Synthetic oil in John Deere 5225

[Lucypointsbirds]

Hello everyone - first post. I have a John Deere 5225. About a 56hp utility tractor. 3.1 ltr 5 cylinder diesel

Time for an oil change and I'm wanting to run Synthetic. I run Rotella T6 5W40 in my Ford 6.7 Diesel and thought I would run the same in the tractor.

Ran it by the service department at the local John Deere and you would've thought I was asking if Kubota parts will fit a John Deere. They were really pushing their own brand of oil, which I understand. I think what they carry is a blend of synthetic and conventional. But they wouldn't give me any sign as to whether or not it was okay to run it.

I've found a thread or two on here about running Synthetic, but just wanted to get everyone's opinion. So what do you think?

Also, any advice on filters? Stick with the JD, or is there something better I can buy? I don't care about a few bucks more for a superior filter. Thanks!

 

[Oldtink]

This is strictly my personal opinion, so take it with a wagon load of bovine processed pasture grass.
The truth is in a few oil analysis both before and after. $15 each from your JD dealer.
T6 is a premium diesel engine oil and certainly won't harm anything. I'd consider the hours on the engine now and it's work environment throughout the year.
T5 would be comparable to JD's Plus 50 III blend.
I don't know who makes JD filters but I tried Wix and they were more expensive at the auto parts store than I could buy them at my JD dealer.....and they were on the shelf.

 

[Lucypointsbirds]

Good point on the usage, hours and environment.

Very low hours on this 2005 model. I think 300 hours. Some brush hog work each year, and then a little disc work with a 9 or 10 foot disc. A little loader work also. I'm in central Missouri, so we have heat and some pretty cold temps also, although I would rarely run the tractor below 20 degrees.

I'm really wanting to go synthetic because I don't like the idea of conventional oil being in it for a year or a little longer without being changed. Any thoughts on how long I could go between changes with synthetic and only 30 hrs a year of usage?

 

[Oldtink]

I felt the same way about leaving ANY kind of oil in for a year. So I took a couple oil samples and realized the additive package is very much alive and well. I feel good about it now but I'll continue to take annual samples for a couple more years and see how things average out.
i think the 74 hour sample was in something like 11 months but it will give you an idea how the additives held up.

 

[Copperhead]

I have grown fond of blends over the last few years. I typically use 10w30 or 15w40 blends. My semi truck gets 10w30 in winter and 15w40 in summer. Just turned over 700,000 miles on it and it only uses 2 qt of oil in 22,500 mile / 500 hr oil change intervals. My CUT lives on the same 10w30 that I use in the truck. Typically a once a year oil change with that. Nothing wrong with full syn, but I think blends offer as good of quality at a better value. And while base oil is interesting and has some benefit, it is the additive package that makes up 20% of any motor oil that really determines if an oil is good, better, or best. There are full synthetics that have mediocre additive packages and there are blends with great additive packages. And vice versa. Even conventional base oils are light years ahead of what they were in days gone by. One should focus primarily on the additive package of a motor oil.

 

[Texasmark]

Hello everyone - first post. I have a John Deere 5225. About a 56hp utility tractor. 3.1 ltr 5 cylinder diesel

Time for an oil change and I'm wanting to run Synthetic. I run Rotella T6 5W40 in my Ford 6.7 Diesel and thought I would run the same in the tractor.

Ran it by the service department at the local John Deere and you would've thought I was asking if Kubota parts will fit a John Deere. They were really pushing their own brand of oil, which I understand. I think what they carry is a blend of synthetic and conventional. But they wouldn't give me any sign as to whether or not it was okay to run it.

I've found a thread or two on here about running Synthetic, but just wanted to get everyone's opinion. So what do you think?

Also, any advice on filters? Stick with the JD, or is there something better I can buy? I don't care about a few bucks more for a superior filter. Thanks!

I got started on Rot T when I was running an OTR 18 wheeler. Back then it was 15w-40 dino. When it came to my tractors they got it too. When I bought new in went the full syn 5w-40 and as my older tractors got older I started using WM house brand 15w-40 in them. I don't know if I'm doing right or wrong by my oil choices. They work for me and it's my money and my equipment so it's my decision right or wrong. Time will tell.

OEM tractor mfgrs. make/have someone else make tractors(for them). Oil people make oil. Wink!

 

[bodin1968]

i'm a big fan of synthetic. reg oil will get the job done fine but synthetics have a longer life under heat and pressure.... in trucks and tractors.. mobil 1 makes good products. amsoil is top notch also.

 

[Monster5601]

A recent report from Blackstone labs, after analyzing the results of oil samples sent in, determined that engine wear is a property of the engine, not the oil. Regardless of the marketing and the color/brand name on the oil container, oils had almost parallel performances.

 

[prs]

Consider the fact that JD does not own a refinery and contracts to the lowest bidder that will meet their minimal spec. In JD's favor, their reputation is that their minimal spec is very high quality, but their petrol products are Valvoline or Shell or Exxon or ?????.

As a "best practice" you should change the motor oil and filter annually even if hours are low, so in your case using synthetic may not be necessary unless you have very cold starts or tend to shut down the equipment while it is still very hot (and some of the most coke resistant oils "may be" blends such as advertised by Chevron). Then again, T6 is sometimes less expensive than blends if on sale and you get that nice warm and fuzzy feeling. ;-)

prs