Should I Change my Oil - Minimal Hours

[njrqs]

Hi all.

I have made a point of changing the oil & filter in my tractor once a year.

However in the last year I might have only done 5 hours tops due to the dry conditionins (Has been 11 months since I used the slasher and it still doesn't need doing again)

So should I be slack and do nothing, or at least just change the oil and leave the filter alone?

What about fuel filter?

I know with cars they say 6 months between changes.

Whatcha all reckon??

 

[Bird]

Only 5 hours or so in nearly a year? Should you be slack and do nothing? Nope, you oughta change the oil. Would I do it, if it were me? Nope, I'd let it go awhile longer. However, at least once a month (preferably more often), I'd start it up and drive it around awhile; 30 minutes or so just to keep everything circulated and lubricated, and preferably with some load on it.

Purely my personal opinion; not that of the manufacturer.

<font color=blue>I know with cars they say 6 months between changes.</font color=blue>

Yep, and last year, I only drove my old Ford truck a little over 3,000 miles in a year so I changed oil & filter after a year./w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

 

[njrqs]

Yeah I do give the old girl a run every now and then but not with much of a load. Then again I aint light !!!!

I bet it will blow some smoke and crap next time I get to use the slasher until I burn out the gunk.

I have oil here so may as well do it, but will leave the filter alone.

Getting a new truck soon so won't be doing any oil changes soon so better keep my hand in on the tractor !!

My Dad only did 1000km (600 miles) in his truck last year - Now that is scary !!

Cheers

 

[RobertN]

It is a good idea to at least change oil seasonally, especially if you do not run the engine a lot.

Part of the combustion process is moisture. Just sitting, you'll gather some moisture too(that's how stuff rusts...). If you fire the engine up and get it to operating temp and run for a while, you'll evporate that moisture away, which is good. That's why it's best to run a engine to full temp, not just fire it up, move the car or tractor, and shut it down. If you do that, you add even more moisture to the system.

There are corrosive elements to the combustion byproducts, which end up in you oil. Ad to that moisture, and you've got a bad combination.

My Grandfather used to go through an exhaust system every couple of years on his truck. He drove it often, but not far(couple of miles). The exhaust never got hot enough to evaporate the moisture out. In fact, running cool, it got even more moisture(you've seen water droops coming off exhaust pipe when fired up cold before). Some of that moisture can also get in the crankcase, like all the other post cobustion gunk that gets there.

The fuel filter would depend on the condition of the fuel. Not running a lot, it would be well worth it to add a fuel stabilizer. The book for my Kubota only says to change by the hour, not by season.

So, I offer you this deal. Fly the family and I down there, and we'll drive the tractor around for you, free of charge. We'll make sure it gets some hours on it, even if we have to make jobs up/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif I would love to make it down there some time

 

[njrqs]

Robert

You are spot on wth all that. Just the things I didn't want to hear.

Especially the "fly me down there" bit /w3tcompact/icons/laugh.gif

Cheers !!