Moisture in oil a different angle, Bob and UD

This week's 303 vs. everything else oil debate is on the N forum. Bob's post got me thinking about moisture in oil or "milkshake oil" so I googled moisture in oil and found a revelation. Now this varies a lot by part of the country and type and age of tractor and how a tractor is worked, but I see a major side factor to what is best for an old tractor. Generally speaking there are two sides in this debate. Most posters say if something is cheap it is good for nothing, while a few say "hang on and look at some other factors".


What I found in multiple reports is that the absorption of moisture, and they appear to reference mostly moisture introduced by condensation as opposed to leaks, by oil is a big problem, but we already knew that. What is new to me is that the more additives that oil has the more the moisture will be absorbed into the oil, which of course is why UTF turns milky. Absorbed moisture, according to multiple studies results in oxidation, corrosion, reduction in lubrication ability, and partial blocking of filters. Posters here who ask about milky oil are usually told to change it and store their tractor inside, which of course does nothing to prevent moisture by condensation. I always advise them to work their tractor enough to turn the oil clear again. This all tells me that when the owner of an older tractor that has no clutch packs or wet brakes uses 303 they may get marginally less lubrication for the first month, but after that they will get more than they would have with the more expensive oil. Now of course the owner, if like 90% of the old tractor owners uses his tractor only occasionally, will need to periodically need to drain the water off the bottom, but at least this is possible with the 303 while impossible with the more expensive oil. So my point is that not only is the 303 suitable for the old tractors, It is actually better for the ones that get only occasional use.

I don't usually weigh in on those "best
oil" posts.
303 oil isn't going to hurt an old
tractor and it's probably better than
whatever was available in 1939.
Too many guys won't buy anything unless
it has the word Premium on the label -
be it beer, paint, ice cream or tractor
oil and they'll baffle you with
brillshit till the stars go dark.
I wouldn't run 303 in my tractors with
wet brakes and hydraulically operated
pto. But in a Ford N Series??
Come on...

If you ever have to do any type of repair on a tractor because of low quality oil that will more than eat up any savings you had by buying the cheap stuff.Just like diesel fuel
I only buy diesel for my trucks and tractors at the premium auto diesel pump usually only a couple cents higher never had a diesel fuel related issue.

(quoted from post at 06:05:27 10/10/19) If you ever have to do any type of repair on a tractor because of low quality oil that will more than eat up any savings you had by buying the cheap stuff.Just like diesel fuel
I only buy diesel for my trucks and tractors at the premium auto diesel pump usually only a couple cents higher never had a diesel fuel related issue.

Click to expand...

TF you missed the point of my post completely.

I am a firm believer in using 303 in my old tractors that do not have wet brakes or anything that has a wet clutch.

Detergent oil will pick up moisture and the moisture will be collected in the filter.
If there is no filter, then a non-detergent oil should be used so the moisture accumulates in the slump and can be drained off.

Years ago I had a detergent oil in the hydraulics of a John Deere M. It froze up in January.

Same thing happened in the final drive of my John Deere 2010, it got moisture mixed with the oil and it froze up in January.
These two incident happened about 10 years a part.

(quoted from post at 08:05:27 10/10/19) If you ever have to do any type of repair on a tractor because of low quality oil that will more than eat up any savings you had by buying the cheap stuff.Just like diesel fuel
I only buy diesel for my trucks and tractors at the premium auto diesel pump usually only a couple cents higher never had a diesel fuel related issue.

Click to expand...

BUT!!!!!! the ford 8n has run for 70 years on so called low quality oil and not failed due to this oil.

You missed the point of the article for older tractors totally.

second... 303 oils were compatible with early 60s and early 70s wet brakes and clutches and were better than the oils in the 1948 oils so again, tractors from the 60s, and up to 1975 have suffered NO failures due to 303 oils.. So we have 44 years of no failures due to 303 oils being used..... So your missing the point again on older tractors.

Thirdly 303 oils due to the original spec calling for whale oil additives for viscosity improvement over the 20 weight oils,, were banned in 74 due to the whale killing ban.... and the move last year to prohibit the use of a "303" labeled oil due to that 1974 ban, the replacement oil now on the market is jd20 spec which is even a newer spec oil than the previous 303 spec'ed oil. this means the cheaper oil is now good in even newer tractors into the 80's.


And back to the op article above, running any tractor with old or newer oil for long periods will help expel the moisture from the oil and boil it off.

Putting good "boots" over the shifters on some tractor will greatly reduce the introduction of moisture also.

However other than freeze damage from excessive water, most pre 76 tractors have not shown a huge problem from using early or late oils,, AND we have history to prove it. later tractors with 200 hydroshift gears are not including in this discussion.