I use 30w oil in all my old tractors, JD 4010, 4020, Ferguson TO20, etc. I have seen the advice of 15w-40 many times. Of course the old manuals don't mention it, but who has a good handle on this? I use a diesel grade detergent type 30w now. I'm in SE PA so our temps go from 0 - 100 deg.
- Thread starter northvale
- Start date
gene bender
Well-known Member
You can use whatever you want the rest of us will continue to use the multi grades
buickanddeere
Well-known Member
I have seen pictures of identical two stroke Detroits and posted the link here a month or two ago.
One engine with straight weight CF-2 oil. And the other with CF-2 multi-weight.
The multiweight lubed engine suffered scuffing.
One engine with straight weight CF-2 oil. And the other with CF-2 multi-weight.
The multiweight lubed engine suffered scuffing.
MarkB_MI
Well-known Member
- Location
- Motown USA
You cannot compare the quality of today's multigrade oils with what was available in the sixties. Even 15W-40 gets pretty stiff in subzero temperatures, but straight 30 weight is like molasses.
Anonymous-0
Well-known Member
I think a lot has to do with how hard you run it!
If you just have light loads and start or run in cooler weather id think 15-40
I have an old IH combine with a navestar engine that runs high RPMs...I put strait 30 in that....
But I'm not a expert...Just a rancher
I use 30w Castrol in everything. I even run 40w in my 99 powerstroke.
Here in western , pa we don't see really low temps though. A good oil treats the metal surfaces enough that they should be protected from wear when you start up cold. Heck I accidentally ran a Grand Cherokee 9 miles with no oil, added 5 qts and had no problems for another 100K miles. A typical 5/10/15w x 30/40w oil thins out so much that it actually causes more wear than a good 30w ever would. I don't know how the old tractors ever survived running only straight weight, unadditized, base oils for years. LOL. Multiweight has been a valuable marketing tool and it has resulted in increased sales for years now.
One reason why many companies did not recommend multi-weight oil in diesels in the 1980s is because of the polymers that can cause piston-ring sticking. Single weight oils don't use polymers. Neither do oils marketed as "synthetics."
A good grade 30W oil gives just as good, and sometimes a little better protection then a good 15W-40 diesel oil - but at a much more limited temp range. In fact, Rotella T 30W even has a higher temp range (flash point) then many so-called "synthetic" oils made from hydrocracked petro.
As Buick-Deere mentioned - modern tests have shown 30W to beat 15W-40 under certain conditions. Especially in Detroits two-strokes.
That being said - I wonder how much damage is done to tractors with 30W started at 0 or 10 degrees? I guess if you've got a good block heater and let the engine get good and warm, it's not an issue. If you start it quick, you could do some damage.
There is no right or wrong answer here. I'm more concerned about the lowered antiwear additives in highway oils made for cars and trucks. An oil made in 1950 or 1960 or 1980 has better anti-wear protection. Not yet an issue witgh off-road, tractor, or racing oils though.
A good grade 30W oil gives just as good, and sometimes a little better protection then a good 15W-40 diesel oil - but at a much more limited temp range. In fact, Rotella T 30W even has a higher temp range (flash point) then many so-called "synthetic" oils made from hydrocracked petro.
As Buick-Deere mentioned - modern tests have shown 30W to beat 15W-40 under certain conditions. Especially in Detroits two-strokes.
That being said - I wonder how much damage is done to tractors with 30W started at 0 or 10 degrees? I guess if you've got a good block heater and let the engine get good and warm, it's not an issue. If you start it quick, you could do some damage.
There is no right or wrong answer here. I'm more concerned about the lowered antiwear additives in highway oils made for cars and trucks. An oil made in 1950 or 1960 or 1980 has better anti-wear protection. Not yet an issue witgh off-road, tractor, or racing oils though.
JD allows 15-40 in the old tractors that originally specified #30, I am not aware if any change interval changes from them.
By the early 80's, IH said it was OK to use 15-40 in the old 30wt 300 and 400 series engines, as long as you changed it by 100 hrs. They said up to 200 hrs with #30.
By the early 80's, IH said it was OK to use 15-40 in the old 30wt 300 and 400 series engines, as long as you changed it by 100 hrs. They said up to 200 hrs with #30.
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
Ditto as long as it is C rated which 15w-40 either in WW brand or Shell, or Delo, or who knows what all else is.
I bought a new tractor in '07 and it had a Komatsu (heavy construction equipment), Japanese built under Cummins license, direct injected, naturally aspired 4 banger.
I called Cummins USA and told them that I wanted to run Rotella T, 15W-40 Full Synthetic in it asking if they had any objections. Then said after the first oil fill (which is what it comes with from the factory) it would love to have the Rotella.....
Soooooo that's what it gets. I also run paraffin multigrade or mix in some Syn with it in my two utility Fords (2000 and 3000) that are 40-50 years old.
Mark
I bought a new tractor in '07 and it had a Komatsu (heavy construction equipment), Japanese built under Cummins license, direct injected, naturally aspired 4 banger.
I called Cummins USA and told them that I wanted to run Rotella T, 15W-40 Full Synthetic in it asking if they had any objections. Then said after the first oil fill (which is what it comes with from the factory) it would love to have the Rotella.....
Soooooo that's what it gets. I also run paraffin multigrade or mix in some Syn with it in my two utility Fords (2000 and 3000) that are 40-50 years old.
Mark
Tony in Mass.
Well-known Member
It hasn't been mention so far, but I am always reminded of the 'detergent' in the multiweights, that aren't added to straight 30. I can see the point of not wanting to disturb layers of crud in an engine that hasn't been rebuilt yet. That thought came to mind a couple weeks ago when the CA didn't have pressure, untill the priming idea worked. After I rebuild one, I use whatever 10W-40 is on sale, but not in the crusty untouched originals.
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
Yesssss. I remember Havoline 30W HD back when I was a kid. Oil change interval was 1000 miles, which was also the recommended interval for chassis lube. Back then you could get 45k miles out of a valve job and 100k out of an engine overhaul.
Obviously lubricants have improved with todays additive packages and synthetic polymers in the case of syn oils.
Mark
Obviously lubricants have improved with todays additive packages and synthetic polymers in the case of syn oils.
Mark
SAE 90W "pure mineral" transmission oil is usually the same thing as 30W engine oil with no additives. But I guess we never know for sure unless we read the data sheets. Even then some info is kept "proprietary."
Trans viscosity numbers are different then engine oil viscosity numbers. Trans 80W-90W is basically the same as engine 30W-40W.
Tractor supply sells the 90W trans oil as "Ford transmission" pure mineral oil. Also has non-degergent 30W engine oil but who knows what is, or isn't in it.
Trans viscosity numbers are different then engine oil viscosity numbers. Trans 80W-90W is basically the same as engine 30W-40W.
Tractor supply sells the 90W trans oil as "Ford transmission" pure mineral oil. Also has non-degergent 30W engine oil but who knows what is, or isn't in it.
TomA in CA
Member
Caterpillar called for 30W oil in the old ones that I have, Ford recommended 30W in the 6.9-7.3 IDI's. That is what I run in mine but the choice is easy because we never get temps below 30 here. When I got my '86' Dodge with the 318 I used 15-40 for a bit and noticed blowby so I run 30W in it too. Newer engines that call for multigrade I run 15-40.
I want to lubricate my engines with oil not polymers.
I was running Delo until they went to the LE oil. I switched to Rotella. Then I realized they are formulating these new oils for the new engines. Now I am using Supertech oil from Wal*Mart. I suspect this is the earlier formula that more closely matches the what older engines called for.
The 318 had a front seal leak for a long time, it has stopped now.
The biggest problem is the Supertech was $12 per 2 gallon, now it is up to $22.
I want to lubricate my engines with oil not polymers.
I was running Delo until they went to the LE oil. I switched to Rotella. Then I realized they are formulating these new oils for the new engines. Now I am using Supertech oil from Wal*Mart. I suspect this is the earlier formula that more closely matches the what older engines called for.
The 318 had a front seal leak for a long time, it has stopped now.
The biggest problem is the Supertech was $12 per 2 gallon, now it is up to $22.
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
Well, as I said elsewhere, when I bought my new tractor in '07 with my naturally aspired Cummins engine, in asking Cummins if it was OK for me to run Fully Synthetic Rotella T 15W-40 oil in it, their answer was that my new Cummins would just love it after the first oil fill....which it came with.
Well if anyone would know, one would guess that the OEM would.....wouldn't one? So who did the test you referred to, what was the equipment, what were the test conditions, what had the engines been subjected to previously, what were their hours, who built them and what for??????
Tests are only as accurate as the input parameters which usually are modified to favor the entity looking for the pat on the back to boost sales, regardless of the impact on the consumer.
Well if anyone would know, one would guess that the OEM would.....wouldn't one? So who did the test you referred to, what was the equipment, what were the test conditions, what had the engines been subjected to previously, what were their hours, who built them and what for??????
Tests are only as accurate as the input parameters which usually are modified to favor the entity looking for the pat on the back to boost sales, regardless of the impact on the consumer.
I put some Shell Rotella 15/40 in my truck last December.Oil pressure was erattic when I started the engine the next day.Saw a chart that showed 15/40 was thicker than 30W at zero degrees.Changed to 10/30 oil last week, pressure came up fast and was steady.The pump has to pull oil thru a screen on start up.No more 15/40 in my truck, cant afford to replace it or drive it much now.Might be interesting to put samples of both oils in the freezer for a while to see how thick they get.I had a jar of 40 oil that I used to stick paper gaskets in place.Cold garage,I stuck a screwdriver into the oil and it stood upright by itself.
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