Bx oil change question

[Hedgehog]

I'm approaching the one year mark since taking delivery of my bx2370. The tractor only has 14 hours on it and is stored in a garage. I recently went to the kubota dealer to purchase oil and a filter to change the engine oil. They informed me that it didn't need to be done until 50 hours. Is there any advantage then of changing the oil annually since I didn't put many hours on it last winter? Also, what weight oil do you recommend for the bx2370?
Thanks

 

[1970cs]

All of this is in your operators manual! I am sure that be requirement of Kubota's delivery standards that your salesperson opened the book and showed you the 50hr service and beyond chart and the following page with fluid requirements and capacities.

And again by Kubota's requirements you should have signed at least two to three pre-delivery sheets and received copies, which have on it: showed procedures of removal and storage, operation and care for all implements, warranty booklet and manuals, etc etc.

Pat

 

[SLIMSHADIE]

I changed my oil at 20-25 hours. Im a believer at getting any manufacturing contaminents out, if there is any. I change the oil in my new cars at the first 1000 miles too. With that said some people say it may be a waist of money, but its my money and peace of mind.
Im not racking up alot of hours either, I dont mow with it anymore, bought a zero turn. Im still putting 50 hours on it a year, from summer projects, but its definitely my dedicated snow removal equipment.
So my philisophy is, every fall I change oil, filters-hydro,oil,fuel,air etc on all my equipment getting ready for spring. It's the push mowers, zero turn, pressure washer even the BX. They are all ready to go no matter what mother nature brings us. Its alot easier to do maintenance when its semi-warm than freezing temps. You never know how much snow will come and the last thing I want is the service due in the middle of a blizzard.
Im a firm believer in Shell Rotella oil for diesel engines. Ive been running it in my Dodge Cummins diesel truck for 10 years now. You can get it anyware, auto parts stores, walmart, etc. Being in a cold winter climate, Ive opted to run Rotella T6 synthetic 5w40, blue bottle. Synthetic is like only $4-5 more a gallon, I splurged. Kubota filters and an extra set on hand too.
My BX25 is a BX2370 with a backhoe. Its stored in an unheated shed.
Goodluck Hedge

 

[mudog88]

Double/triple check the warranty paperwork like 1970cs said. That being said, I'd venture to guess that if the warranty info only states the hours of operation as the OCI criteria with no calendar requirements, then that's what I would assume to be safe. Hey, if you think about it, if there's any issues related to it, it'd be covered by the warranty.
I wouldn't guess there'd be any issues with it since today's engine oil has become very robust and seems to continue to advance with each passing day. As far as weight, that should also be specified in the delivery paperwork, operators manual, and may also be on the oil fill cap. At the end of the day though, it's still your equipment, your money, and your time, so do what feels right to you.

 

[85Hokie]

I'm approaching the one year mark since taking delivery of my bx2370. The tractor only has 14 hours on it and is stored in a garage. I recently went to the kubota dealer to purchase oil and a filter to change the engine oil. They informed me that it didn't need to be done until 50 hours. Is there any advantage then of changing the oil annually since I didn't put many hours on it last winter? Also, what weight oil do you recommend for the bx2370?
Thanks

It is true - it does NOT need to be changed just yet. That being said, many a folk here will change their oil yearly, despite only placing dozens of hours on the tractor. You basically have those two choices, change NOW or not, either way, nothing is hurt or going to be hurt! Those people that change yearly do so for piece of mind, rather than the benefits to the tractor.

Having said all that - the first oil change is the most critical - in the engine and the hydraulics. Since the machine was new, all those little parts of debris are floating around and need to be taken out of the systems.

Here are the advantages of changing early - changing both filters will increase the chance of taking out the small things running around the system.....if you ever sell the machine, you have the "bragging rights" that you are on top of the regular maintenance schedules.

Disadvantages - the oil and filters that you will be tossing, both filters and the oil will have been wasted, as well as the money that went to buy them.

Not sure this is an adv or disadv - you will understand how to get to everything and where/what you need to get the job done.

As for the oil and the viscosity - I would run the Kubota oil - if you already have bought it, if believe that is 15w-40 :

http://www.kubota.com/part/lubricants.aspx

If you are in a garage - even if not heated, the starting temp up there will never be to awful hard on your machine. In the future - when you get up there around 200 hours, you can decide on the hydraulic oil change, and the engine oil change - you can place synthetic oil in there or not.

Personally - I would run the tractor more - find more things it can do!

 

[Dr Honda]

I wouldn't change it yet. Yes... it's good to get the "Junk" out from a fresh engine... but it's still fresh! You don't have enough time to really have it broken in.

SO... unless you think there is contamination from something else (like water) then run it another season, or until you are closer to 50 hr's.


I know some guys say "It's cheap insurance"... but to me, it's just wasted $$$.

As far as your last question... I'm using Rotella T5 10w-30. (I use T6 in my truck)



Just my 2 cents... take it for what it's worth.

 

[D2Cat]

Loan your tractor out so it gets more use!! You get condensation in your oil with it just setting. You need to do a 85Hokie said, use it more. Heating up the engine with hard work is the best thing for it.

If you're going to continue to let it be a shrine, not need to change oil. It's not going anywhere!

 

[78Vette]

I may change oil and other fluids a little early first time around, but definitely not at such low hours. Battery condition would be of more concern to me. But then I'd have a trickle charger hooked up if i used my equipment as little as you do.

 

[eddiebob]

I'm one of the change yearly guys. It might be comparing apples to oranges but Mercedes recommends at least yearly oil changes in their diesel engines. An engine that is run little has the potential to form condensation over time. Ed B

 

[cerlawson]

What one might do is check out what sort of hours are on old tractors that finally were junked. My bet would be you won't find any. Take my step son and the used Buick that I passed on to him when he graduated from high school. Note the word step-son. He was a rather distant kid having lost his dad at age 16 and finds a new father at 18 (in 978).. Well there was no communicating with him that settled things. A few years later when he was "on his own". That car still ran OK. His cash in pocket was always pretty slight. As a result that Buick had very few if an oil changes. He managed to keep the oil level up OK. However, after a few years with no maintenance, the engine would not run. Draining and putting in new oil helped a little, but all the gunk that clogged up valves, etc. were the cause. There was no excessive oil usage or ratteling of sloppy connecting rods, just gunk everywhere. The car had to be junked, due to gunk, not wear.

The moral to this issue is, it's amazing how long modern machinery will keep going without standard care.

As to the Mercedes owner, well if you can afford one,you can afford a lot of expense to make you feel good.

Take any old timer like me who found that way back in the 50's and 60's annual valve grinding was needed on my cars and truck, along with annual oil changed. How many of the readers here have ever had to grind valves every two years or new rings every other time, OR EVER?

Things are lot different now. By the way he and I are on great terms since that time.

 

[rjcorazza]

The oil I use specifies a maximum time interval of one year, regardless of use. My L series tractor manual does not specify anything other than 50h, then every 400h.
That said, I do not change oil in any of my machines based upon calendar time. What I do believe is important when leaving oil in infrequently used engines is that when they are run, run them up to operating temp and keep them there for a while. Nothing is worse for an engine (and oil) than brief operation and not getting the engine oil up to temp to burn off moisture.