Oil change interval

[Fastball]

Hello...was having a chat with another tractor owner about oil changes. My dad’s old L2900 (from the 1998 Grand L series) has a recommended oil change interval of 200 hours. For me, that is about 2 years...since I just mostly use it to mow in the summer and plow snow in the winter. Is two years too long of a time interval, or is the 200 hour mark the factor to go by?

 

[Bmyers]

My manual is every 400 hours. Yet, I prefer, just a personal preference is to change the oil and filter once a year, which for me is about 120 hours on it.

 

[RCW]

Strictly my own choice; I change motor oil annually. Gets about 60 hours on it, and like you, use it year ‘round.

A little BX service is only about $30. Certainly more expensive for a bigger machine, if that enters the equation.

 

[foobert]

The “3-months or 3000 miles” marketing slogan has truly messed with oil change interval perception. Yes, time does *eventually* matter, but, more importantly is how was the storage and operating usage characteristics. Moisture reacts with combustion by-products to slowly acidify the oil. Good diesel engine oil has an additive package that chemically buffers the PH to delay this process greatly. For ~$30-40 you can send off used-oil sample and have the TBN tested — “total base number” to precisely quantify how well your oil is performing under your operating and storage methods.

2 years of regular usage, always fully upto temp on each cycle and stored in a temperature buffered shed in a relatively dry climate — no problem.

2 years of short cycle usage (few minutes at a time) in coastal humidity stored out doors —eaaak!!!

 

[torch]

Condensation in oil can cause acids, which degrade the oil even if the engine is not run. Many manufacturers say change the oil every XXX miles/hours or annually for this reason.

Synthetics are also susceptible, to greater or lesser degrees, depending on the specific base stock and additives. So while I use synthetic oil, I change it at least annually no matter what the running time is.

 

[Thunder chicken]

The M7060 manual has oil changes at 500 hours. No mention of time. Some other items have a time interval. It’s as black now after 100 hours as it was at 500, last time it was changed. An oil change is about $100, not a lot but not something that needs to be done early for peace of mind.
Probably most important to use oil of the right spec for your ambient temp, and the right API rating (in case you have a dpf)
Totally different, but on my VW TDI, it’s recommended 15,000km. After I removed the EGR, the oil stays noticeably cleaner longer, so I run 20,000km or once a year changes.

 

[RCW]

I was a 3 month/3k mile guy for many, many years.

Modern oils have changed that, as others mention. I completely get where they're coming from.

They also mention recommended/proper spec for oil used, and the minimum service interval.

Those are so important.....gets so many in trouble with hydraulic fluids. A $50 bucket of 303 could kill an HST pretty quick.

The beauty of having "my" tractor is that I'll do as I wish.

If I choose to shorten the service interval, that's my choice. I use properly spec'd supplies.

Even though it says "Removal of this tag is a Violation of Law", I also cut off Mattress tags....I've been known as a rebel....

 

[GreensvilleJay]

so.... oil quality has improved to the point where 'they' wnat you to chang eit more often.hmmmmmmm
'67 Mustang I did every 5,000 miles now 'they' say every 3000 miles...
maybe he oil's aren't better ?? or someone is scamming JQ Public.

 

[pokey1416]

Yep, 1x/yr that’s what I go by.

 

[Steve Neul]

Hello...was having a chat with another tractor owner about oil changes. My dad’s old L2900 (from the 1998 Grand L series) has a recommended oil change interval of 200 hours. For me, that is about 2 years...since I just mostly use it to mow in the summer and plow snow in the winter. Is two years too long of a time interval, or is the 200 hour mark the factor to go by?

LOL, I've changed the oil I think five times with 800 hours use. The kicker is the 800 hours was over a span of 34 years. From now on I plan to do it annually.

 

[GeoHorn]

(A

so.... oil quality has improved to the point where 'they' wnat you to chang eit more often.hmmmmmmm
'67 Mustang I did every 5,000 miles now 'they' say every 3000 miles...
maybe he oil's aren't better ?? or someone is scamming JQ Public.

Engine oils are better than they ever were. But the fuel we’re using on automobiles (which is where you are transferring the 3-months/3K miles recommendation) is ethanol-laced unleaded So-called “gasoline” (more like paint-thinner/solvent actually.)

The point is that the combustion by-products are harmfull to the engines internal components. (Engines no longer made of cast-iron and steel with leaded-bronze plain bearing...but these days have aluminum, plastics, and copper-rich bearings) and they don’t withstand acidic oil as well as in the past.)

An extreme example is the new so-called “Flex-Fuel” vehicles. Anyone operating one of those on the “Flex Fuel”... may have overlooked the comment in the Owner’s Manual that requires oil change intervals to be HALVED!
Yep.... Halved! The E85 fuel will KILL your engine internal components even faster than the 10% Unleaded Ethanol will Due to contaminated oil From the ethanol. (So-much for saving money with E85 “Flex-Fuel” hey?? )

But back to trakters.... Diesels have always been “dirtier” in the crankcases and that’s why their oils are different than gasoline engines and also why most diesels oil-sumps/crankcases are sometimes measured in GALLONS rather than 4 or 5 quarts. They need the extra volume in order to accommodate the increased dirt, tempertures, change-intervals, etc.

An IN-Active engine is not good and at least an annual oil change for my stuff.

 

[Magicman]

Annually is my oil/filter & fuel filter change interval.