First Oil Change- what weight oil?

[Chilly807]

I've always used 10w30 year-round, it's either that or 15w40, which I feel is too heavy for winter use. The important thing is to ensure it's rated for diesel use, not for gas engines.

In my opinion, most diesels in tractors don't see the extremes of temperature to really need synthetics, although extreme cold is an exception to that.

Sean

 

[moship]

Another vote for Rotella T6 in 5W-40 year round. It cost about $21 from walmart and Tractor Supply had it on sale for $18/gal last month. Advance Auto has it for $20 Buy Shell Rotella T6 5W-40 Heavy Duty Fully Synthetic Motor Oil (1 Gallon) 550019921 at Advance Auto Parts

I also use it in my F350.

 

[sixdogs]

10W30- But as PHILIP8N stated, the manual is outdated on viscosity/weights and does not even mention synthetics or 5Wxx or 15Wxx oils.

I don't think they mention synthetics even now. Until just recently they didn't even mention 15W40, just 10W30. I use synthetics in my Kubotas but wait for around 100 hours to be on the safe side. People tell me it doesn't matter on the hours but John Deere thinks it does for their engines so I'm going with that view.

 

[grm61]

I did the 50hr on my Kioti a month or so ago.
Gets plenty cold here for the winter, I went with 5/40 Rotella T6 synthetic for the cold weather pumpability.

 

[RaydaKub]

My BX has over 700 hours on it. My last change I put in the synth and it took a lot of rattle out of the engine. Would it really matter if you did it at 50 hours, 100, hours, or 200+ ?

 

[RickB]

Gonna go out on a limb here... What does the manual say to use? The factory manual for my old '41 Farmall A, '85 Kubota B8200, and current NH TC40D all spell that out pretty clearly.

Owners manual for oil viscosity/weight is very outdated. We have similar temperature conditions, and I would suggest a 5w-40. Here is an excellent viscosity chart from Caterpillar. Philip.

I would think an operator's manual for a tractor with 35 hours on it would be "fairly up-to-date" and a better source for information than a bunch of internet authorities.

 

[sixdogs]

I would think an operator's manual for a tractor with 35 hours on it would be "fairly up-to-date" and a better source for information than a bunch of internet authorities.

You would think so but not if you read one.
I'm not positive but the MX5100 I bought last fall said it didn't even require diesel rated oil. Now, it could be the one I bought I couple years earlier but I know I saw it. Same with 15W40 and zero mention of that oil. And synthetic oil was not "approved" for use in Kubotas until fairly recently and I still don't think it's mentioned in the owner's manuals.

 

[PHILIP8N]

I would think an operator's manual for a tractor with 35 hours on it would be "fairly up-to-date" and a better source for information than a bunch of internet authorities.

Unfortunately, that is not the case. Attached is page from Kubota manual for engine viscosity recommendations. Kubota recommends 15w-40 if ambient is -22F, which is deadly for an engine. Kubota also recommends SAE30 for temps above 77F, SAE20 for temps between 32F-77F, and SAE10W for temps below 32F. In 1939, Ford recommended the same straight weights for the 9N. Pretty sure there have been many improvements in diesel engine oil from 1939, since the printing of my 2009 L3940 manual, and Kubota has not kept up. This is why I post the Caterpillar engine oil viscosity recommendation chart to others in question, and use it myself. Philip.

 

[pizzaguy]

Thanks to PHILIP8N for the pdf of the Cat recommendations. I was going to go with the 10W30, but now I think I will go with the 5W40. I am still not sure about switching to a full synthetic with this low of hours on the tractor, but think it will out weigh the very cold morning starts.

 

[buickanddeere]

If the rings are seated. To ahead and use synthetic . Use a block heater too. Just because it may hammer to life without pre-heating doesn't mean you should do it.