Oil & Fuel Yanmar YM2500 Engine Oil

[Travis_R]

Hello, my name is Travis.
I recently bought a Yanmar YM2500 compact tractor from Fredricks Outdoor in Decatur, Alabama on 11/22/2024 with 2,650 hours. The tractor was refurbished by them.
I am in Southeast Louisiana and it gets very hot here in the summer, mainly because of the humidity. There isn’t many days in the winter that it gets below freezing. We rarely see snow and if we do, it isn’t much.
I read in another group where it stated to use John Deere Torq Gard Supreme SAE 30 weight engine oil in the engine. Supposedly there is proof that using 15w-40 oil in the 3T80 engine causes head gaskets to blow because it makes the engine overheat. The oil pump can’t sling it fast enough.

What is a compatible oil to the Deere Torq Gard Supreme SAE 30 that I could get at Walmart or O’Reilly Autoparts?

Thank You and Have a Blessed Week!
Travis

 

[ponytug]

Hello, my name is Travis.
I recently bought a Yanmar YM2500 compact tractor from Fredricks Outdoor in Decatur, Alabama on 11/22/2024 with 2,650 hours. The tractor was refurbished by them.
I am in Southeast Louisiana and it gets very hot here in the summer, mainly because of the humidity. There isn’t many days in the winter that it gets below freezing. We rarely see snow and if we do, it isn’t much.
I read in another group where it stated to use John Deere Torq Gard Supreme SAE 30 weight engine oil in the engine. Supposedly there is proof that using 15w-40 oil in the 3T80 engine causes head gaskets to blow because it makes the engine overheat. The oil pump can’t sling it fast enough.

What is a compatible oil to the Deere Torq Gard Supreme SAE 30 that I could get at Walmart or O’Reilly Autoparts?

Thank You and Have a Blessed Week!
Travis

Congratulations on your new tractor!

Those engines were designed with tighter tolerances, and yes, they don't tolerate multigrade oils well as a result.

The JD oil is a great oil in my experience and you can get it mail order. (Shop.Deere.Com | Shop genuine John Deere parts & merchandise) If you really want an alternative oil, Rotella or Delo monograde oils would be my second choices. (But it would take a lot for me not to use JD oil.)

All the best,

Peter

 

[bmaverick]

Hello, my name is Travis.
I recently bought a Yanmar YM2500 compact tractor from Fredricks Outdoor in Decatur, Alabama on 11/22/2024 with 2,650 hours. The tractor was refurbished by them.
I am in Southeast Louisiana and it gets very hot here in the summer, mainly because of the humidity. There isn’t many days in the winter that it gets below freezing. We rarely see snow and if we do, it isn’t much.
I read in another group where it stated to use John Deere Torq Gard Supreme SAE 30 weight engine oil in the engine. Supposedly there is proof that using 15w-40 oil in the 3T80 engine causes head gaskets to blow because it makes the engine overheat. The oil pump can’t sling it fast enough.

What is a compatible oil to the Deere Torq Gard Supreme SAE 30 that I could get at Walmart or O’Reilly Autoparts?

Thank You and Have a Blessed Week!
Travis

Hi Travis,
Good to see you here on TBN as well.
Yes, we have touched on the oil topic here on TBN a bunch of times.
Since you are down south, really down south, I bet you can get by with 10W30 all 3 seasons, then SAE30 for the hot summer.

The Yanmar OE engine oil is,

Pennzoil, Valvoline, Quaker State, Shell, etc. in 10W30 would be fine.

Menards tends to have this for $15.89 up here.

For the vintage Yanmars like the YM, F, FX, KE, RS series in North America,

 

[DarkBlack]

Supposedly there is proof that using 15w-40 oil in the 3T80 engine causes head gaskets to blow because it makes the engine overheat. The oil pump can’t sling it fast enough.

I don’t believe it for a second.
It would be interesting to see “proof” of this. Not trying to discredit your post, I just don’t believe the reports you mention .

 

[bmaverick]

I don’t believe it for a second.
It would be interesting to see “proof” of this. Not trying to discredit your post, I just don’t believe the reports you mention .

@DarkBlack You own an American brand, not a Japan brand tractor. These older Japan tractors are made to JIS standards, not even close to SAE. The oil ports and flow are much narrower and the diesels engine are not like any other from that time period 40 years ago.

I've had diesel mechanics look at my engine and they step back saying, what is that diesel.

The modern Yanmar machines after the 1990s are made to SAE. And on TBN, there is a 'Yanmar' section and a 'Yanmar (NEW)' section. What was done in the vintage era is a puzzle to most unless you dig deep into things.