Time For An Oil Change

[roysallis]

My JD 5210 now has 100 hours and the manual says it is time for an oil and filter change. The manual says to use JD PLUS-50 or JD TORQ-GARD SUPREME, or other oils meeting the following specs:
API Service Classification CG-4 or CF-4
ACEA Specification E3 or E2.
This is my first tractor and my first oil change. Can anyone provide some recommendations concerning which oil I should use and any do's and don't's about changing the oil and filter?
The manual also says to replace the transmission-hydraulic filter but the hydraulic oil does not have to be changed until 1200 hours. I guess I will just lose a little bit of hydraulic oil when I change the filter so I will have to add a little. Any comments on this?
Also, I have saved the used oil from my truck to use for bar oil on my chain saw. Will the used oil from my tractor be good for this?
Thanks for your replies.
Roy

 

[Thomas]

Hello.
If your John Deere still under warranty? I would use the recommended oil which your manual suggest,and if you have any doubt visit your dealer.

Changing the oil & hydraulic filter you will notice a rubber seal.
Which ever filter your changing take your finger and use some of the old fluid and coast the rubber seal,than screw the filter on but don't over tighten the filter or you will have a heck of a time getting it of next time./w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Also buy a good filter wrench.
When I change engine or hydraulic fluids I always change the filter,just added protection.

Thats interesting question in which you ask about useing the engine oil for the bar and chain.
I would think that the oil would be to thin for lubrication for the bar.

Take Care. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

Thomas..NH

 

[roysallis]

Thomas,
Thanks for the response. I think you are right about using the oil that the manufacturer suggests, especially during the warranty period. In the long run it probably will not cost that much more money. I'll be sure to lube the gasket.

 

[Bird]

I agree with Thomas; just be sure the oil meets the specs shown in the manual. I use Delo 400 15W-40 motor oil and it's the most popular with the farmers I know in the area, although you'll find on this forum more and more folks changing to the synthetic, especially Amsoil. And I always use a good filter wrench to remove the filters, but put them back on by hand without using the wrench. That gets them plenty tight without over tightening.

Bird

 

[jyoutz]

Ditto with the other posts. I just wanted to comment on using used oil for chain oil. I used to do this, but I noticed that my chain bar and sprocket seemed to wear out quicker than they should. Also, when doing some tough cutting, the chain would get hot frequently. I finally realized that motor oil is not a great substitute for bar oil. Try this yourself - just rub some bar oil between your fingers and compare to motor oil. The bar oil is thick and sticky like honey. This help keep it from being slung off the chain so easily. Bar oil is worth the extra small cost. My 2 cents.

 

[W5FL]

The local Kubota dealer uses only 30Weight Kubota branded oil for oil changes unless the customer specifies differently. For some reason I had always used a Rotella multi-weight oil in my previous tractor. Any idea why they use only 30 weight? It is North Texas and pretty hot weather now, but it gets a little cooler in the winter. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[MChalkley]

There are a few possibilities: 1) It's very cheap. 2) He hasn't learned anything about oil since 1930. 3) He's got a lot of it lying around that he got a great deal on because few dealers want the stuff.

There may be others I haven't thought of, but they certainly don't involve quality service or products. I'm not saying he's providing poor quality service deliberately. Most likely he just doesn't know any better. But that would worry me almost as much.

I'd ask him. It would be worth knowing.

Mark

 

[W5FL]

John Deere used to recommend 1200 hours or 12 months for the hydraulic fluid. Do they no longer have a time recommendation?

 

[W5FL]

How hard is it to find Amsoil at a reasonable cost?

My Kubota manual does recommend 30 W for above 77 degrees which it will be for 3 months, but recommends either 10W-30 or 10W-40 (also don't know which one would be better) for year around operation. Will probably use 10W-40 since it stays over 90 degrees most of the summer here in N Texas. Holds 11.3 quarts. /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif

Kubota also recommends changing the hydraulic fluid at 600 hours but changes both hydraulic filters at 300 hours [ouch]. Holds 55 quarts /w3tcompact/icons/frown.gif Not sure I want to buy that much Amsoil, but guess I should decide whether to do it now. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

 

[Bird]

At a reasonable cost? Impossible./w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif

Bird

 

[Mike H]

Interesting table in my TC manual:
Ambient Temp (F) Recommended Oil
+40 to +120 SAE 30W
+10 to +120 SAE 15W-40
-10 to +120 SAE 10W-30
-20 to +60 SAE 5W-30
Tractor's shipped w/ 10W-30

 

[MChalkley]

Wen - I think it's "reasonable", even if you pay retail for it. (That was for your benefit, Bird. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif)

Seriously, though, you can call Amsoil and ask for names of local dealers, order from them directly, or become a dealer yourself to get it at dealer prices. I chose the latter.

As for the hydraulic oil, with it holding that much, I'd send a sample off for analysis when it's time for the second change. If you change the filters at the normal intervals, you probably won't have to change it for 4 to 5 times the interval for petroleum. So, you'd end up saving money just on the oil, much less the reduced wear and better performance.

Mark

 

[W5FL]

Guess NH and Kubota have had different experiences with 30W oil. Big difference in lowest temperature being 40 deg F or 77 deg F. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif The range of temps is where synthetics really win hands down.

 

[JimBinMI]

Mike H,

My dealer recommends 15w40 for year around operation. Said that's what they tell everyone. I did my 50 hour last month w/15x40 so I won't be able to test it in a Michigan winter until this winter. I don't have any kind of heater for the tractor but it's parked in the pole barn. Dealer said as long as it wasn't parked outside that I shouldn't have any problem starting and I didn't last winter. /w3tcompact/icons/smile.gif

On paper 10w30 looks better for our climate!

I am considering Amsoil after it's properly broken in, I e-mailed the company and they had their closest dealer, in Vicksburg, e-mail me back with information to get ahold of him.

JimBinMI

We boys and our toys!

 

[TomG]

And, make sure you know where the old gasket is. They tend to stick on the block if the last one wasn't lubed before installation.

The best place for used engine oil is a waste oil furnace. Wish I had one. The State of California identifies used engine oil as cancer causing--but who knows. A lot of people around here want to get rid of the stuff, and local garages charge for disposal.

I wonder if I can filter my used hydraulic oil and put it in my furnace tank. Think I'll ask the furnace guy about that one. It might be a really stupid idea.

Oil controversies: My brother-in-law has been talking oils a lot lately. He found a web site with a bunch of specs. He said that 5W 30 tests heavier than 10W 30 at operating temperature. If true, I wonder why the upper temperature range is lower for 5W 30 than for 10W 30.

 

[TomG]

A NH dealer in NE Ontario recommends NH 0W 30 (for my 1710). Parts guy said the service manager uses it in all his own vehicles year around. He also said that he personally probably would use a summer weight oil if he was doing a lot of heavy pulling, but other than that, 0W 30.

 

[_RaT_]

Wen, forget about reasonable cost, they just don't sell Amsoil in Northern California. I've personally contacted Amsoil and they told me they will send me a list of all the dealers in my area. Its been over a month. Yesterday I stopped by NAPA and the guy there said its impossible to find here. They carry a comparable product called Redline, but at 7.99 qt. for 15W40, I'll pass for now. Rat

 

[richh]

Tom, DON'T try and burn your used oil in your #2 oil furnce!!BAD idea. I have a wast oil furnce and burning it takes a diff. kind of oil gun, you must preheat the oil have compress air,ect. There's more info on this search the archives under waste oil. Same for using waste oil for bar oil BAD idea. There is a reson they call it "waste".
Rich

 

[TomG]

Thanks. That's what I figured, and I'll save the furnace guy from the question. However, with all the aggravation of living in the country and disposing of used oil, it is tempting to at least think of dumping 5 gallons of hydraulic oil into 200 gallons of furnace oil.

 

[jdkid]

Hi ya's
I'll go along with marks way of thinking but i'd do the samples at 1/2 or 1/4 changers.with hydro/trans the worst thing is water in the oil it can come from cleaning with water blasters or just heating and cooling .if your filters are changed at normal intervals and the sample come back clear you can strech out the changes .on the other note about useing old oil on chainsaw bars DON'T do it your chain will heat (hot eneff to take the tempour out of the cutting teeth)strech (also from heating )faster wear on the bar and sprockets ,also what no one has brought up is your oil pump will wear faster (been there done that ) working in the bush we used a good bar lube all the time and it made life just that much better
cya
JD Kid