New tractor break in

[Bigfoot62]

My new 5M manual shows first oil change at 100 hours. Mine had about 140 on it before I was able to stop long enough to do the service.

As far as how I've worked it, I've worked it. Brush-hogging, pulling a 8-shank subsoil plow, discing, cutting and baling hay, loaded 62 tons of ag lime into a spreader truck, moved dirt, piled limbs and trees, etc.

I don't abuse my equipment, but I definitely use it.

 

[glc24]

Greg,

Can you wash that element, or did you replace it??

This type of element is meant to be cleaned and reused. I should have taken a pic of it cleaned,it looked brand new again.

Greg

 

[JD3520Turbo]

my tractor says to use it normally, and check the oil often in the first 100 hours, because it could use some oil while the rings are seating. Said to use breakin oil for the first 100 hours and do not idle it. So I set my throttle to 1200 rpm, so it never idles. If you change it before 100 hours, it said to put breakin oil back in it.

I took my tractor last week to the farm and bush hogged 60 acres of pasture, and it had 3hours on the clock when I rolled it off the trailer. Ran it at 2500 rpms for hours.

 

[lost in wisconsin]

Thanks for all the input. Long idling seems to be the large no-no. I also have been varying operating rpm and not placing too heavy of a load on the engine.

Thanks again,
lost

 

[glc24]

Thanks for all the input. Sounds like what I've been doing has been OK.

Greg- That's what I'm referring to, although his had nowhere near that much metal...

Believe it or not,my screen had very minimal metal shavings,compared to some that I have seen after 50 hours.
Don't forget this is breakin on friction parts too,so you will see this type of wear for the first 50 or so hours.

Greg

 

[MWRR]

My dealer told me to run it like i stole it. He also said to not let it idle for long periods.

 

[bz1]

I've designed stuff like engines and hydraulics for years. I've had good luck with all kinds of engines by breaking them in with normal use, including some hard work. My two cents is just like many of you said, run it just like you would normally use it except don't leave it at the same RPM for long periods, either idle or high speeds. The reason you want to run it at all normal speeds is to seat the rings and bearings. This should include normal high RPM and high load running too. This is because the pistons and rings actually turn from round to oval at high RPM. If you baby the machine you will never get things seated because the pistions will never take their high speed shape. The worst thing you can do is go easy on it during break in.