Oil & Fuel Oil Change

[bridge4]

The Navy sounds a lot like fleet management. Both use science and lab testing to figure oil change intervals and oil types. With their own lab testing, and ignoring the hype, they come to different conclusions. Definitely not the ones advertised by the oil companies

I understand your point and what you are saying. I'm curious as to your thoughts on extreme temp use.

I picked up some T6 today with the idea that it will work all year. -20 to 100+ degrees, with no issues and I don't need to worry what is in there. Not interested in MPG, not interested in keeping it in longer than normal oil or anything else but keeping my engine going and not worrying about what temperature it is outside when I want to use the tractor.

It was $41.xx at Walmart for 2 gallons with tax.

In your opinion, is there a better solution to my oil needs? I'm 100% curious and want some education, so don't worry about telling me I coulda got a product that would have worked for $20 total. I just want my tractor to run well and not put things in it that will cause avoidable damage!

 

[YLee Kioti]

The Navy sounds a lot like fleet management. Both use science and lab testing to figure oil change intervals and oil types. With their own lab testing, and ignoring the hype, they come to different conclusions. Definitely not the ones advertised by the oil companies

Yup, nailed it.
Ran oil samples on our fleet of 30 duece and a halfs and our five tons plus our nine JP4 turbine pack gensets for our combat support hospital.
Oil samples would tell us if the air filters need replacements as well based on silicon levels and oil changes only if lab told us to.
Don't even think about getting caught doing an oil change w/o a lab results on hand.
The Bn Chief ( a CW-3, I was CW-2) would be ripping a new one on the motor pool sgt.

 

[RNeumann]

I understand your point and what you are saying. I'm curious as to your thoughts on extreme temp use.

I picked up some T6 today with the idea that it will work all year. -20 to 100+ degrees, with no issues and I don't need to worry what is in there. Not interested in MPG, not interested in keeping it in longer than normal oil or anything else but keeping my engine going and not worrying about what temperature it is outside when I want to use the tractor.

It was $41.xx at Walmart for 2 gallons with tax.

In your opinion, is there a better solution to my oil needs? I'm 100% curious and want some education, so don't worry about telling me I coulda got a product that would have worked for $20 total. I just want my tractor to run well and not put things in it that will cause avoidable damage!

We pull samples on our fleet like YLee talks about. All Detroit Diesels. And we use the recommended viscosity DELO- no synthetic. The analysis never shows the oil is breaking down but will show things like coolant in the oil (usually heads) or moisture from too much stop start driving.

With that said I’ve tried Amsoil in everything on my personal Duramax- trans, engine, t case and axles. I saw my mileage DECREASE 1 MPG....yikes! After that I gave up on the hype and went back to good old Delo conventional.

My wife has a 2019 Acura that requires synthetic 0w-30 so I use synthetic there. I also have a vehicle (Toyota Sequoia) that will sit outside in N Idaho for days on end- like a hunting trip or going to the airport. In the Sequoia I run synthetic- like I said above, the synthetic flows better when cold.

BUT all the Detroits mentioned above and my tractor are garaged so they don’t see negative numbers for days. Therefore the oil isn’t getting so cold it is turning to honey. Because of this I run conventional. Note- these do see cold temps when in use. But when they are running the engine and oil is operating at normal temps- the oil isn’t running at -10.

The oil analysis is showing that the oil isn’t breaking down. It needs changed because of contamination. One of oil’s jobs is contamination collection- the others are cooling and obviously lubrication. If it is contamination collection that is causing the changes then their isn’t a good reason not to use conventional.

As far as Shell (I believe that’s what you are referring to with T6) vs Chevron. I think they both meet the same specs. I think it is more like Ford vs Chevy- they will both work fine.

 

[bridge4]

We pull samples on our fleet like YLee talks about. All Detroit Diesels. And we use the recommended viscosity DELO- no synthetic. The analysis never shows the oil is breaking down but will show things like coolant in the oil (usually heads) or moisture from too much stop start driving.

With that said I’ve tried Amsoil in everything on my personal Duramax- trans, engine, t case and axles. I saw my mileage DECREASE 1 MPG....yikes! After that I gave up on the hype and went back to good old Delo conventional.

My wife has a 2019 Acura that requires synthetic 0w-30 so I use synthetic there. I also have a vehicle (Toyota Sequoia) that will sit outside in N Idaho for days on end- like a hunting trip or going to the airport. In the Sequoia I run synthetic- like I said above, the synthetic flows better when cold.

BUT all the Detroits mentioned above and my tractor are garaged so they don’t see negative numbers for days. Therefore the oil isn’t getting so cold it is turning to honey. Because of this I run conventional. Note- these do see cold temps when in use. But when they are running the engine and oil is operating at normal temps- the oil isn’t running at -10.

The oil analysis is showing that the oil isn’t breaking down. It needs changed because of contamination. One of oil’s jobs is contamination collection- the others are cooling and obviously lubrication. If it is contamination collection that is causing the changes then their isn’t a good reason not to use conventional.

As far as Shell (I believe that’s what you are referring to with T6) vs Chevron. I think they both meet the same specs. I think it is more like Ford vs Chevy- they will both work fine.

Thanks for the reply.

My tractor will be outside by my house for the winter so it can be plugged in and ready to use, I won't be able to keep it in a heated environment until I build a new storage building. For the motors that only get used in the warmer seasons, it seems like conventional is the way to go.

Thanks!

 

[RNeumann]

You plugging the tractor in is the same as keeping it inside from an oil standpoint......that is the goal of plugging it in- keep the oil thin so it will crank.

 

[Tim in MN]

You certaintly have more experience than me! My hope is with the coolant heater I installed, and some Rotella T6 I bought today, I will be covered.

250 Gallons of Oil. My Lord. Where do you put the old stuff?! You guys use any name brand or just generic?

Yup, 250 gallons, emergency generators on an aircraft carrier. Pumped to old oil out with a hand pump, 2 decks up into empty barrels then offloaded the old stuff when we got back to port. Didn't have a brand name on any of it except 30 weight. We did our own testing, contaminants, viscosity and acid levels, if any were out of spec the oil got changed. I looked at some T6 today but want something a little lighter than 5-40. I'm looking at diesel spec Amsiol 5 or 10-30.

 

[TractorNH]

Thanks for the info guys! We get some -20 or more days every year here, at least with windchill. I installed an engine heater a few days ago in anticipation of the winter to come. Now I want to get some cold weather oil in there as well, so thanks for the advice!

Wind chill only applies to living things, equipment doesn't feel wind chill, only the actual air temperature.

 

[TractorNH]

Use the appropriate oil weight based on what your owners manual says. I run Rotella T5 synthetic blend in my 2655 since my manual says 10w-30 across my operating temperature range.

 

[LouNY]

Wind chill only applies to living things, equipment doesn't feel wind chill, only the actual air temperature.

True inanimate objects do not feel the wind chill,
however that same wind will dissipate what ever heat was in that object and get it to the actual temperature faster.

 

[bridge4]

Use the appropriate oil weight based on what your owners manual says. I run Rotella T5 synthetic blend in my 2655 since my manual says 10w-30 across my operating temperature range.

I put in some T6 which is 5w-40. It will cover the range I am in and seems to be running in the system nicely since the oil change. From what I understand it will cover me all year round as well.


Also, we get some real -20 around here too! I know from other convos I would have been fine with something else, but I also don't think I am hurting anything on the tractor either.