Oil question

[wwoodrow]

I have discussed changing oil in my old 424 IH in a previous thread. I changed from 30 weight to 10w 40 with excellent results. Many on this forum have talked positively about using 15w 40. My thought is that since I am located in the Southeast, the lower viscosity ratings would seldom be a factor as winter temperatures here seldom require a thinner oil viscosity during the winter. My tractor is generally operated at between 40 and 100 degrees fahrenheit . Thoughts ?

 

[DeltaRed]

30 wt is just fine. However you wont go wrong with a multivis either. I use 15/40 'fleet diesel' in all my gas or diesel engines.All that really matters is you have clean oil in it.Todays oils are far superior to yesterdays oils.Find an oil that you can use in all your engines. Haveing a different oil for eact engine is a recipe for disaster as mixups DO occure. "Pick your poison" and go for it.

 

[BarnyardEngineering]

The main reason to use 15W40 is because you have it on hand for your diesel tractors. If you have no diesel tractors to keep 15W40 in stock for, then you really have no reason to change what you're using now, as you are buying the oil specifically for that tractor. Use whatever you like. It really doesn't matter as long as the oil is oily.

There's absolutely no reason to dump what's in there and change it out for 15W40 until the tractor is due for its next oil change. The oil is not going to make the tractor run any better, or protect the engine any better.

Regarding Deltared's comment about "recipe for disaster," think about it for a second: If mixing oils were such a "recipe for disaster" then why didn't you have a "disaster" when you switched from straight 30 to 10W40? The whole mixing oil boogeyman is a holdover from the previous century. Oil companies definitely test compatibility. They don't want their oil turning to sludge when mixed with a competitor's product because of some chemical reaction between additives. It's instant bad press, and a class action lawsuit.

 

[wwoodrow]

The 10w 40 has worked great. Yes, I have mixed oils in my vehicles and even mixed different viscosity oil in my truck in a " pinch " but changed it within a reasonable amount of time thereafter. My point is simply that since we dont get much severe cold in the South then I do not think the ability of the oil to act as 10 or 15 weight viscosity is very important as it seldom has opportunity for that quality to be taken advantage of. In fact, I suspect that on a 100 degree day here a hard working tractor could lubricate efficiently if running 50 weight oil ! But I wont try it !

 

[Janicholson]

The 10w 40 has worked great. Yes, I have mixed oils in my vehicles and even mixed different viscosity oil in my truck in a " pinch " but changed it within a reasonable amount of time thereafter. My point is simply that since we dont get much severe cold in the South then I do not think the ability of the oil to act as 10 or 15 weight viscosity is very important as it seldom has opportunity for that quality to be taken advantage of. In fact, I suspect that on a 100 degree day here a hard working tractor could lubricate efficiently if running 50 weight oil ! But I wont try it !

The multi-viscosity oils are usually more modern in their additive package. I would use single wt. oil in an oil can to prep an old hayrake. Jim

 

[caterpillar guy]

I believe what Delta was meaning is with all the oils used today on everything. The less variation the less problem there is for problems with getting oils mixed up with applications, like hydraulic fluid in engines and the other way around. Just less hassle when you can use only a couple different oils for the whole operation. Then if there is a person not familiar with which oil is for what less chance of a problem there . No boogie man just less problems. We use only a couple oils for everything and with a dozen or more tractors and powershift transmissions and all it is easy to mix up some things sometimes. Then the combine uses a low viscosity hygard oil in the hydraulics and gear oil in the final drives. Then the mixing of oils with different tractors on implements using different oils adds to the mix of things.