Engine Oil Change Frequency

[edfortmiller]

The owners manual that came with my 1997 Kubota B-7100 recommends an engine oil & filter change every 75 hours. The person I purchased it from claims to have changed the oil and filter every 25 hours. Every 25 hours seems a little excessive to me given that the recommended it 75 hours. I know that many car manufacturers recommend a change every 6000 miles but many people recommend a change every 3000. How often do you treat your 'bota to new oil and filter?

 

[gerard]

I go by my manual and use amsoil synthetic. I think it's every 100 hours. You can change it more often, won't hurt but may not derive enough benefit to justify the cost.

 

[upgw]

Kubota's engine engineers know best, go by the manual. The mechanic at my dealer uses only Case diesel tractor oil. I'm filled up with 30W right now.

Personally, I've never seen an oil-related engine failure in any type of machine (car, tractor, lawn mower, etc) unless it was very seriously abused.

- Patrick W.

 

[cp1969]

Every 100 hours or annually, whichever comes first.

 

[Youare]

I am leaning on changing my oil and filter every 30 to 50 hours or twice a year which ever comes first. A fall and spring change seems good even if the hours are not there.

What is a few dollars for oil and filter compared to the cost of the tractor. Nice clean oil makes me feel better even if it doesn't make much difference to the tractor.

Randy

 

[Boondox]

The manual for my L3010 says to change the oil every 100 hours and the filter every other oil change. But I'm with Youare on this one. Oil and filter get changed every 50 hours on Clementine.

Pete

 

[kyoders]

Ed,

I think the oil companies recommend 3000 miles. I haven't owned a lot of cars, but the owner's manual for every one of them had a chart relating operating conditions to oil change frequencies, which usually ranged from 4 to 8000. I always go with what the owner's manual says, and will with my [not quite as shiny anymore] new tractor. Of course it probably won't hurt to change more frequently, but all you might be doing is making the oil/filter companies richer, with no gain to you.

Kevin

 

[wdn]

I follow the user's manual on oil change intervals.

After the initial 50 hour service, for the BX2200 that is change the oil at 100 hours and change the oil and filter at 200 hours. Those become the intervals, oil every 100 hours and oil & filter every 200 hours.

I don't see a reason to consume 3 times as much refined motor oil as you need to, or generate 3 times as much waste oil to be disposed of. You're throwing out perfectly good oil even with the 100 hours interval, but Kubota is being conservative and this makes sure your engine is always running good oil.

 

[Anonymous Poster]

One additional comment - I like to put a small magnet on the base of the oil filter. This helps keep small metal particles inside the filter rather than allowing them to circulate (if they are smaller than the micron size rating of the filter).
I buy rare earth magnets for something like $.50 each and remove them after I've removed the filter, then install them again on the new filter.
Maybe a little overkill, but it's the same idea as the magnet the car mfgs install inside the transmission pan.

 

[wdn]

The magnet seems like a good idea and it doesn't cost anything. I used to have a magnetic oil plug on my Isuzu Trooper, and it did attract some filings.