Necessity of an oil change

[slickstuff]

I am a Certified Lubrication Specialist. The question on when to change oil is not as clear as one might think. In your case, low hours on use but in the crank for 12 months; your oil is fine. Unless there is coolant/silicone/fuel. You will only know this if you test the oil using oil analysis. I'd leave the oil in if you haven't noticed any other problems. Check air filter, make sure it is clean. A 55 gal drum that has been opened will draw more moisture and dirt into the drum than your engine will just sitting there. Your engine block is not as sensitive to temp changes as the thin metal of a drum. More questions? Drop me an email at slickstuff@verizon.net

 

[Marcussen]

The more the equipment is used the longer the oil will last, hot oil burns of moisture and that is why short trips require more frequent oil changes, but the cheapest oil that meets the specs will work because any oil will last 12 months and 8 hours of use.

Newer oils will last longer than the oil of 10-20 years ago. Any new GM car has oil life monitors built in and with frequent highway use 7500 to 10000 using non synthetic oil is a normal oil change interval. Do a lot of short trips and stop and go and the oil will only last 4000-5000 miles.

I change my tractor oil every 12 months or 100 hours whichever come first.
I use 5W-40 since the tractor gets used all year around and I can hear a difference between 5w-40 and 15w-40 in the winter start ups.

 

[devildog1]

Last fall I changed out my engine oil in my Tractor with Mobile 1. New Filter, blah blah blah. But due to work, I have really not used the tractor at all (maybe 8 hours at the most). I am wondering what the necessity of changing the oil really is.

Tractor is stored, our area is not particularly humid.

So, I really wanted to get some insight on why oil should be changed wether used or not every year. I think my Napa has oil that has been on the shelf for over a year...

The only advice I can add would be If and that is If your Mobil 1 is Synthetic oil. And your hours are as low (8) as you say, then your good to go for the 12 month oil change. Reason is Synthetic oil and very little use of tractor. Now I just had my Harley Davidson Road King in for yearly inspection. And while there I had a oil and filter change done using Screaming Eagle Synthetic oil. Being almost the end of the riding season here in the Great Northeast, I might get in a few more rides if weather is going to cooperate.
Harley Dealers say no problem riding a few more times then storing the bike 6 months or more. There reason, Synthetic motor oil.Now if I was running the Dino oil, they recommend changing oil & filter before bike is stored and again before use after winter storage. Hey if It's good for Harley Davidson it should be good for tractors to!
DevilDog

 

[slickstuff]

Oil changes.

How about this. CAT scrapper on a coal pile, 900 hour oil changes; 24,000 hours on the unit before tear down just to see what was going on. this unit went 3x longer than normal on rebuild. Only wear found on engine was due to a cam load being torgued wrong. This was on a petroleum based oil with synthetic additive package.....Schaeffer Supreme 7000 15W-40

 

[dqdave1]

Look up blackstone labs on line; they can get you a kit to siphon out some oil and you send it in and have it tested. If it is good , leave it, bad, change it. Tell blackstone what has happened and what you want to do.
Cost is about $22.00 plus siphon pump.

i hav been using blackstone at every oil change and since I went to synhetic; oil analisis has shown I only need to change every 150 hours per change instead of 100 hours. And each oil analysis I get they have been bumping up hour interval.

Plus if I begin to have an internal issue; I will know about it within an oil change.

 

[marks]

The service manager of the local United Rental, a huge nationwide chain, stated that they change every year even if they haven't logged any hours on the engine.

 

[RWEST]

The service manager of the local United Rental, a huge nationwide chain, stated that they change every year even if they haven't logged any hours on the engine.

Wow, that seems kinda' wasteful..

 

[Bx 23]

Every "toy" I own riding mower, boat, tractor, and ATV gets oil and filter every October. It's the best way for me to keep track. It may be over kill but I have alot of money invested.

 

[Raw Dodge]

I may be the minority here,but I'd leave the oil,changing it is a total waste of resources given where its stored.The best thing you can do IMO is warm it up with a light load and once up to temp,put a good load on it continously,get the coolant and oil temps up to 185-200 degrees! This will burn off any moisture in the oil,and youll be good to go.I have let oil sit for 5 yrs in small engines,I routinely run the oil 2+ and 300 hrs yrs in my Ford 1910 (shaeffers 7000) 15w40.BTW its "recommended" that the 1910 get 100 hr oil changes.Machine is still running strong over 5k hrs,and 24 yrs old.The 1910Tractor is stored in an unheated barn,and is cold started all winter long to load my salt spreaders,with no block heater,down to -15 beloew zero.When I buy my oil,Shaeffers sends me sample kits,I use them to monitor my oil change intervals,and engine condition.Every sample ive pulled thats 2 yrs old or more,the levels are fine,it always says extend oil drain interval........
I used to be the guy that overchanged oil,every yr reguardless,and i changed it when it got dark.....not any more,I get my moneys worth out of the oil,my Shaeffers rep enlightened me about 13 yrs ago now...

 

[RWEST]

my Shaeffers rep enlightened me about 13 yrs ago now

Did he recommend using their 5-40 oil? At those temps you mention, it'd probably be easier starting than it is with 15-40..