EarthForce EF-5 enhancements

ns_in_tex · Mar 28, 2002

I bought a digital outdoor thermometer from walmart for about 10.00 that has a thermister type sensor. Ran the remote sensor down through a hole in the cab floor & taped it to the side of the hydraulic oil filter, then strapped some rubber insulation over it. It seems to work OK. The reason I did this was because I built a extendible side mount mower for my fel & power it with a hydraulic motor. I wanted to be sure I didn't overheat my oil with the continous use of the hydraulics.

MChalkley · Mar 28, 2002

Very clever - and cost-effective. Pity they don't make a $15 one with a digital auto-scanning sensor switch with capacity for 10 sensors or so, and configurable hi/low alarms for each, and the ability to buy extra sensors for $2.

Oh well, I guess I'm fortunate to have found all that for under $1k.

So, what kind of tractor did you put it on and what temps are you seeing?

ns_in_tex · Mar 30, 2002

I put it on my kubota L4610 hst. The highest temps I have seen so far is 140 degrees. This was running the hydraulic powered mower on maybe a 80 degree day. But today I was using the front end loader with the brush forks I built, piling & burning brush & logs in a pine tree patch. Ambient today was about 60 degrees. I noticed it reached 135 degrees today without the hydraulic mower on. On both operations I was only running about 1500 RPM when governer speed is set at 2700 RPM. So I am not sure what I may see in the future.
I did read on the web that 120/140 degrees was optional operating temperature & 180/200 was max.

GregGG · Apr 2, 2002

Re: EF future enhancements

MChalkley-<font color=blue>I haven't needed it, but I think I want it</font color=blue>

LOL, this is why I find MChalkley posts to have the most entertainment value out of all the posts. My type of thinking exactly.

MChalkley · Apr 12, 2002

Re: EF lube replacement

GregGG - "entertainment value"??? Hmm, well, ok, I'll take that. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Yesterday, I got around to replacing the lubricants in the EF-500. I put 20 gal Amsoil AWI (Anti-Wear ISO 46 Synthetic Hydraulic) oil in it. Apparently, about 5 gal of oil stayed in the cylinders, hoses, pumps, and motor, since the specs say it holds 25 gal. I replaced the oil in all the planetary hubs, differentials, and transfer case with almost 5 gal of Amsoil Series 2000 75W90. And, I put 8 qts of Castrol GTX 10W30 in the engine. I won't put synthetic in the engine until it's got 250 hours or so on it.

Anonymous Poster · Apr 12, 2002

Re: EF lube replacement

<font color=blue>...Castrol GTX 10W30 in the engine...</font color=blue>

Hi Mark...

I thought the Castrol GTX was only "S"ervice category for gasoline engines... not "C"ommercial category for diesels... and also wouldn't you use 15W40 grade vs 10W30 instead...?

I was considering their full synthetic for winter use as being the only "C"ommercial oil they offered...? (and the price was very reasonable.../w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)

MChalkley · Apr 12, 2002

Re: EF lube replacement

John,

I'll have to go check the bottle again. I know I checked the ratings on it, because I don't buy petroleum oil anymore - I only bought this because the EF-500's engine isn't broken in yet. Once it is, I'll be back to using full synthethic in everything.

Maybe it's not GTX that I bought, because I'm certain the label included diesel category engines. I got 10W30 because the Kubota manual doesn't recommend 15W40 in any temperature range - they spec 10W30 or 10W40 throughout. When I switch it over to synthetic, I'll probably use 15W40 though, because the cold weather lubrication is better with synthetic 15W40 that petroleum 5W30 even, so using the slightly higher viscosity synthetic wouldn't be a problem. (For that matter, now that warmer weather is here, I could've used the 15W40 petroleum, as you said, as long as I changed it before next winter.)

But, for now, you've got me worried - I've got to go check the label on the rest of the bottles in that case of Castrol I bought... /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

MikePA · Apr 12, 2002

Re: EF lube replacement

Hopefully, it was this. Castrol RX Super or Syntec. Doesn't look like any of the other versions are for diesels.

MChalkley · Apr 12, 2002

Re: EF lube replacement

Mike - Well, that's a bummer. Now, I've got to go change the oil in the EarthForce again. The Castrol I got isn't rated for diesel use, much less turbo-charged diesels.

John - I sure appreciate your bringing that to my attention. My Kubota engine thanks you! /w3tcompact/icons/love.gif I don't know how I ended up screwing up that bad, unless I got the Castrol ratings mixed up with some Valvoline that was for sale right beside it. Aarrrrgh! /w3tcompact/icons/mad.gif

MChalkley · Apr 12, 2002

Re: EF lube replacement

JMIII - I asked Castol's tech support dept about my goof, and here's the reply I got: "We would recommend that you change the oil immediately.... GTX is no longer diesel rated and should NOT be used for a diesel application." Note the words "is no longer". I think I now realize how I made this mistake. It used to be rated for diesel service. Not having purchased petroleum products in quite a while, I just didn't look closely enough at the ratings, I guess, though I sure thought I did. I know I saw the CG-4 rating on something I looked at, but it sure wasn't the Castrol GTX. Again, thanks for catching that one for me, and potentially saving my engine!

I also called the Amsoil tech services department and asked them about non-C-rated oil in the Kubota turbo-diesel, and he had two words: "Drain it." I was hoping the rating had to do more with longevity issues. Alas - I'm afraid not. At least I only ran the engine a couple hours on it...