Wow it's cold!

[cogboy]

May want to consider Mobil 424 which is listed in the CK 30

 

[cogboy]

May want to consider Mobil 424 which is listed in the ck30 owners manual as an acceptable hydraulic fluid.
Mobil 424 is available from Summit Racing at a good price with free shipping.

 

[Amvcane]

Stopped by my local JD dealer today. Picked up 6gals of gard low vis oil for $100. Will put this in over the weekend.

If it makes you sleep better finding out now instead of next winter and have the funds then go for it.
JD Low Vis HY-GARD has a J20D spec and should be fine with your winter conditions. It’s going to be -5*F on Wed morning by me. Maybe a little colder by you. I’m hoping you will get on that machine and run it like you did last week with very similar conditions and get back to us with your observations.
I can’t wait until next winter for results either.

 

[tiogajoe]

If it makes you sleep better finding out now instead of next winter and have the funds then go for it.
JD Low Vis HY-GARD has a J20D spec and should be fine with your winter conditions. It’s going to be -5*F on Wed morning by me. Maybe a little colder by you. I’m hoping you will get on that machine and run it like you did last week with very similar conditions and get back to us with your observations.
I can’t wait until next winter for results either.

Yes I plan on changing out the fluid over the weekend. Maybe even today if time permits. When you mentioned the J20D spec I stop in at the JD dealer in town. They recommended the lo-vis and said it can be used year round. Plus I can pick up 1 gallon containers to top off at a filter change. The nearest Kubota dealer is a 56 mile round trip for me so this kinda works a lot better as far a being able to get product w/o the run around.

 

[tiogajoe]

Changed the Hydro Fluid yesterday afternoon after plowing snow to get the Thicker fluid nice and warm. I got 5 gallons of fluid back into the pail. I did not change my filters as they are pretty new. Poured in 5 gallons of the JD low vis. and ran the machine for some more snow removal. There is much less hydro whine than before and the FEL seemed to be a little smoother. To be fair It was in the upper teens so I waited till this morning to see how things went when it was 3 degrees. I let my machine sit out last night which I rarely do just to make sure it was good and cold. My tractor normally lives in a 3 side run in pole barn. After letting the engine run for about 10 minutes the FEL moved up and down similar to how it would in warmer weather. I ran up the road to do a friends driveway. I did notice that in Hi range the machine seemed to be faster than before? I always take the tractor out of 4 wheel drive out on the road. I did run out of steam going up hill a little sooner than I have in the past but I could never make it up that hill in hi range anyway. Maybe a condition of thinner fluid? Back into Med. and all was good. Again much less whine from the hydro. I decided to try the JD Hy gard low vis after seeing it was similar in spec to the Duratran xl which Kioti recommends for winter use. A look up of the Duratran Xl states that it can be used year round. It appears to be available in Canada only? Both the duratran and low vis have a Viscosity index of 195. I will post back later this week after seeing low things go with this very cold air that will be moving in.

 

[wiskioti]

Diesel engines will cool down when not being worked in really cold weather and the rpm setting doesn't seem to matter. The cylinders are always taking in a full amount of air. Really cold air. The throttle just adjusts the amount of fuel added to the full cylinder of air which differs from a gas engine where both air and fuel are regulated. Maybe if I was in the negative temps all the time, I may cover some of the radiator but you mentioned it climbs back to normal operating temp when using it again. So nothing to worry about. That's the nature of diesel engines.

Great info, Victor! Thanks!!

 

[rekees4300]

Wednesday Chicago could break the coldest temperature -27F ever recorded there!

Chicago’s record for coldest temperature ever could fall as polar vortex has city ‘in the crosshairs’ - Chicago Tribune

 

[k0ua]

At 50 hours I swapped mine for SUDT2. Made a big difference in my 2017 CK3510 HST cab.

I did the same.. The hydraulics work better when cold. Kubota fluid in a Kioti? You bet. Hey, they are both orange.

 

[Overtaxed]

It's not nearly that cold where I am, but, Mobile 424 has very much improved my coldest weather (maybe 10-15F) performance. I basically don't have to wait at all (although I do) after the engine fires in that weather now. And the hydro is a lot quieter than it was before too. I had a hydro problem (unrelated to fluid) on my machine though, so, some of this was fixing that issue that made so many improvements, but, still, I highly recommend 424 in a Kioti. I get mine from Summit Racing too, great price, quick delivery.

 

[ruffdog]

Wednesday Chicago could break the coldest temperature -27F ever recorded there!

Chicago’s record for coldest temperature ever could fall as polar vortex has city ‘in the crosshairs’ - Chicago Tribune

This sounds bad...and I'm North of there. This morning was pretty cold and they say it will get much worse. The one dog with tender paws NEEDED her paws covered with socks and plastic bags so she could go potty. Her fur is ok so she doesn't need a sweater but her little pink feet just can't take the cold.

 

[Motorboatin]

Wednesday Chicago could break the coldest temperature -27F ever recorded there!

Chicago’s record for coldest temperature ever could fall as polar vortex has city ‘in the crosshairs’ - Chicago Tribune

I went around the basement this morning and closed all the valves to our water spigots. I added ball valves years ago when I bypassed the water softer. Haven't thought about the valves for close to 20 years until I watched the news this morning

 

[CMV]

I did the same.. The hydraulics work better when cold. Kubota fluid in a Kioti? You bet. Hey, they are both orange.

That's why I was really concerned with tiogajoe using JD fluid....figured it was just like antifreeze - orange to orange ok, green to orange no good!



Glad a fluid change sorted you out. How is the JD HyGard vs SUDT2 in price - about same? SUDT2 is ~$21/gal here & only pennies different per gal in 1gal vs 5 gal sizes.

 

[k0ua]

Yeah, the only thing I know is bad about the SUDT2 is the price

 

[THEPARTYHOUND]

I have spent a fair bit of time researching lubricants. Would you believe there are forums dedicated to lubricants that have nearly the same traffic as TBN? Anyhow, the used tractor I bought last year came loaded with fluids by a company called Lubrication Engineers. They have been around for a long time...since the 40s or 50s if memory serves. However they are not a brand who is readily recognizable by the average person as they do not market ot sell their product in the retail market. They generally sell directly to large industrial mines, logging outfits, trucking companies, etc. You can look them up and contact the rep that lives in and serves your region. I can't speak for all of them, but my rep was VERY knowledgable. Some of their products are pretty amazing! They have long drain engine oil that lasts 100k miles in an over the road big rig! Similar hydraulic fluids. All of the lubricants in my tractor are their products. These fluids will likely never need to be changed again for the remainder of the tractors days. Just a periodical filter change and a fluid sample taken and sent in for analysis. FWIW, my hydraulics work fine in cold weather, no unusual pump noises, full strength lifting abilities, etc

 

[fried1765]

If for some idiotic reason I'm out there in the cold with the tractor - I let it warm until I see the temp needle move. Then I'm off and running at about 1800 RPM. No load, no strain on the tractor. It just gets up to operating temps quicker by simply driving it to where I'll be working.

And, Yes, the hydraulics are slow when the tractor isn't yet warmed up.

I use the recommended plain old dino-oil. Both for the engine and hydraulics.

Still just fine after ten years. Dino oils/fluids worked just fine on my previous tractor for the 27 years I had it.

I use Dino oils/fluids too.
Maybe it is because we are both old guys (I am just a bit older).

 

[tiogajoe]

That's why I was really concerned with tiogajoe using JD fluid....figured it was just like antifreeze - orange to orange ok, green to orange no good!



Glad a fluid change sorted you out. How is the JD HyGard vs SUDT2 in price - about same? SUDT2 is ~$21/gal here & only pennies different per gal in 1gal vs 5 gal sizes.

I might of saved $30?? I went with the JD fluid for the ease of being much closer to where I live and it has almost the same specs as the duratran xl that Kioti has in the owner's manual? I know it probably wouldn't matter but I thought if there was a problem under warranty I could show I was trying?

 

[XSKIER]

Diesel engines will cool down when not being worked in really cold weather and the rpm setting doesn't seem to matter. The cylinders are always taking in a full amount of air. Really cold air. The throttle just adjusts the amount of fuel added to the full cylinder of air which differs from a gas engine where both air and fuel are regulated. Maybe if I was in the negative temps all the time, I may cover some of the radiator but you mentioned it climbs back to normal operating temp when using it again. So nothing to worry about. That's the nature of diesel engines.

All of my tier 4 final diesels seem to stay warm at idle in cold weather. They warm up faster too. It probably has to do with the electronic throttle body and EGR. But, the tier 3 and older need to be floored to stay warm. It probably has to do with the unthrottled supply of cold air.