Correct Engine Oil for my Climate?

Marooned · Feb 1, 2006

I'm getting ready for my 1st 50 hr service and was wondering what weight / viscocity of oil to use. I live in south east Texas and the temps can get down to low 20's in the winter and well over 100 degrees in the summer time. Without getting into the brand wars, which viscocity / weight (if that's the correct term) of oil should I be using given this temperature range? I have a Kubota L4330 HST and the owner's manuel recommends SAE 30, 10W-30, or 10W-40 for temps over 25 degrees. Which would be best?

Thanks in advance!

cp1969 · Feb 1, 2006

Depending upon whether you wish to go synthetic or conventional, 5w-40 synthetic or 15w-40 conventional CI-4 rated oil should serve you well. Either weight and type is available almost anywhere.

CarlGlas · Feb 1, 2006

Any of the three should work fine but a specific multi grade would probably depend on which time of the year you are going to be using your tractor the most. I'm a little to the south of you in Galveston and I use 10W40.

Egon · Feb 2, 2006

In a colder climate I have been using 15/45 in the tractor and truck year round. Use a heater when temperatures get cold.

Egon

RalphVa · Feb 2, 2006

Walmart has been offering 5w-40 Mobil 1. Used it last time in my Benz. The lower 1st number won't hurt because the viscosity, even at 0w, is always higher at startup than it is at operating temperature. So, for cold starts, you're better with a lower number before the "w".

For my 4010 here in Virginia, I use 5w-30 Mobil 1. Just did the 2nd oil change on it.

Bird · Feb 2, 2006

( Which would be best? )

I don't know which is "best", but every farmer in my area that I talked to used 15W-40, either Rotella or Delo 400, so I did, too.

CarlGlas · Feb 2, 2006

( Walmart has been offering 5w-40 Mobil 1. Used it last time in my Benz. The lower 1st number won't hurt because the viscosity, even at 0w, is always higher at startup than it is at operating temperature. So, for cold starts, you're better with a lower number before the "w".

For my 4010 here in Virginia, I use 5w-30 Mobil 1. Just did the 2nd oil change on it. )

One of my vehicles calls for 5W20, which in my opinion is bad on the engine as it rattles when it is first cranked. However, when I switched to 10W40, the start-up rattle went away. Now, I had heard that Ford went to the 5W20 as a means to reduce engine friction, increase fuel efficiency and to meet federal guidelines.

Bird · Feb 2, 2006

( One of my vehicles calls for 5W20 )

One of mine, too. I used 10W-40 in all my vehicles for many years, and long ago heard that the reason some manufacturers recommended the lighter weight oil was to boost mileage and meet CAFE standards. The owner of one of the quick oil change places in a small town told me that he services the local State Police sedans and that Ford had told them using anything other than the 5W-20, as called for in the manual, would void the warranty. I have not tried to verify that so I cannot say whether it's true or not. However, for the past 3 years I've been doing something I've never before done in my life; I'm just letting the local dealer do all the service on my vehicles. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

CarlGlas · Feb 2, 2006

It could void the warranty if it was determined to be the direct cause of the failure. Of course I believe that I would have an independent do the determining. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif I drive a Crown Vic Interceptor and as you know police vehicles go out of warranty pretty quick. If you have a unit that is used for more than one shift, and depending on the size of your patrol district, it is very easy to exceed the standard 36K miles within one year. Actually, in larger counties such as Harris County, you can put as much as 60K miles a year. However, it's not the miles that does the wear and tear as much as it is the stop and go and the idling. During the Summer I use 20W50 and during Spring I use 10W40. (of course we only have 2 seasons around here /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif )

cp1969 · Feb 2, 2006

Stick an oil TEMPERATURE gage on that car with the 20w-50 in it...you may not like the numbers you'll see. I had a Toyota Corolla SR-5 that had an oil temp gage. I thought the oil pressure was a little low, so I tried 20w-50 and the oil temp was nearly pegged all the time.

Cars don't need thick oil. Use what the book calls for--unless you're a lubrication engineer, you can outsmart yourself by thinking you know more about lubrication than the people who built the engine. And if you ARE a lubrication engineer, you'll probably reach the conclusion that the book is right.