8N Oil

[Pat's51-8N]

This is definitely not a technical question. I've had someone
maintaining my 8N since my husband died many years ago. Now
I'm doing what I can myself. I know the manual calls for 30W
engine oil but it seems that would cause problems in the colder
months. Isn't there a multi grade I can use? I only use the tractor
for bush-hogging some fields and plowing snow in the winter. My
local Ford Holland dealer (who's about to close) recommended
15W-40 but isn't that diesel oil?

 

[L. B,]

You can put 10-30 10-40 if you like any brand your chose. 15-40 Shell is what I have been using and so do others here.

 

[LisaK]

I use Rotella 15-40. Never had a problem with it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

I also use Rotella 15-40 year round (Mow/Snow) in my Ford 3000

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Check out tip # 6 at the link.
75 Tips

 

[Pats51-8N]

Thanks for the link to your "Tips" Bruce. I read them and did learn a few things. I can get everything I need at my Napa store. My Ford dealer had an auction last year and has sold out of just about everything. Napa will be about a 20 mile drive each way but it's about the closest auto part store. I'm also located in Virginia.

Thanks to all for the advice - I appreciate it.

 

[Paul in Edmonton]

I've got 0W-40 mine. Expensive stuff--I could only find it in Mobil 1.

Reason: I need to be able to start in cold weather (down to 0°F--we get a lot colder, but I'm not going out the cabin where my tractor lives if it's colder). Hence the 0W. But the engine is probably due for a rebuild, and the oil pressure gets pretty low when the engine gets hot. Hence the -40.

If your engine is better shape and/or you don't need to start in such cold weather, you can do better with the suggestions you already have.

-Paul

 

[Bruce (VA)]

I use NAPA when I need something quick. Otherwise, I order parts from this site or nnalert's in NC.

NAPA has, as a general rule, high quality parts at high prices. This site, and nnalert's have high quality parts at reasonable prices, plus shipping.

Where are you in VA? I'm in Old Church, 20 miles NE of Richmond.
75 Tips

 

[souNdguy]

Checkt he API oil rating.

C rated oils are for Diesel.

S rated oils are for Gas.

Many 15w40 oils carry both a C rating and an S rating.

OCCASIONALLY you find a C only rated oil.. not very often.

I use 15w40 in just about all my old machines.

Rural king has a sale on 15w40 2g jugs .. cheaper than even buying it by the 55g bbl from my local oil distribuitor. so i stocked up on a couple years worth of oil changes worth.

 

[Pats51-8N]

I'm in Meadows of Dan, about 1 hr south on the Blue Ridge
Parkway from Roanoke, VA. I'm about 20 minutes above the NC state line.

 

[Pats51-8N]

I forgot to add that I get lots of my oil from Napa. I ride European motorcycles that use strange oil weights and I can usually get it cheaper at Napa then ordering on line and paying shipping. I recently bought LiquiMoly 10W-60 for a lot less there than anywhere else I looked.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Beautiful country there. Had an old girlfriend from Galax.

 

[Tall T]

Hi Paul,

You can get almost any viscosity in Amsoil and I believe there is a warehouse in Edmonton. If you use 10W30 or 10W40 or 15W40, you'll still get good flow in the cold.

Amsoil is a diester synthetic, Mobil 1 is a Synthesized Hydrocarbon.

Amsoil will still flow at 60 below, where conventional oils are solid at -30 or -40 . . . can't remember exactly.

Go 15W40 synthetic and you'll still get your cold flow.

A big mistake to me that is painful for me to watch in YouTube videos of these old tractors, is a snow-cold, outside-all-winter, start where the guys immediately give it super fast idle as though that is best. Ouch!
Give the poor things time to get oiled and warm at minimum idle before making the pistons and valves scream.

Sure the fast idle boosts oil pressure, but I still think the dry motor suffers more from high RPM than from a little less oil pressure . . . and besides, if the oil doesn't get a chance to warm up, it isn't properly lubricating at fast idle.

Up in the Yukon and Alaska, they put propane hotplates under the oil pan.

 

[L. B,]

Bruce I have to agree high price but not high quality. They take Auto Zone parts and put them in a NAPA box LOL. I have never had any luck there except Walker Mufflers everything else seems to fail me.

 

[Bruce (VA)]

Maybe I was overly generous......about all the N parts I get from NAPA are gasket material & points!

 

[Paul in Edmonton]

(quoted from post at 03:47:51 06/18/14)
Amsoil will still flow at 60 below, where conventional oils are solid at -30 or -40 . . . can't remember exactly.

Go 15W40 synthetic and you'll still get your cold flow.

[snip]

Up in the Yukon and Alaska, they put propane hotplates under the oil pan.

Terry,

According to the literature I could find, Amsoil 15W40 has a pour point of -39°C, while Mobil-1 0W40 has a pour point of -54°C. At engine operating temperature, the viscosity will be so similar as not to make a difference. Anyway, the Mobil 1 is working fine for me.

I don't use a hot plate. If it's below -10°C or so, I use a tiger torch rated at 300,000 btu/h for a minute or two. (However, I'm quite sure that at -15°C, the torch puts out much less than that rated heat because of the lower propane pressure.) I also like to hit the intake manifold with some heat--I think that makes a huge difference. (Gotta be careful there, flame and a carburetor don't mix well. The one small fire I had was easily doused with snow, though.)

When it get's really cold, a propane heater is useless. Propane is a liquid below -42°C or so, and it won't come out of the tank. I've always found that the 1 lb propane bottles are useless below -10°C or so, as the valves freeze up. So I can't use one of those little torches to get more controlled heat onto the manifold.

(BTW I'll be on SSI July 4-6 or so, if you want to show me your tractor.)

-Paul

 

[Tall T]

Hi Paul,

By all means, drop by.
Last year I was in Friday Harbor on a holiday and kind of have plans to do that again -- incredibly friendly town. But when you're here you could look me up in the Salt Spring phone book
under Graham. It says "Tall Terry" in the book. when the Lions club first put the phone book together, they just added the Tall part. Seems like people around here think my first name is Tall and last name "Graham".

Cheers,
Terry