Which oil 10w-30 or 15w-40?

[GeoHorn]

???

That was the idea I was trying (apparently unsuccessfully) to convey.. Guess I need to work on my clarity of written thought.....

Dan

Or maybe I need to improve my reading comprehension. LOL
<break>

I think the warranty question is a great question, why use a grade of oil that is not recommended by the manufacturer. I have not deviated from the recommended 10W-30 for cold climate use.

I did recently make my first warranty claim for an engine failure on a car, it was not a simple task, my claim was denied but eventually the brand agreed to 50% of the repair cost. Engine rebuild was $16k!

Their shop makes a 50% mark-up … so they only gave up their profit on the job and didn’t do any large favor, in all likelihood.

I can imagine dealers carrying the product recommended by their mfr’rs… such as a Kubota dealer carrying Kubota oil in Kubota-recommended viscosities….
And it makes sense they might also carry Shell (or other) products in Kubota recommended viscosities if those other products have local following and profit-margins are appropriate.

But if a customer called to ask if I had “brand-X oil” in some viscosity-index not supported by Kubota… why would I carry that? ….and if a customer called to ask if I‘d recommend they use some other viscosity I don’t carry in inventory….. Why would I do that?
I believe I’d recommend what my mfr’r (Kubota in this case) calls-for… and hope they’d purchase it from my store. And I’d wonder why they thought I might recommend anything other when it’d be my shop which would be asked to cover any warranty-work the customer might later claim was caused by my endorsement…

 

[lmichael]

My dealer says Rotella T-6 5W-40 is as good as it gets. Though they have to tow the line and sell the Kubota 10W-30. But they openly admit the Shell T6 is way better. IMO (as well as theirs) it's as good as it gets. Especially taking into account the brutally cold temps in the upper midwest. It flows fast, gets where it needs to be and protects well

 

[B737]

Thank you all for the feedback...I ended up calling several dealers in the tri-state. All recommended 10w-30 for NJ. I think the Rotella T5 10w-30 is looking good.. its a synthetic blend...and Wally world has it for $27 for a gallon. Where as Kubota conventional is $43 here.

This was my approach as well for the LX (also NJ), I asked the dealer if I dropped it off for service what it would get, and he said 10w-30, which also meets the range that's specified in the book so I went with that. Will use either Kubota branded stuff or the T5.

 

[ac209]

Geohorn said:

I can imagine dealers carrying the product recommended by their mfr’rs… such as a Kubota dealer carrying Kubota oil in Kubota-recommended viscosities….
And it makes sense they might also carry Shell (or other) products in Kubota recommended viscosities if those other products have local following and profit-margins are appropriate.

But if a customer called to ask if I had “brand-X oil” in some viscosity-index not supported by Kubota… why would I carry that? ….and if a customer called to ask if I‘d recommend they use some other viscosity I don’t carry in inventory….. Why would I do that?
I believe I’d recommend what my mfr’r (Kubota in this case) calls-for… and hope they’d purchase it from my store. And I’d wonder why they thought I might recommend anything other when it’d be my shop which would be asked to cover any warranty-work the customer might later claim was caused by my endorsement…


[/QUOTE]

I had originally asked this of my dealer who lives about 150 miles from me. I wasn't planning on running that far to buy oil from him and just wanted to know if they thought 5w-40 was OK since it wasn't in their book. It gets a tad nippy here in January to the tune of -20 to -40F and usually 10w-30 is a tad thick in those temps, even with the frost plug heater installed by my dealer. I went with Rotella 10w-30 until I'm off warranty at least. Then I can go to 5W-40 which I can get here in full synthetic.

 

[NvRudder]

Geohorn said:

I can imagine dealers carrying the product recommended by their mfr’rs… such as a Kubota dealer carrying Kubota oil in Kubota-recommended viscosities….
And it makes sense they might also carry Shell (or other) products in Kubota recommended viscosities if those other products have local following and profit-margins are appropriate.

But if a customer called to ask if I had “brand-X oil” in some viscosity-index not supported by Kubota… why would I carry that? ….and if a customer called to ask if I‘d recommend they use some other viscosity I don’t carry in inventory….. Why would I do that?
I believe I’d recommend what my mfr’r (Kubota in this case) calls-for… and hope they’d purchase it from my store. And I’d wonder why they thought I might recommend anything other when it’d be my shop which would be asked to cover any warranty-work the customer might later claim was caused by my endorsement…

I had originally asked this of my dealer who lives about 150 miles from me. I wasn't planning on running that far to buy oil from him and just wanted to know if they thought 5w-40 was OK since it wasn't in their book. It gets a tad nippy here in January to the tune of -20 to -40F and usually 10w-30 is a tad thick in those temps, even with the frost plug heater installed by my dealer. I went with Rotella 10w-30 until I'm off warranty at least. Then I can go to 5W-40 which I can get here in full synthetic.
[/QUOTE]
I have struggled to fully understand the Engine Oil classifications table from the L2501 Op Manual.
That being said...now that I actually have the tractor, I will follow the viscosity and classification specifications in the manual as closely as possible based on my expected ambient temperatures here in northern NV...at least through the Warranty period.

With Rotella T6 not available in 10W-30, I will be using Mobil Delvac Extreme 10W-30, which also seems to have the correct API Classifications. Using only Kubota filters never was a concern...

 

[DustyRusty]

I think the warranty question is a great question, why use a grade of oil that is not recommended by the manufacturer. I have not deviated from the recommended 10W-30 for cold climate use.

I did recently make my first warranty claim for an engine failure on a car, it was not a simple task, my claim was denied but eventually the brand agreed to 50% of the repair cost. Engine rebuild was $16k!

What brand of an automobile had the issue? I have a FORD, with the water pump installed inside of the engine. I worry about the many failures of this design happening to me. I did purchase the extended warranty, but who knows what hoops I might have to go through should the engine blow up.

 

[Snowman7]

15-40, 666 hrs(3 years) so far, but tractor stored in 50* garage,so 'warmish' to start....
always gloplug for 3 steamboats everytime I start.

I have never heard that term”steamboat”

 

[RalphVa]

what's in the book
lx3310
View attachment 68453

I was about to post this information. 10w30 (or 5w30 or 0w30) fits for all temperatures. xxw40 is only specified for above 77 F. Actually, all oils in our water cooled engines "see" 190 F coolant as set by thermostat. They do not "see" the outside temp. Think those upper temps are for air cooled engines.

 

[B737]

well, they see the OAT when we start them cold, but I think following what is in the book makes the most sense (for me). It doesnt get that cold in NJ often, but it's not unseen either. It seems weird running 10w-30 in a diesel, but I tend to follow instructions rather than re-invent. The LX engine runs so smooth it seems happy with the 10w-30, no funny noises on start up.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I was about to post this information. 10w30 (or 5w30 or 0w30) fits for all temperatures. xxw40 is only specified for above 77 F. Actually, all oils in our water cooled engines "see" 190 F coolant as set by thermostat. They do not "see" the outside temp. Think those upper temps are for air cooled engines.

The oil in your water cooled engine "sees" ambient temps as low as -40C(-40F) at cold startup and operating temps around 150C (300F) inside a hot running engine.

Identifying an oil that can perform in a specific ambient range is the whole purpose of the xxWyy grade designations. Any 5Wxx oil will outperform any 10Wxx oil at low startup temperatures.

Dan

 

[RCW]

The oil in your water cooled engine "sees" ambient temps as low as -40C(-40F) at cold startup and operating temps around 150C (300F) inside a hot running engine.

Identifying an oil that can perform in a specific ambient range is the whole purpose of the xxWyy grade designations. Any 5Wxx oil will outperform any 10Wxx oil at low startup temperatures.

Dan

Dan - - In upstate New York, that was my rationale with the Rotella T6.

Wasn't that concerned with the -30 or -40 part of the equation.

Like you, was more concerned with the 5w, 10w, 15w part.

Cold is when most engine wear happens.

I started with 15w. Lacking a block heater but in an attached garage, 15w cold starts could still be "prickly".

5w was so much better....

Right or wrong, if given the choice to a re-do, I would do the same thing.

 

[B737]

@RCW I agree. I found my B2601 was not happy starting up when it was really cold on winter mornings, when I switched it to 5w-40 T6 the cold start ups were a lot less dramatic.

 

[TheOldHokie]

Dan - - In upstate New York, that was my rationale with the Rotella T6.

Wasn't that concerned with the -30 or -40 part of the equation.

Like you, was more concerned with the 5w, 10w, 15w part.

Cold is when most engine wear happens.

I started with 15w. Lacking a block heater but in an attached garage, 15w cold starts could still be "prickly".

5w was so much better....

Right or wrong, if given the choice to a re-do, I would do the same thing.

That cold ambient is all the manual is concerned with. It could have included many other grade combinations but the list would have been even more confusing. Bad enough they included SAE 2O. You will look long and hard to find someone making that.

Dan