notjustair
Well-known Member
This might be all in my head, but an interesting observation.
I changed the oil in the 886. I had a bucket of Rotella 15/40 sitting right there so I figured I would use it. I usually use Mobil Delvac 15/40 but I've run Rotella for years in things and really like it. I bought Delvac a few years back because it was on sale. I used it in the chore pickup and the oil leak on the front main seal stopped dripping, so I always use it in that. I've used it in the 886 because it was handy the first time I serviced it so I have continued.
So I service the tractor and do chores. It's high 30's right now, so not too bad. The tractor ran up to its usual temp but I noticed that with this oil it seems to have thinned out sooner than Delvac. The oil pressure looked about like it does when it's 90 degrees and haying. Not bad, mind you, but lower than with the Delvac. This time of year the gauge usually reads about 3/4 the way across the whole time. Tonight it started there but ended up inching a tad lower than 3/4 - like it does in the summer.
Every time I got out of the tractor I smelled oil. I kept looking for a leak but there wasn't one. I finally realized the smell was coming from the draft tube. It clearly does not like this oil! I'm betting it doesn't make it the usual 100 hours before I change it to Delvac. It's probably a series of coincidences, but I am interested to see how it plays out.
I changed the oil in the 886. I had a bucket of Rotella 15/40 sitting right there so I figured I would use it. I usually use Mobil Delvac 15/40 but I've run Rotella for years in things and really like it. I bought Delvac a few years back because it was on sale. I used it in the chore pickup and the oil leak on the front main seal stopped dripping, so I always use it in that. I've used it in the 886 because it was handy the first time I serviced it so I have continued.
So I service the tractor and do chores. It's high 30's right now, so not too bad. The tractor ran up to its usual temp but I noticed that with this oil it seems to have thinned out sooner than Delvac. The oil pressure looked about like it does when it's 90 degrees and haying. Not bad, mind you, but lower than with the Delvac. This time of year the gauge usually reads about 3/4 the way across the whole time. Tonight it started there but ended up inching a tad lower than 3/4 - like it does in the summer.
Every time I got out of the tractor I smelled oil. I kept looking for a leak but there wasn't one. I finally realized the smell was coming from the draft tube. It clearly does not like this oil! I'm betting it doesn't make it the usual 100 hours before I change it to Delvac. It's probably a series of coincidences, but I am interested to see how it plays out.