Deere 2210 Cold (below zero) VS. Oil light

JD2210MAN · Jan 29, 2005

Has anyone had any issues with their oil light coming on a zero degrees and below? When I start my 2210 at 80 hours, with the engine heater on, the oil light comes on for 3 seconds or so. I have the regular oil (not synthetic because it is not to 100 hours yet). The engine heater warms it up enough to start as if it were summer, after an hour and a half of heating.

So my question is... has anyone else had a light come on under similar circumstances?

bigpete · Jan 29, 2005

Which viscosity oil are you running? With those temps, it might be the weight of your oil causing it to move slowly. Your oil pressure sensor may not be picking up enough pressure to turn off your light. I have never heard of a chronic problem with the oil sensing system. You might try a winter weight oil as recommended in your manual to see if it stops the problem.

megotatractor · Jan 30, 2005

No problem here. however at the 50 hour service I put in 10w-30. No idea what they shipped it with for oil. This is my first winter with my 2210 and I'm now at 90 hours. I keep my 2210 plugged in all the time except when no snow is expected. I did start it a couple times cold without pre-heating and had no problem. I think it was near zero one day I decided to try this.

RalphVa · Jan 30, 2005

My 4010 manual recommends 5w30. I just bought an oil filter and plan to change to this grade synthetic soon as I get a convenient time (probably when it warms up a bit more). It has only about 12 hours on it. That's enough; I'm not waiting until 50 hours to change to synthetic.

In Vermont, I'd be inclined to use 0w30 synthetic. The 0wxx grade is the ONLY oil that would not keep the overhead valve gear from smoking in engine starts at -40 F/C that Imperial Oil did for Exxon a few years back. They had an engine equiped with a transparent valve cover in a -40 F/C room. The oil pump just can't get suction and pump any heavier oil at low temps very quickly. Startup is when you get the most wear on an engine, too.

Ralph

texastomtom · Jan 30, 2005

I wouldn't think it was a good ideal to switch from the break in oil so soon.. It has a purpose.

I"m not an engineer so what I think probably dont mean much.....

tom

RalphVa · Jan 30, 2005

I just switched. Mike, who pipes up a lot on the fuels/lubes forum, says he switched to Mobil 1 at 0 hours.

The clock showed 13.5 hours. That's 675 miles at 50 mile/hr average on a car engine. There were long periods of idling in there that didn't put much on the clock.

I've 5w30 Mobil 1 in it now, like all the rest of my engines now. Well, the Benz has a 50/50 mix of 15w50 and 5w30 to get its 10w40, and I use 15w50 in the Gravely in the summer and the same 50/50 mix in the winter as for the Benz.

Set the idle speed back to 1,000 rpm now. They had it cranked up to 1,300 rpm, probably to aid in break-in and startup when cold and tight.

It took the speced 2 1/3 quarts (2 liters). Took 2 quarts and then the other approx. 200 ml after startup and filling the new filter, a tiny thing. Used a chain wrench snaked up behind the frame to loosen the original filter. Some gorillas tightened the oil drain plug. Had to use a long-handled wrench to get it loose. Plug had a rubber washer on it, too. I replaced with a copper one that is the same size as the one on my Benz. Copper expands more than steel when hot and will help to keep it tight when hot.

Ralph

fgross335_2210 · Jan 30, 2005

I switched my 2210 to synthetic at the 50 hour service so I've never tried to start it in winter with dino oil. I have started it down to 10 degrees w/o the block heater. It took several cycles of the glow plugs, but once it started I did not have any oil pressure light. You need a lighter oil or synthetic....

JD2210MAN · Jan 31, 2005

They advised me to use 15-40 this fall but I did want to go to synthetic. I would think the damage caused by the regular oil during start-up will be far worse then any damage (or glazing) caused by going to synthetic oil.

When I go to buy the oil and filter, I will bring it up at the JD dealer just to get their reaction.

I guess there is no way an oil pump could be slow, it would have to be the oil... plain and simple.

bigpete · Jan 31, 2005

Switching to synthetic oil at 80 hours would probably be fine, especially given the symptoms you described. Anything over 50 hours is good, as long as the machine has been put through its paces at varying RPMs during that break-in period.

I know some folks have said they skipped the break-in period and went straight to synth or premium dino right away, but I wouldn't advise it. Those folks don't have to take my word for it, either. Every JD document and every general resource I have ever read says to let the rings seat via friction and heat. In JD's Yanmars, they specify break-in oil for 50 or 100 hours (depending on which document you read) to do this.