Oil Viscosity

[MrFixit]

I'm in South Florida and have a new KAMA 354C with 10 hours on it. Upon delivery I changed all fluids and put Rotela 5-40 in the engine. When I first start it up the Oil pressure sits about midway on the needle, .3. After about 20 minutes the needle Oil needls starts creeping down towards the RED Zone, .1. The Temp remains at about 60 all day. After a long cool down the oil gage reads back up to .3. I typically run the engine about 1000 - 1200 RPM. If I increase the engine speed to about 1500 the gage goes up a bit.

I think the Oil Pump is OK as the low reading is only after long warm up. The weather is usually 75-85 this time of year. I'm thinking I may need to go with a thicker oil or a single viscosity instead of multi 5-40.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.

Tim

 

[joerocker]

I'm no expert...

I was under the impression that multi-oil is the low number when cold and the upper when hot. So, it's like a 5WT when cold and 40WT when it's hot. 5WT for easier starting with all the viscosity of 40WT when it warms up.

Could something be happening to your oil pump when it gets hot?

 

[Harrygoodwrench]

I would say I believe you should be running a straight 30 weight motor oil.
Why did you choose a multi viscosity 5W40 ???
Maybe a Kama owner can chime in.

 

[JINMA224XR]

<font color="blue"> I'm thinking I may need to go with a thicker oil or a single viscosity instead of multi 5-40.

Thanks in advance for any suggestions.
</font>

Hey Tim,

5W40 in the Deep South!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wake up Tim, I think that you have been Deceived AGain.

Personally, I wouldn't use anything thinner than 15W40 down here, and sometimes, I wonder if that is too thin.

Go easy with the Hammer.

Have a nice day,
Joe /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif

 

[mark1]

Hi:
One of my 284s showed low oil pressure similar to what you are seeing.it would drop when warmed up to just above the red line.and the gage seemed to work slow. I put in a 10 dollar mechanical oil pressure gage.(with US psi markings) I have good pressure since. I also use Rotella

 

[bluechip]

Hi Tim,
We use and recommend 15W-40 diesel rated oil. I have not seen a 5w40 oil with CE or CF (or g or whatever they are up to now). Do not use oils that do not have a C (compression ignition) rating. There is a special additive package in diesel oil to deal with the soot and severity of the shock of the high compression a diesel endours. I do use 5W30 as perscribed by auto manual for cars, I think this is primarily for fuel economy and quick flow of oil. I have also seen synthetic oils with a range you mention. I would not use synthetics untill I had a few hundred hours on the clock (fully broken in) and once I switched, I would not switch back.

Not to make this a dreaded oil thread, but many Jinma owners and importers/distributors recommend 30 wt oil because that is what is in the chinese manual. The chinese do not use multi-grade oils (or antifreeze much for that matter) so if you want to follow the manual, be sure to drain your water each evening and only use good water from a good pond or stream /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif. Oil pressure has to do with the viscosity. the point where the red and green meet on your guage is the speck for warm engine at idle so it is normal to drop to this point when idling warm engine. It should jump up as rpms increase. It will be higher when cold do to the oil being thicker. IF the oil is low (check with mechanical gage to be sure) all the time, than some adjustment of the pressure regulator on the oil filter housing could be in order. however, if the gage reads good cold, than the regulator is holding pressure. I would not use 5w oil, except maybe in canada or alaska, or the most northern states and I would watch my Oil Press. gage closely. without an adequate oil film, you could hammer a bearing pretty easy.

 

[greg_g]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Rotela 5-40 )</font>
Is that a typographical error, or are you using synthetic oil in a new engine?

And 1200-1500 rpm is well below the engine's torque curve, barely above idle actually. These diesel tractor engines are working engines - meant to be run at or near full throttle. And certainly, working them at anything less than 1800 rpm or so is self-destructive.

//greg//

 

[MrFixit]

I have a lot to learn about Diesels and Tractors. That's why I ask so many questions. I thought a Diesel was a low end pulling engine and my KAMA 354 has tons of low end grunt. at 1200 RPM the engine never sags or drops RPM no mattter how big a log I'm dragging or how much stuff the Grapple is lifting. I'll loose traction long before the engine even shows any signs of a load on it. But I use only the LOW gears for pulling. If I take off in High gears even without dragging a log the engine sags a bit until up to speed.

As far as synthetics on a new motor I'll have to remember that one as that's all I've ever used in my Dirt bikes, Harley, Pickup Truck and cars. Since I've been using synthetics I haven't been able to wear out a motor and I drive the toys very hard.

My local Walmart has about 5 times the Oil selection than any Auto Parts store around. The only Rotela Diesel Oil (Rotela was recommended by someone on this site) they had was 5-40 Multi Vis. I thought that was going to be a bit thin but didn't think I could find a better selection of oil at the Auto parts store so I bought it. Looks like I'll have to go with Dino oil anyway for a while.

Thanks for all the suggestions!

Tim

 

[greg_g]

You're not doing your tractor any favors by making it work down in those rpm ranges. I already mentioned torque. Your 485T engine doesn't reach peak (working) torque till ~1700 rpm. From that point the engine continues to develop horsepower till it peaks ~2500 rpm. I'd consider THAT to be your working range; 1700 to 2500 rpm. If your governor permits more rpms than that, consider it a bonus. In addition, 1200 rpm may not produce sufficient oil and/or hydraulic pressure and/or coolant flow with which to perform any meaningful work.

You only got part of the engine oil recommendation; Rotella T has been mentioned many times - BUT almost always the (nonsynthetic) 15W40 weight. That's why I asked if perhaps you made a typographical error. But brand name is secondary to weight. Buy anybody's 15W40, as long as it's got a SAE rating of CF or better. There's a diesel rated 30W also, but it's mainly for warm climates and/or three season tractors. I think South Florida qualifies.

There are a few guys who think synthetics can do no harm to a (new) Chinese tractor, but their numbers are small. I personally won't even consider synthetic anything until the machine is fully broken in; 300 hours minimum.

Side note; you'll see a lot of recommendations for AW32 hydraulic fluid as well. But in your location, AW46 should work just fine - and might be easier to find. Same with gear oil; majority recommendation is for 80W90, but 85W140 should be ok in your location (plus make for a quieter transmission).

//greg//

 

[Soundguy]

I agree with the others.. down here in florida, my dealers i buy parts from all reccomend 15-40 diesel rated oil. That's what I put in and run in my ford 5000 and Nh 7610s... never get low oil pressure even after hour os pto speed on 10' mower.. etc..

Soundguy