Old age creeping up on me

Got tired of manual steering on my 3000D and decided to buy a power steering kit. Yesterday was dismantling the old linkages and
all that won't be part of the mod. while waiting for the kit to arrive.

While sitting there working, with it right in my face, I looked at the canister oil filter cover and saw the last change marks of 8/12
meaning Aug. 2012 was the last time I changed it. I had been checking the oil regularly and it was partially clear and still near the
full mark on the stick so I didn't give changing a passing thought.

Just for grins, after the oil had drained, I stuck my finger in the drain hole and took a swipe at the bottom of the pan. Was
pleasantly surprised that I could not detect any sludge to speak of. I guess the detergents in Shell Rot T 15w-40 were doing their
job. The oil was definitely black. Checked the filter for any sign of decomposition and found none. Filter was Ford OEM cartridge
(not the FL-1A spin on) that I bought from the dealer. This is the engine I overhauled 15ish years ago and the pan was cleaned as
part of it. Don't remember on how much if any sludge was present then.....course that's not long after I bought it used.

Mark

I have the same problem, however, I think old age is running after me.

I change the oil in my old tractor yearly, even though I do not use it that much,

Someone once told me water condensation can still build up inside the crankcase,

Would appear to me that each time you got the tractor up to operating temp the water vapor would be cooked off.

Who knows, I still plan on changing the oil and filter yearly.

I also use shell rotella 15w40 in my tractor and dodge diesel truck, great oil in my book. I use Baldwin filters, I believe there is a difference here too.

No easier way to get a discussion started than to say which oil is best.

Funny on the filters. I had been getting them from the Ford house. Last time I went in they said they didn't stock them any longer. So I did a www and found a filter house and bought.......you guessed it Baldwin. So that's what's in it now. I didn't plan on the change interval being that long. As I said seeing the fairly clear dip stick and not having to add I just blew it off and didn't think about it even though in the interim I had ordered 3 Baldwins for future use. Just had a brain Pfart and didn't recover.

On the water, I know things are different up in cold climates, but even here I never just start any of my engines and shut them down. If I crank them they get up to operating temp for a period then I shut them down. On the oil change mentioned, no sign of water in the oil, in the sump, under the oil fill cap, nor in the breather tube.

I run Rot full syn in my '07 diesel tractor.

Mark