those are inarguable. Oil is either contaminated and/or spent, or it's not.

One thing I know about where I live (central TX), there's ZERO need to change oil at the one-year mark. Oil doesn't just "go bad" one day. It degrades over time. My testing, here at least, shows that I can run well past the manufacturer specified calendar time/hours interval and still be well within the range of acceptable. Conditions may vary... but, most of the time, these changes intervals are pretty aggressive.

 

[Oh Lordy HepMe HepME]

I have a troy-bilt tiller that i change the oil in every 5 years wether it needs it or not. Briggs I/C engine. Thing is now 17 years old running good.

Briggs manual suggests oil changes "50 hrs or every season" but i am hypocritical here and don't do it. Point is the oil still works for many years. Not many hours at all each year.

Because oil breaks down from moisture build up and engines that sit long periods between use with old oil can even rust inside parts up over time because the oil runs down in the pan but moisture seperates & rises up from outside temps. Why tops of metal gas tanks rust out on old vehicles too.
I assure you theres some scorching on its bearings already from not changing it enough. Once the hard outer layer on its bearings go its done so just cause it runs don't mean it will run near as long as it was designed to run for.

Just sad when one spends good money on new equipment only to ruin its life expectancy over a quart of oil annually...I honestly dont get it? But this is exactly why all the small Briggs are throwaways today. Briggs prez stated in a mag interview that "Todays gen doesn't want to do any engine maintenence".

So Briggs just built a real pos small engine to be tossed out when oil changes are normally due now. So we all must buy a new $200+ mower/tiller etc instead of a few bucks in oil.
Thats the "never change oil" engines on everything. They're junk! Not a steel sleeve Briggs push mower engine made today if you look on Briggs website so take care of those older Briggs people. They sure aren't made like that anymore!

A friend of mine never done maintenance on stuff till his 4yr old (15k) Deere went south. All because he failed to inspect/change his fuel filter as recommended so it clogged enough to run lean and burn a hole in his piston. He learned the hard way but he learned.
As they say, lessons always cost us to learn but good lessons always cost a lot to learn.
Thats true!

 

[Midniteoyl]

People spending $40+ to see if they can skip the $45 oil change...

 

[Oh Lordy HepMe HepME]

I've used Blackstone, every year, for the past 10 years on several of my pieces of gear just to "see" whether or not the "chronological" changes are necessary, or if hours can/will work. I've got a JD 5055E, Chevy Duramax, Briggs Dual Cylinder Intek and a 30 year old Tecumseh motor on that rotation. For the JD and the Duramax I do tranny/hydraulics, coolant and engine. I realize that the $40 charge seems excessive for a few of those pieces but... for me... I wanted to know if the oil suffered any, or if I could dispense with most of the maintenance intervals and go with extended oil changes. The Duramax sits in the garage when not in use. Everything else is outdoors 24 x 7 x 365. The JD 5055E has a 500-hour change interval specified (in the manual) for the engine and 1200-hours on the hydraulic fluid. I'm on 800-hours on the engine and tranny. Water = Undetectable. Fuel = Undetectable. TBN = 7.0 (nearly new, as JD oil has TBN of about 10 new). Silicon = Undetectable. Metals all in range. Additive package good. This unit is, also, tested under the JD Oil program, results are the same as Blackstone's. I'm 7 years past the manual's chronological requirement and 300-hours past the 500-hour interval specified for JD oil and filters and the oil is in great shape by all standards and not far off from new. Hydraulic oil has been in the unit since I bought it (2012) and TAN is 1 point below new, additive package is good, no water, or contaminants. Even my 30-year old Tecumseh goes at least five years between changes and oil, at that time, still tests "good." My 2007 Duramax is on it's fifth year with oil/fluids and ALL of them test near new, as well. There's about 30K miles on everything in the truck, right now. This truck is run 6-8 miles at a time, to put things in perspective. Most of the time it's a "short trip" vehicle and, still, all fluids are fine after 5 years and 30K miles.

When these change intervals are specified, by the manufacturer, they are always specified for worst-case conditions, not like how many of us actually care for the units. If you're keeping the dipstick tight in the holder, air cleaner clean and cared for, you're not pressure washing directly into seals and seeping water into the engine, etc... chances are you can run CONSIDERABLY longer than the specified intervals. A quick oil test will give you what you need to know. The results of those are inarguable. Oil is either contaminated and/or spent, or it's not.

One thing I know about where I live (central TX), there's ZERO need to change oil at the one-year mark. Oil doesn't just "go bad" one day. It degrades over time. My testing, here at least, shows that I can run well past the manufacturer specified calendar time/hours interval and still be well within the range of acceptable. Conditions may vary... but, most of the time, these changes intervals are.

Most oil can actually be changed out for the cost of these tests? I know it can be on passenger vehicles anyway so I've not seen the point doing tests very often.
Other than doing it occasionally for spotting potential issues early like bearing metals or anti in oil etc. its not cost effective.

 

[Oh Lordy HepMe HepME]

People spending $40+ to see if they can skip the $45 oil change...

Ditto!!

 

[IH2424]

I'm guessing this has been debated before . If you can post a link that would be great.

I have about 40 hours on my Branson 2515H and will be taking it in for the first oil change and Fluid Swap .

I believe the book states 300 hours for next full service . Do you guys run your tractor the 300 hours on the same oil
or should a guy change it every year regardless of the hours ? My guess would be 60-80 hours a year seeing how I only get to
use it on weekends .

Thanks
Dan

Interesting to see the responses, I have often pondered this question. But I still change the oil on my 3 tractors once a year. Two of them maybe get 25 hrs a year, the oldest one maybe a couple hours moving the boat around. On the old farm tractors it is a good check that I don't have an internal engine problem that is leaking coolant into the oil pan. I do use NAPA oil on the old IH's, but name brand on my Kubota. PLus- gives me a chance to fiddle with them once a year - half the fun of owning old equipment is that you can actually work on it yourself without a computer.

Tim

1951 IH W-4
1964 IH 2424
2016 Kubota B2620

 

[Doughknob]

Because oil breaks down from moisture build up and engines that sit long periods between use with old oil can even rust inside parts up over time because the oil runs down in the pan but moisture seperates & rises up from outside temps. Why tops of metal gas tanks rust out on old vehicles too.
I assure you theres some scorching on its bearings already from not changing it enough. Once the hard outer layer on its bearings go its done so just cause it runs don't mean it will run near as long as it was designed to run for.

Just sad when one spends good money on new equipment only to ruin its life expectancy over a quart of oil annually...I honestly dont get it? But this is exactly why all the small Briggs are throwaways today. Briggs prez stated in a mag interview that "Todays gen doesn't want to do any engine maintenence".

So Briggs just built a real pos small engine to be tossed out when oil changes are normally due now. So we all must buy a new $200+ mower/tiller etc instead of a few bucks in oil.
Thats the "never change oil" engines on everything. They're junk! Not a steel sleeve Briggs push mower engine made today if you look on Briggs website so take care of those older Briggs people. They sure aren't made like that anymore!

A friend of mine never done maintenance on stuff till his 4yr old (15k) Deere went south. All because he failed to inspect/change his fuel filter as recommended so it clogged enough to run lean and burn a hole in his piston. He learned the hard way but he learned.
As they say, lessons always cost us to learn but good lessons always cost a lot to learn.
Thats true!