What weight motor oil?

Blue Crew

New User
We have a 1965 4000 gas and a 1972 3000 diesel. The manuals show different oil depending on temperature. Is there one year round oil that would be good in both tractors?
 
(quoted from post at 16:19:34 03/04/19) We have a 1965 4000 gas and a 1972 3000 diesel. The manuals show different oil depending on temperature. Is there one year round oil that would be good in both tractors?
All of the easily available diesel oils will work, I'd use multigrade which in the diesel oils is 15w-40. I like Mobil Delvac but Shell Rotella and Chevron Delo are good too. I wouldn't be afraid of using any store brand either. You can use it in your gas also if you want or use whatever weight multi grade is recommended for it.
 
Back in the day, it was recommended in the OEM Operator's/Owners Manuals to change the oil each time the wind direction changed--- well, not really but almost - each time the weather temps did. For temps above 90?F SAE-30, for temps between 32?F and 90?F it was SAE-20; for temps between 10?F and 30?F it was 20W; and for temps between -10?F and +10?F it was 10W. IMHO I don't think very many farmers followed this procedure, mainly because the cost of oil changes was not cost effective. With today's detergent blends, it is safe to use a variety of grades. You will find a thousand posts in the archives on oil. There is no right or wrong answer. Climate has an effect on oil. Colder climes may require thinner oil for easier starts. Once engine warms up and oils are circulating, you are okay. That all being said, when I got my first 8N in 1992, I used plain non-detergent SAE-30 all year. The tractor was parked outside, tarped. I never had starting problems even in single temp and sub-zero weather. Tractor was always warmed up before any work was attempted. Today i use plain SAE -30 detergent oil year round. No longer parked outside but still no starting issues in the cold. Some fellas opt for these engine block heaters they sell now to warm the oil. More on those also in the archives. i never have had one, never had a need but it is your tractor and your $$$ so your call. You want thinner oil for winter, just add some mineral spirits. That is what most all the snake-oil products (STABIL, et al) are anyway. Got some charcoal lighter fluid? It's the same stuff and won't harm anything internally or externally on the engine. I know you didn't ask, but another myth to debunk is "you must add a lead additive to your gas". Bullshirt. No such products in the USA. Lead has been outlawed for years in products for resale. These low-compression engines do not need lead in the fuel. Heck, you can't even buy 60/40 solder anymore as it is all lead-free. You can find it on ebay and such, but it's imported from Russia or China.

Tim Daley(MI)
 
It depends on your climate. South of the Mason-Dixon Line, straight 30 weight or 15W-40 will be fine. Further north, you'll probably want to go with a thinner multi-grade, such as 10W-40 or even 5W-40.
 
I ran straight 30wt for several years in my 960, no overt problems, but when I went to rebuild the engine I found the oil pump drive shaft significantly twisted which I blame on cold weather starts and thick oil -

Now I run 10-30 diesel rated oil in all the engines - maybe it's better? dunno -

In my opinion there's nothing more important for engine longevity than a conservative (in the old fashioned sense of the word) oil change schedule
 
+1 or WW HD 15w-40 C/S starburst rated; either works in both engines. Even down here straight 30 gets too thick in the winter......to suit me.
 
(quoted from post at 07:28:59 03/05/19)
(quoted from post at 16:33:07 03/04/19) Rottlla 10-40 in most areas t of the U.S. will be fine

Old, outside of Misery, most of us like Rotella 15-40.

And some of us are smart enough not to use Rotella at all! 8) :lol: 8)
 
(quoted from post at 21:54:49 03/04/19)
(quoted from post at 16:19:34 03/04/19) We have a 1965 4000 gas and a 1972 3000 diesel. The manuals show different oil depending on temperature. Is there one year round oil that would be good in both tractors?
All of the easily available diesel oils will work, I'd use multigrade which in the diesel oils is 15w-40. I like Mobil Delvac but Shell Rotella and Chevron Delo are good too. I wouldn't be afraid of using any store brand either. You can use it in your gas also if you want or use whatever weight multi grade is recommended for it.

Great recommendations. These are HEAVY DUTY oils that will do a very good job on both gas and diesel engines. Full of additives to fight acids, wear, and sludge. These should be the minimum oils used.

If you do a lot of work below 20F, you could move up to a 5w-40 synthetic blend of the very same brands for extreme cold weather use, especially below zero temps and arctic use.

So unless your plowing snow, 15w-40 will work for most. 15w-40 will still work in very cold, but the engine will be harder to start, but a engine heater will quickly fix that problem as well.
 

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