Correct weight oil for my climate

[Marooned]

I am getting ready to do my first 50 hour sevice on my Kubota 4330 HST. My question is this: I live in southeast Texas where the summers get hot, hot, hot! The Kubota manual recommends 10W30 weight oil for this tractor (diesel rated of course). In talking with the local oil distributor, he recommended that I use 15W40 due to the heat I will run in during the summers. He does carry the Mystic JT8 in 10W30 & 15W40 weights and also carries Chevron Delo 400, but says that most of his agricultural customers use the 15W40 around our area. Just to give you a complete picture here, during the winter time it may dip down below freezing a handful of days per season, but I don't plan on being out on the tractor in the cold weather anyway. It'll stay nice & warm in the shop during those cold days, as will I!

Should I go with the 10W30 that the manual recommends, or should I use the 15W40?

 

[SkyPup]

I live in 90+ degree Florida, coldest it gets is about 20 *F during the winter, and I've been using Amsoil synthetic 10W-40 in all our Kubotas for years with no problems.

 

[Sully2]

INdoors during COLD weather?? The spectrum is wide open for you. 10W-30; 10W40; 15W-40 and in SYN oils..even broader choice of weights.

My B3030 will be outdoors again this winter.and I went with SYN 5W-40.

 

[Doc_Bob]

Chevron Delo 400,
Should I go with the 10W30 that the manual recommends, or should I use the 15W40?

CD 400 is a good oil. Go with a 15-40W.
Bob

 

[Marooned]

Thanks to all for the replies!
It sounds like I can't really go wrong with whatever weight I go with. There will be times I'm sure in the winter when I'll venture out in the cold, but not when it dips down below probably 40 degrees.

What is the lowest temperature that the 15W40 will still be a viable option for me?

 

[Turbys_1700]

I've run 15-40 Rotella here in NC all my life. My dad has also in all our farm equipment. No problems with literally thousands of hours on machines. Go with it. You won't have any problems.

 

[Sully2]

Thanks to all for the replies!
It sounds like I can't really go wrong with whatever weight I go with. There will be times I'm sure in the winter when I'll venture out in the cold, but not when it dips down below probably 40 degrees.

What is the lowest temperature that the 15W40 will still be a viable option for me?

A LOT COLDER than 40 degrees!! I have no problems firing up my Cummins 330HP when its in the teens...running 15W-40 Chevron...but it DOES have some HUGE batterys!!

 

[Marooned]

A LOT COLDER than 40 degrees!! I have no problems firing up my Cummins 330HP when its in the teens...running 15W-40 Chevron...but it DOES have some HUGE batterys!!

Thanks for all the help. I got the Chevron 15W40 and did the oil change over the weekend. I'm good to go!

 

[Sully2]

Thanks for all the help. I got the Chevron 15W40 and did the oil change over the weekend. I'm good to go!

There ya go!! Glad to see all is well. I run the Chevron 15W-40 in my diesel motorhome. Good stuff!!

 

[RalphVa]

I've pretty much used 10w40 in my Benz diesels now for 28 years. Currently, the 240D has the new 5w40 Mobil 1 "SUV" oil in it. However, can't get it now; so am using 0w40 for makeup. I've 5w30 Mobil 1 in my JD 4010. If I could get it in 0w30, I would. The oil will ALWAYS be more viscous at startup no matter how low that 1st number is unless they can somehow come up with a negative one. Most wear occurs at startup; so you should use one with the lowest 1st number you can get. That way, it makes it easier on your oil pump to get suction on and to pump that viscous oil at startup to the upper valve area and bearings. It makes a BIG difference when starting up cold, 0w oils will get the oil up there fairly fast. Some 15-20wxxx oils will take sometimes minutes to get oil to your overhead valve stuff when engines are started at very cold temps.

Ralph