synthetic oil

[chuck172]

"if you live in the cold zone running either a 15W-40 or 5W-40 is going to be best."

I think it's important to stick with the manufacturers grade recommendations for oil. Personally, I agree with the 5w-40 in cold country, but not 15w-40 .

 

[Bluest]

Thanks Bluest,
Between you and murphy I have read and learned a lot about oils.:thumbsup:

Gilles

I'm glad you found the link helpful. When I first read that stuff it really helped to cut through a lot of mystical woowoo that gets spouted.

 

[Soundguy]

"if you live in the cold zone running either a 15W-40 or 5W-40 is going to be best."

I think it's important to stick with the manufacturers grade recommendations for oil. Personally, I agree with the 5w-40 in cold country, but not 15w-40 .

in many cold areas you can get 10w30 C rated oil.

 

[Hill Billy Bob]

Synthetics are not needed by most of us, and in reallity, probably not by any of our tractors. Use a name brand conventional oil,(Shell Rotella, Mobil Delvac, Chevron Delo) and adhere to your prescribed maintenance schedule, and your tractor engine will likely outlive you. Many truck engines go over a million miles before an overhaul is needed, using nothing but a conventional 15w/40. Personally, I've put 700,000 miles on a Cummins before selling it....don't know how much longer she went...but it wasn't using oil, smoking, or making strange noises, when traded in. Now..700,000 miles is at least 17,500 hours....my tractor gets about 100 to 120 hours use a year....so it should last another 145 to 175 years on conventional oil.....that will make me more than 211 years old......I'd better go find some really good vitamins.....Hill Billy Bob

 

[Bluest]

I generally agree with Hill Billy Bob, but with one exception. , A hobby tractor will do a lot of cold starts and warm ups relative to the total hours. This is where minerals are at their weakest and much of the wear occurs. A synthetic will significantly reduce wear in the warm up phase. It may be that use is still low enough that you don't need to worry, but worth considering.

 

[Soundguy]

i'll tell you one place I have been really liking syn oil on tractors.

I have some oldies. a 55 ford 850 and a 63 ford 4000, have had both apart in the last couple years to aleviate stuck valves. problem? really? junk gas the govt is pushing on us.

after getting them cleaned up i went to syn oil. ( cheap syn.. but syn none the less ).

I'm testing is the claims of better detergent action and film strength and heat tolerance will help.