Kubota engine oil recommendation

[piller]

The Kubota 10W-30 diesel engine oil I bought from my dealer had an API CI-4 rating. The info on the Kubota website specifically says not to use CJ-4.

Non-EGR:
API Classification
CF, CF-4, CG-4,
CH-4, or CI-4
(do not use CJ-4)

External EGR:
API Classification
CF,CI-4 (do NOT use
CF-4, CG-4, CH-4,
CJ-4)

 

[Happyman]

The Kubota 10W-30 diesel engine oil I bought from my dealer had an API CI-4 rating. The info on the Kubota website specifically says not to use CJ-4.

I addressed this previuosly with a Kubota technician. He said that CJ-4 rated oil is just fine and the web site and manuals will be updated as quickly as any large corporation can move...which he said was "pretty slowly".
The warning on the web site and manuals was due to the introduction of low sulpher fuels and the concern early on for possible injector issues. He said that low sulpher fuels are widely used now and the new CJ-4 oil addresses their earlier concerns. They just have not made the written or web site changes. He also said this was an "unofficial" comment to me because they have to stay with what is in print for legal reasons.
Don't worry about CJ-4 spec oils. They will work perfectly well with off-road OR on-road low sulpher diesel.
Most diesel oils are now CJ-4 rated and any that aren't are soon to be sold out of inventory.
Hope this helps.

 

[jimainiac]

A cynical person might think Kubota wants to use up their stock of Kubota brand oil that doesn't have CJ-4 on the label, and then it will be all right to use it when their bottles are labled that way.

 

[banjo_guru]

I have a B7200 HST Diesel (used). I can't seem to find how much oil the crankcase holds with filter change. Can anyone tell me?
Michael

 

[RWEST]

A cynical person might think Kubota wants to use up their stock of Kubota brand oil that doesn't have CJ-4 on the label, and then it will be all right to use it when their bottles are labled that way.

Fortunately, there are no cynics here!!

 

[Scrounger]

At 150 hours I switched from 10w-30 kubota oil to 5w-40 Rotella Synthetic. I'm sticking with this until spring. Then I'll go with the 15w-40 Rotella. The kubota tech I spoke with about 2 months ago said it was just fine to do that...off the record.

I use the Rotella 5w-40 Synthetic year around in northeastern PA. Seems to be a good fit. Run it in the motorcycle, push mower, and power washer too.

 

[WilliamBos]

I use the Rotella 5w-40 Synthetic year around in northeastern PA. Seems to be a good fit. Run it in the motorcycle, push mower, and power washer too.

Not too jack the thread here, but would it be better to run a 5w40 or 15w40 that is CJ-4 than to run a 10w30 that is not? Our 1523 was built June 2007, and I cannot seem to find a 10w30 synthetic that is CJ-4. MF calls for 10w30, but a minimum of CC, guess they need to update the manuals.

 

[djradz]

I would run the 5w-40 CJ-4. If you can find the Shell Rotella T Synthetic, at something like Walmart or another discount store, I don't think you'll find a better bargain for a quality product. If you were down south, I might suggest something like the 15w-, but in Ontario, you should be good with the 5w-40 year-round.

 

[RWEST]

I cannot seem to find a 10w30 synthetic that is CJ-4. MF calls for 10w30, but a minimum of CC, guess they need to update the manuals.

I think Amsoil makes one.

I'd just use Rotella T 10-30 or RTS 5-40 and not worry about it.

 

[piller]

I changed my oil last weekend with Kubota 10W-30. The new kubota 1 gallon 10W-30 oil container has a slightly different shape than the old container. The part numbers are the same however the new oil includes the CI-4 Plus API rating whereas the old container does not (it only goes to CI-4).

 

[curlysir]

Kubota now states CJ-4 is acceptable for Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) Fuel (0.015%/15 ppm or Less) on their site:

Kubota Tractor USA - Lubricants Schedule

 

[neucam]

Some people say go to a long haul truck stop and use what they sell there, most often it will be Shell Rotela 15-40 or Chevron Delo 400 15-40. People in Florida use straight 30wt in Kubota diesels.

 

[rScotty]

Kubota now states CJ-4 is acceptable for Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) Fuel (0.015%/15 ppm or Less) on their site:

Kubota Tractor USA - Lubricants Schedule

Yes, but as I read the info right at the top of that page it seems to say that those are generic recommendations and that specific models may have different requirements. The Kubota M59 manual doesn't fit that page at all.
ugh.....rScotty

 

[My442]

My BX2200 runs great year round on Shell Rotella 5W-40 sythetic.

I use Baldwin oil filters too.

 

[Happyman]

Yes, but as I read the info right at the top of that page it seems to say that those are generic recommendations and that specific models may have different requirements. The Kubota M59 manual doesn't fit that page at all.
ugh.....rScotty

rScotty....you're ok. Any CJ-4 oil is fine in your machine. Not to worry!

 

[Smokin Dog]

There are a lot of lubricants on the market that will provide great protection.
You have to decide for your self what works in your area.
I live in Alabama, the weather is worm, so I use Chevron Delo 400, 30w
year around. We in the Auto, Truck repair line, would never use anything
less than 15w-40 because of the heat and pounding a engine gets. If your
using a less viscosity like 10w or 5w and your engine is rattling or noisy on
start up, then the viscosity your using isn't heavy enough, and most likely
the damage is already done. I know this is a sore and missunderstood subject
so this may help some. Most any diesel type oil for a diesel will lube all the
engine parts well, except for the crankshaft. This is a question I used on
interviews when hireing a new tech. What is the actual bearings on a crankshaft? No one gave the correct answer. You have main inserts, and rod
inserts. They are spacer shims for the correct tolerance. The actual bearings
on a crankshaft is.....engine oil under pressure. The crankshaft floats in a
pressureized layer of engine oil. When a engine gets to operating temp then
the oil is somewhat thinner, so the thinner or lower number viscosity your
using means you have less crankshaft protection. You have to have viscosity
for cushion of parts, along with high lubrication, two different items.
The first number on the oil is the viscosity, W is for winter flow.
I wont go any further with this because of the different opinions of this
subject. Hope this helps clear up some wrong thinking, and proves to those
that are on the correct track.

 

[rScotty]

rScotty....you're ok. Any CJ-4 oil is fine in your machine. Not to worry!

Hey Happyman, that's a nice sentiment, and I thank you for it.... but are you sure? Why do you say that? What are you basing it one?

And if it's fine in my machine, then why does my Kubota owner's manual specifically say on the page about engine oils for the M59 that "CJ-4 oils cannot be used in this tractor".

Enjoy! rScotty

 

[Happyman]

Hey Happyman, that's a nice sentiment, and I thank you for it.... but are you sure? Why do you say that? What are you basing it one?

And if it's fine in my machine, then why does my Kubota owner's manual specifically say on the page about engine oils for the M59 that "CJ-4 oils cannot be used in this tractor".

Enjoy! rScotty

The manuals have to address a very broad range of circumstances; weather, operating conditions, fuel types, etc. The manual of my 2008 L3940 says the same thing as yours. I contacted an engineer at Kubota and he said that any CJ-4 oil is fine in my machine, and that 5w-40 Rotella synthetic will work just fine for me. Some types of bio fuels and other types of "custom mixes" could cause some injector issues over the long run, according to the engineer. And he emphasized "could", not "will". He said as long as I run regular low sulpher, ultra low sulpher or "off road" fuels there is no problem. He said, off the record, that the specs in their manuals and on their web site need to be updated but due to corporate politics and layers of buracracy (sp?) it hasn't been done yet. I took his comments to mean I was not hurting my engine with a CJ-4 rated oil.
I know there are lots of discussions and opinions on engine oil but I found the answers that work for me. Others may feel differently and that's fine. Each to their own.
As long as my dealer knows what I run and he is comfortable with it than I know any engine issues that might come up in the future will not be blamed on the oil or fuel I use.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it

 

[sw03]

the manuals are SOOO 1990's!

 

[devildog1]

Just checked my manual for my 2009 B3200 HST and It recommends 10-30 or 15-40 year round. It does give you a guide for outside temps for your choice of what oil to use. Don't know if this helps but that's what my 2009 manual says.
DevilDog