Oil recomendations Kubota

[neucam]

I keep hearing that in the new Kubota users manual they recommend 5-30 or 10-30 oil in engine and UDT oil in transmission. But many people say add 4 cans of STP in transmission to make the hydraulics work smoothly. And other say they they use 15-40 or 30 wt oil in the engine and they run for many many years. The UDT is probably about 10 wt oil and the old SAE 80 weight they used to use was about 20 weight oil. It seems that the factory is way out of wack and many people have had engine and hydraulic failures due to using too light of oil. Any comments?

 

[Happyman]

Stick with the factory reccomendations. I would not put any STP in the hydro works. Just not required.
Oil viscosity choice should be based on where you live and the time of year (temperature). I live in Virginia and use 15w-40 Rotella year round and SUDT in the HST tranny and hydraulics. UDT would be fine as well but it just so happens that my 2007 L3940 came with SUDT so I'm sticking with it despite the cost.
Be careful of all these various "Additives" that people put in their tractors. The Kubota engineers have spent many hours figuring out what works best in the engines and trannys that THEY designed.

 

[DieselPower]

I'll have to second the sticking with the factory recommendations for viscosity using your operating ambient air temp as the deciding factor. If you use a high quality oil to start with you should never need to add additives to it. Millions of dollars go into formulating and testing fluids for the proper additive package, no need to go messing with it.

 

[Foothill Rancher]

I bought my tractor from a dealer in the central valley of Calif, the temps there in the summer run anywhere from the high 90's to 110 and higher.
I had my dealer do my 50 hr service and when they returned my tractor I asked about the type of oil, the reply was we use 15-40 in everything, my manuel calls for 30,10-30 or 10-40, the 10-40 is hard to find where I live and the 10-30 may be a little light in the summer.
I did notice that the motor seems a little noisy at start up since the 50 hr service and I would guess that the tractor from the factory had a lighter oil.
My temps run in the 30's in the winter, sometimes going into the teens for a short amount of time.
I would like to run 5-40 but feel it my be a little light so in the end I will follow my dealer and run the 15-40 because if something goes wrong he will be the one to fix it and won't be able to say that I used the wrong oil.
I don't think you can go wrong with the 15-40 unless you live in an area that goes below 5+ in temp.

 

[amigauser]

I would generally go with what the factory states as others have said. I use the Mobile 1 Turbo Diesel synthetic 5w-40 oil ( Mobil 1 Turbo Diesel Truck 5W-40 )in my Kubota B3030 but I only change the oil/filter once a year (50 hours). I figured for the few extra $$ it was worth it. The 5w rating helps it flow better when cold and it can get below zero in the winter months here in Connecticut. I plow snow with my tractor.

I think the biggest issue with cold temperatures and failures is an improper warm up. If you warm up both the engine and hydro before use there should not be a problem.

 

[sw03]

I'll have to second the sticking with the factory recommendations for viscosity using your operating ambient air temp as the deciding factor. If you use a high quality oil to start with you should never need to add additives to it. Millions of dollars go into formulating and testing fluids for the proper additive package, no need to go messing with it.

I have to disagree. I have used Amsoil for years and use (1) add to make it a real oil. Made in the lonestar state if you want to know..

Unlike other oil forums I do not pimp products.I would never use a 15w-40 in a diesel ever again..Way to thick.

 

[Happyman]

I have to disagree. I have used Amsoil for years and use (1) add to make it a real oil. Made in the lonestar state if you want to know..

Unlike other oil forums I do not pimp products.I would never use a 15w-40 in a diesel ever again..Way to thick.

I don't understand a thing you said
What did you add to the Amsoil and why would you not use 15w-40 "again".

 

[RalphVa]

I'd use the new 0w30 Mobil 1. They're giving $5 rebates on the first 5 quarts bought. I got mine already.

Ralph

 

[sw03]

I don't understand a thing you said
What did you add to the Amsoil and why would you not use 15w-40 "again".

I will break this down for ya.

I added a add, short for additive, from my UOA house and it made Amsoil way better. I would also not use a 15w40 since it is not needed. I would use a 5w30 MAX.

 

[LBrown59]

I keep hearing that in the new Kubota users manual they recommend 5-30 or 10-30 oil in engine and UDT oil in transmission.
* But many people say add 4 cans of STP in transmission to make the hydraulics work smoothly.

And other say they they use 15-40 or 30 wt oil in the engine and they run for many many years. The UDT is probably about 10 wt oil and the old SAE 80 weight they used to use was about 20 weight oil. It seems that the factory is way out of wack and many people have had engine and hydraulic failures due to using too light of oil. Any comments?

*
surelyL . B . you didn't hear it here.