A New Oil Thread

[MapleLeafFarmer]

regardless of peoples hate for oil threads... this morning I decided I would start a new one.

Most days the "old farmers club" meets at our local coffee shop (the kind the has waitresses not baristas) and that serves only the 2 approved forms of coffee in these parts (full strength or decaf) accompanied by the the only 3 approved sides (a slice of pie, a couple of eggs and maybe a couple of shingles with jam not honey).

Today's discussion was about oil changes and how much oil gets added to the pan.

It was unanimous that we all measure our used oil drained prior to refilling. The amount measured out guides the amount we pour back in.

The question then was on the dip stick, where do you like to keep your level?

Me, I tend to fill to the absolute full mark and admittedly sometimes get a smiggen above as often as I get a smiggen below. Hard to hit the exact full mark. Is this right or wrong?? I have no clue but it is what i have done since... well can't remember when I made my first oil change.

What say you about where you like to keep your fill levels or better yet argue what is best spot on the stick to keep your fill levels?

cheers and merry christmas all.

 

[Dustball]

For me, it's within the upper 2/3rds of the min/max range but not right at max.

 

[Runs With Scissors]

I'm on "Team Full/Smiggn"

 

[Hugo Habicht]

Between min. and max. is what is required.

After an oil change it is max though I do not top up to maximum in between just to throw out the new oil with the next oil change.

 

[DONLI]

I am to damb OLD, and not able to change oil in anythinge bigger than a lawn mower, so it is between full and add lines!
Come to think about it I may not even be able to change that!
Have to get son inlaw over but will have to watch over him to make sure he does it right!

Don

 

[McMXi]

It's the full or max mark for me.

 

[chim]

Between min. and max. is what is required.

After an oil change it is max though I do not top up to maximum in between just to throw out the new oil with the next oil change.

That's similar to my approach, although I do add some if it's in the lower quarter.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Full or max

 

[William1]

Max. Oil never rises unless something is wrong, otherwise it always drops over time.

 

[D2Cat]

MLF, get your partners on a discussion on bypass filters. I've used the Frantz filters on a few vehicles and when you tell someone you use toilet paper in an oil filter they go off the rails! I bought TP by the case at restaurant supply store. Installed one factory oil filter on a Nissan Diesel with less then 20K miles on the engine and never removed that filter.

Oh, I keep an engine oil level to the top of the knurling.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

MLF, get your partner on a discussion on bypass filters. I've used the Frantz filters on a few vehicles and when you tell someone you use toilet paper in an oil filter they go off the rails! I bought TP by the case at restaurant supply store. Installed one factory oil filter on a Nissan Diesel with less then 20K miles on the engine and never removed that filter.

Oh, I keep an engine oil level to the top of the knurling.

for those that don't know.... Frantz bypass kits use rolls of toilet paper inside a canister. oil flows through the roll of TP. The claim is never need to change oil again and engine will last longer with a continuous supply of ever clean oil.

the toilet paper cleans up all the crap that the oil is carrying.

 

[Blue2Orange]

In the past on the blue tractor. Above 1/3 but below max. But usually close to 3/4-max after an oil change. Probably stick with the same on the Orange tractor. My lazy attitude of not topping off to max didn't seem to hurt the NH.

OT: has anyone had an oil test done on their used Kubota tractor oil to diagnosis any potential bad thing that has or might happen. No options up here. So never have had an oil test on the vehicles or tractor. Just oil and filter change at least annually.

 

[D2Cat]

for those that don't know.... Frantz bypass kits use rolls of toilet paper inside a canister. oil flows through the roll of TP. The claim is never need to change oil again and engine will last longer with a continuous supply of ever clean oil.

View attachment 166872 View attachment 166873

the toilet paper cleans up all the crap that the oil is carrying.

I was driving a lot of miles each week. I changed the TP roll every other weekend. I really don't remember how frequently I changed the oil, but it was never dirty.

Guys want to argue about the idea of TP dissolving and plugging up the oiling system. As an experiment, lay a layer of TP out flat and put a couple drops of water on the paper, then do the same thing with motor oil. Totally different results.

 

[LBZ]

3/4 the way up between min and max.

 

[bbxlr8]

Carefully sneak up on Max for me.

Usually, check again after the next cycle, but I have come to realize that I have an ocd problem with the number of vehicles and engines that I maintain. I always want to know whether it uses any in-between changes or on very long trips.

Is this in danger of turning into an "oil" thread?

 

[NCL4701]

My L4701 is the first, and only, Tier 4 common rail diesel I’ve had to maintain. I don’t claim to know everything about it. I do know it’s quite a bit different from the 60’s and 70’s diesels I’ve dealt with in the past so I lean heavily toward following manufacturer instructions.

Kind of interesting to me what the OM for my L says about oil level. Under the “Daily Check/Engine Oil” section it says to make sure it’s “between the notches”. Also says the DPF (regen) process might increase the oil level slightly. Never seen that happen, but duly noted.

The section on changing the oil says to fill to the upper notch on the dipstick. So I take it you’re supposed to fill it to start off with new oil right at max. After that, just make sure it’s within the safe operation range.

So I guess my SOP to keep it right at max is more a personal preference rather than a requirement. From a logical perspective, there’s no point in an operating range if it’s truly unacceptable to be anywhere except the top of the range. Also, at not quite 600 hours, so far it hasn’t lost any oil. I’ve never needed to add any in between changes to keep it at the max mark.

 

[BobInSD]

In the summer I keep it (tractors, mowers, & vehicles) right at max since I figure the oil helps cool the engine. In the winter I keep it at or above halfway between min and max, figuring less oil to heat up and less oil to boil the condensation out of.


Since my kubota doesn’t yet use any oil, it stays around the max mark. Those that use some oil just don’t get topped all the way up once the cold sets in.