got my first tractor-

[mattellis2]

I finally pulled the trigger on my tractor. I came home Friday night with a 2005 branson 2910 with a whopping 12.9 hours on it. It came with a 5 rotary mower, a 6 box scrape and boom pole. It also has ag tires, but no FEL. I paid $8K for the whole deal, + about a 3 hour drive each way to pick it up.

I unloaded it Saturday morning, and began checking it over before putting it to use. I greased all the zerk fittings, checked tire pressure, checked engine oil, coolant, hydraulic oil, etc. Everything looked pretty good, so I mowed for about 3 hours on Sunday. Little beast works like a champ, but it is a little light in the front end. I was cleaning up a downed tree, and lost my steering because the front end came off the ground! It moved it though! I think a FEL or front weights are definitely in my future.

The only real complaint I have is the service manual. I know there was some little Korean guy tasked with writing it in English, but it is pretty lacking. I want to go ahead and change the oil, but the only thing I found was to use grade CC or better. Now, I am not a member of API, and am somewhat of a newbie to diesel engines, so can someone tell me what weight to use (10w-40, 20w-50, etc)? Also, where can I get filters without ordering from branson? I am sure there has to be a cross-reference somewhere.

Thanks for any help.

i also posted this in the branson forum, but there isn't a lot of traffic down there.

-matt

 

[art]

I'd never use less then the CD grade oil. CC is a grade often refered to being able to go in gas as well as diesel. I do know enough about the two types of engines and they do require differnt types of oil.

Service manuals are made for mechanics and technicians that are already mechanically inclined and know there way around the machine. Those manuals for a lot of people seem useless.

 

[Soundguy]

If you hi a store.. you are likely to see CI or better..

Most places reccomend 15w40 oil for diesels. That's what all mine get.

DO make sure you look for the 'C' tag.. and don't get a 'S' rated oil which is for a gas engine..

Check your service manual for change interval.. many people hit 50 hrs as a first change.. though attending to it sooner won't break anything.

I'd work it good then change it and the filter..

When uo drain the oil.. don't be overly alarmed if you get a few small metal chips on the drain plug.. that's what the first oil change is for.. to clear the engine of leftover debri from the machining and manufacturing process.

Soundguy