what engine oil do you use for your ZD

[hooked up]

Hi all, I'm having a heck of a time trying to find out if the API CJ-4 class oil is approved to use in my ZD331. The manual says it is NOT to be used.

I'm waiting for replies from Shell and I'll be contacting Kubota tomorrow. My dealer has no idea...

I have posted in the lubricant forum,but thought i would try here as well.

What oil do you use?

Hooked up

 

[Unregistered2013]

please let us know what you find!

 

[Unregistered2013]

from kubota's site --

Kubota Engine America - Compact Diesel Engines

Q: Can I use synthetic oil in my Kubota engine?

A: Kubota recommends oil with an API rating of CF or higher. If the synthetic oil meets those standards, it can be used in Kubota engines.

Mobil1 5W-40 turbo-diesel is "CF or higher" --

-- i use it on all of my diesels -- :thumbsup:

 

[hooked up]

Thanks Eric! I think that answers my question! :thumbsup: You provide better customer service than my dealer and Kubota Canada...put together. I owe you one

Now I'm thinking of going with 5w-40 sythetic Rottela T6 as we run this in two of our trucks. The question is when to do the switch. I know on trucks most reccomend after two or more changes with dino, then switch to the synthetic. Hmmm...should I wait or do it now at 41hs?

Thaks again, Brian

 

[bp fick]

Brian

Depends on how much you've worked 'em. Worked them solid and had 30 or more hot/cold cycles, I think you are golden. There is a whole ton of guys on here who've switched to syn by Mobil, Chevron or Rotella at 50 ish hours.
Including me.

And... contrary to many fables, wear, that is break in and wear throughout the years will still occur with synthetic. It is merely a better oil, not magic snake oil. In other words, wear continues, hopefully, just not as fast and as much.

 

[hooked up]

BP -Thnaks for the input on switching, but I'm still not sure on the CJ-4.

After reading the link provided by eric, I did some looking around at kubota.com -support -lubricants maintenance table, it contradicts what the link eric provided.

Have a look: Kubota Tractor USA - Lubricants Schedule

Kubota Canada said they will have an answer by the end of next week. I'll post what they tell me...

 

[coobie]

Hi all, I'm having a heck of a time trying to find out if the API CJ-4 class oil is approved to use in my ZD331. The manual says it is NOT to be used.

I'm waiting for replies from Shell and I'll be contacting Kubota tomorrow. My dealer has no idea...

I have posted in the lubricant forum,but thought i would try here as well.

What oil do you use?

Hooked up

I would also look at schaeffer oil products,the supreme 9000 full syn.5W-40.They also meet the API CJ-4 specs.I use the supreme 9000 in my 2007 Kubota ZD 326 diesel,2006 Kubota 900 RTV and Kioti diesel tractor for the last few years and never have any issues.coobie.

 

[hooked up]

Here is the update: I have received no real answer from Kubota yet. I can't belive how bad their customer service is.

I WILL get an answer and will post when I finally do...

Brian

 

[bp fick]

As gently as I can say this.... it may not be bad customer service at all. Does Kubota feel the need to comment/endorse/recommend each and every product out there? Surely, the choices of oils and fluids would number in the thousands, world wide. Surely, they haven't tested all these products from other people and cannot witness to their manufacturing standards, nor their performance. They likely cannot endorse that which they cannot verify. I bet their legal department wordsmiths all this very carefully.

Does Kubota not sell sell their own products at their dealerships, with their own name on them? Those require no further comment or endorsement.

I understand your frustration in not getting Kubota to respond to your question. It seems a simple enough question to you, deserving a simple answer, but there is another side to this.

Don't know for sure, just trying to see it from another point of view.

 

[rjkobbeman]

As gently as I can say this.... it may not be bad customer service at all. Does Kubota feel the need to comment/endorse/recommend each and every product out there? Surely, the choices of oils and fluids would number in the thousands, world wide. Surely, they haven't tested all these products from other people and cannot witness to their manufacturing standards, nor their performance. They likely cannot endorse that which they cannot verify. I bet their legal department wordsmiths all this very carefully.

Does Kubota not sell sell their own products at their dealerships, with their own name on them? Those require no further comment or endorsement.

I understand your frustration in not getting Kubota to respond to your question. It seems a simple enough question to you, deserving a simple answer, but there is another side to this.

Don't know for sure, just trying to see it from another point of view.

Not to mention, even if Kubota DID test a particular brand/model of oil and approved it, Kubota has no say/control if/when that producer decides to change the recipe of that oil.

It's not that the other oil is bad, but Kubota has no control over it. It is one thing for people to use it without issues. It is completely different for Kubota to actually approve/endorse it. If Kubota said oil xyz is approved for use, then Kubota would be opening themselves up to litigation if that oil caused any problems. I FULLY understand that Kubota also wants to sell their own oil, but there are other issues in play as well.

I get that all the oil makers and API says CJ is backward compatible and is OK to use... but Kubota SPECIFICALLY calls out CJ and says NOT to use it. There is no gray area there. I'll stick with Kubota's CI-4 Plus and not have to worry about anything.

 

[hooked up]

Guys, I hear what you are saying. BUT, I am not asking Kubota about a specific brand or type of oil. I am asking if my manual that was printed in 2007 is correct!

It states " The CJ-4engine oil is intended for DPF type engines, and cannot be used on this machine"

And if taking ten days instead of the two to four days they told me to get me an answer is good customer service... well....I disagree...

Back to the real topic:

They sent me an answer today and my assumption was correct. The manual is out of date and Kubota says that CJ-4 oils are fine to use! But then they go on to say that you need to use their brand of oil to maintain the warranty.:laughing: I didn't think that was legal???

If you would like a copy of the 'memo' (I couldn't attach it here) pm me and I'll email it to you.

Here is the email:

Oct. 1, 2010

Mr. McDonald

Thank you for taking the time to send in this request for information on you Kubota ZD331.

The new design engines and new types of oil can be somewhat confusing and the way it is shown in
the operator manual may not be clear. The engines that we use now meet what is called Tier 3 emission
standards. To meet these standards different engines use different methods to clean the exhaust.
In some cases only a specific oil will work in that engine.
The CJ-4 oil that you are asking about is specifically designed for an engine that uses an engine exhaust after treatment process to help eliminate diesel particulates.
This CJ-4 oil also works in any other diesel engine because it meets or exceeds all previous criteria for engines that do not use the exhaust after treatment system.

To maintain your warranty on your tractor you need to use genuine Kubota oils and filters.
You can view the Kubota warranty on the Kubota.ca website for full details or see you dealer.

Attached below is a short memo from our Kubota engine dept. explaining the oil changes over the years.

I trust that this will help explain the oils and their use.

Thanks again for taking the time to correspond with us on your concern and for purchasing our
Kubota product

Brian Lee
Product Service Manager
Eastern Ontario

 

[bp fick]

Must use Kubota oil? To maintain warranty? Seriously?????

 

[hooked up]

Must use Kubota oil? To maintain warranty? Seriously?????

That's what it says. I think they forgot the "or equivalent" at the end of that statement.

I didn't think they could do that...I gotta look into it.

Anyone know???

 

[bp fick]

Cannot make and should not make that statement here in the US. I do not know if Canada has an equivalent statute or not.

In the US, our law requires the OEM or dealer, who insists on making such a statement, to actually provide the oil fee of charge to the customer. If the OEM or dealer wants to insist on a customer using their own particular oil or filter, then that said dealer or OEM has to provide them for free to keep the warranty in tact. And, we all know that isn't going to happen.

Recommend is one thing, but to exclusively insist is another thing.

Just a guess, but by my own observation at various equipment dealers, many of them use the lubricants provided at the best price, by their jobber, or oil supplier. They themselves do not use OEM oil in their own shops, unless asked for specifically by the customer. This is especially true when a dealer carrying two or three brands of tractor/equipment.

 

[hooked up]

Thanks for that bp fick. I'll have to find out if we have a similar statute up here, but things tend to take awhile longer to make it up to the great white north, eh

 

[om21braz]

I used Kubota branded 15w-40 dino until my warranty ran out in 2007. Been using Rotella T 15w-40 dino since with no problems.

 

[Banshee365]

CJ-4 spec shouldn't be used with engine that are running on LSD (Low Sulfur Diesel), which is the old #2 diesel. This is because the LSD eats up the TBN's in the CJ-4 oil's fast and also makes the oil have some acidic properties. If you are running ULSD (Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel) you will have no problems with CJ-4 oils. From what I can tell 2 things are happening that will make your issue a moot point soon. Number 1 is that even most all off-road diesel is ULSD and number 2 is that you can't hardly buy CI-4 formulated oil anymore. I use John Deere Plus 50 CI-4 but it has been replaced with Plus 50 II which is the CJ-4 spec. The only Plus 50 they have on the shelf is left over stock and when it runs out it will not be replaced.

Some of the guy's in the dealer and I were talking about how the manufacturers are being required to use EGR and DPF systems in most all of their new tractors. It's very sad to me and because of this our fuel consumption and maintenance cost will sky rocket. The era of mechanical super reliable diesel engines is over. Now we'll be dealing with regeneration and sooted up intake manifolds. Look at the fuel mileage between an 07 Ford powerstroke diesel and an 08. The 08 has the 6.4 with the DPF system and the mileage went from 16 or so in the 6.0 to 7-8 in the 6.4. Apparently we're burning holes in the earth so our pockets and tractors will have to suffer.

 

[hooked up]

You nailed it Banshee...I must be missing something because I wonder why would it be better to burn almost twice as much fuel to lower the emmissions by how much???
I had a 1996 E350 with the 7.3 and a 2003 f350 with the 6.0, I currrently have a 2006 E450 with 6.0 and a 2010 F450 with the 6.4 and I can tell you the 2010 sucks the diesel back WAY more than all the others. I wish the 6.0s were more reliable cause I love them when they're working but HATE them when they're in the shop (and especially when I get the bill)!

I will dread having to buy a new tractor if it has all the emmissions stuff on it...