Oil Change Question

[gtgrad668]

I own a relatively new MF431 (<150 hours). Looking over the maintenance recommendations, MF specifies oil changes every 250 operational hours with no mention of an elapsed time frame limit between changes. I put relatively few hours on the tractor (50-100 hours/year) mostly bush-hogging. Is there any reason I should change my oil more often than the 250 hour spec? If I should change more often, what would be a reasonable time frame? If a low operational hour change results, would there be any real benefit in changing the oil filter at every oil change? Auto mfg normally specify both a mileage and elapsed time between changes, with the earliest occurring event dictating the time to change the oil.

Thanks

 

[Danno1]

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A lot of guys in your circumstances change it once a year.

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[Jimbrown]

I vote once a year.

 

[thatguy]

I am planning on doing my oil every spring no matter how many hours are on it..

Brian

 

[Barneyhunts]

I also change the filter every time I change the oil. It's very cheap insurance. When I don't have many hour on a piece of equipment I change the oil once a year.

 

[JDeerekid]

Depending on how hard I use it during the spring and summer I changed it just before winter. Then depending on how hard during the winter I change it in the spring. With large temperature changes I think it does a number on the oil viscosity IMO. Doesn't cost much.

 

[3RRL]

That's pretty excellent of MF to suggest changing every 250 hours.
In your case, if you don't end up putting that many hours on per year, I'd change the oil and filter at least once a year anyway. Some guys like to do it before Winter so the tractor sits on a fresh batch of oil to avoid any water that may have built up in the system that could cause rust or something like that. Others change in the Spring just before they start using the tractor again for the season. Just depends what flavor you like.
I change mine every 100 hours, or about twice a year.

 

[thatguy]

<deleted text>

I change mine every 100 hours, or about twice a year.

Now you are just bragging about how much seat time you get yearly to make the low hour usage ppl (like me) envious.. LOL


Brian

 

[afish]

My Kubota manual recommends different viscosity's for my climate in summer and winter and since I use it in both I change it twice a year spring and late fall I do the filter in the spring. Not saying this is right just what I do

 

[driver444]

Oil does degrade (break down) over time, whether you're using it or not. Definitely faster if you're using it. I vote once a year too.