Project Farm engine oil test

[mcmxi]

I choose my engine oil based on the SAE viscosity grade, API service ratings. and my wallet.

At the end of the day, how do any of us know that the oil we're using is a good choice unless we're sending it out for analysis to see if there's excessive contaminants in the oil, including various metals? For most, a reasonable oil change interval using a decent oil that meets the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations is the best way to proceed. Nothing clever about that. Most don't send oil out for analysis so make a choice based on what's in the owner's manuals and cost.

I'll continue to use Schaeffer and Mobil 1 products and follow reasonable oil/filter change intervals. It makes no difference to me what anyone else does.

You make it sound like it's a bad thing to take the advice of a proven expert when it comes to diesel engines and performance upgrades. Jody at Dp-Tuner knows more about diesel engines, engine oils, ECU programming, chips, etc. than most on this planet. He's built up a well-respected company based on great products, great support and great service. You can bet that he's paid for all kinds of oil analysis running various oils in engines that he's modified via programming. His recommendation was Schaeffer so I'll happily defer to his expertise.

 

[TheOldHokie]

At the end of the day, how do any of us know that the oil we're using is a good choice unless we're sending it out for analysis to see if there's excessive contaminants in the oil, including various metals? For most, a reasonable oil change interval using a decent oil that meets the vehicle manufacturer's recommendations is the best way to proceed. Nothing clever about that. Most don't send oil out for analysis so make a choice based on what's in the owner's manuals and cost.

I'll continue to use Schaeffer and Mobil 1 products and follow reasonable oil/filter change intervals. It makes no difference to me what anyone else does.

You make it sound like it's a bad thing to take the advice of a proven expert when it comes to diesel engines and performance upgrades. Jody at Dp-Tuner knows more about diesel engines, engine oils, ECU programming, chips, etc. than most on this planet. He's built up a well-respected company based on great products, great support and great service. You can bet that he's paid for all kinds of oil analysis running various oils in engines that he's modified via programming. His recommendation was Schaeffer so I'll happily defer to his expertise.

I have no issue with your decision to take that advice. If for no other reason than Schaeffer makes top line products as evidenced by a gadzillion UOAs.

But anybody can send oil out for analysis. A collection kit including the analysis costs $35. Put it in the mail and they send you the report. Arent you even the slightest curious?

Dan

 

[mcmxi]

I have no issue with your decision to take that advice. If for no other reason than Schaeffer makes top line products as evidenced by a gadzillion UOAs.

But anybody can send oil out for analysis. A collection kit including the analysis costs $35. Put it in the mail and they send you the report. Arent you even the slightest curious?

Dan

I sent out some oil samples for the first couple of years when I owned my first diesel, a 2002 F350 Super Duty 7.3L DRW. I went down the rabbit hole of installing a high-end oil bypass filter system with the idea of extending oil change intervals to 20k miles or more. When I sold that truck I was convinced in the quality of the oil I was using at the time (AMSOIL) and the quality and effectiveness of the bypass oil filter system that included a large and much finer filter than the factory one that ran in parallel with the factory filter.

I have two tractors, a truck, a military truck and a generator that have diesel engines. It becomes a chore sending out oil samples for all of those. Perhaps when I buy a new (used) F450/F550 in a couple of years I might go back down the rabbit hole. As I mentioned earlier, my strategy now is to use a good oil, good filters and follow a reasonable oil change interval.

 

[TheOldHokie]

I sent out some oil samples for the first couple of years when I owned my first diesel, a 2002 F350 Super Duty 7.3L DRW. I went down the rabbit hole of installing a high-end oil bypass filter system with the idea of extending oil change intervals to 20k miles or more. When I sold that truck I was convinced in the quality of the oil I was using at the time (AMSOIL) and the quality and effectiveness of the bypass oil filter system that included a large and much finer filter than the factory one that ran in parallel with the factory filter.

I have two tractors, a truck, a military truck and a generator that have diesel engines. It becomes a chore sending out oil samples for all of those. Perhaps when I buy a new (used) F450/F550 in a couple of years I might go back down the rabbit hole.

Just curious. Are you changing your tractor oil at 200 hours?

Dan

 

[mcmxi]

Just curious. Are you changing your tractor oil at 200 hours?

Dan

The M6060 owner's manual lists 500 hours for the oil/filter change interval compared to the MX6000 owner's manual that lists 400 hours. The MX has close to 200 hours on it now, and since it only takes 7.4 quarts with a filter change I'll change the oil at 200 hours and stick with that interval. The M only has around 100 hours on it but I'll most likely stick with a 200 hour oil/filter change interval for that one too.

 

[jimh406]

I don't know if Rotella T6 is the best or not. Like the rest of you, I can only use one oil at a time. Rotella, either T5 or T6 depending on what I can find have worked fine for me. I'm not a high mileage diesel guy for my truck.

I expect to switch to Rotella on my Kubota the next oil change. Relative to the diesel trucks for the past 20 years, my Kubota is a simple engine. I think it will be fine with Rotella as well.

 

[jyoutz]

What Dan said! I watched one of his videos years ago and in my opinion he is a joke. His "tests" are so unscientific and have no real value. I vowed to never watch another one of his videos so I cannot comment on the results.

But Rotella is a respectable product and I have no issues using it. I do use other reputable brands as well.

I like Rotella, but I switched a few years ago to Valvoline extreme synthetic diesel oil. Why? Because the Cummins shop sells it and it has the Cummins endorsement on the jug. I run this in my Dodge/Cummins and decided to keep things simple and run the same in the tractor.

 

[jyoutz]

I thought Cummins was a big promoter of Valvoline Premium Blue

Dan

They are. The Cummins endorsement is on the jug. Since I own a Cummins engine, they sucked me into buying the Valvoline and I use it now. The Cummins shop sells the Valvoline at a comparable cost to Rotella.

 

[lmichael]

I think in "real world" (not One Armed Bandit World), you can buy just about any "brand" be it Shell, Valvoline, the Farm & Fleet brand or Fleet Farm, Mobil, what have you. As long as it's got proper "ratings" for grade and duty cycles and then most importantly CHANGE it often. And the engine will have a good long life.
I personally don't believe in "pushing" an oil change interval. All it's doing is looking for trouble. I personally use the T-6 5W-40 because I can usually find it reasonably priced, I know it's good for my Kubota, and it seems to work well in my other outdoor stuff (Honda walk behind mower and Toro snowblower). Engines start easily, don't smoke and run fine. This way I stock one oil for everything except my cars.
Though, currently our RAV4 Hybrid goes to the dealer since it's under warranty for all services. But my older Highlander with the 2GRFE V6 uses 0W-20 and if it comes due in winter (4-5k), it goes to the dealer (because at my age this big fine body is NOT crawling under a vehicle in the cold and yuk). If I change myself I buy the oil at Costco (0W-20 made by Warren Oil). and factory oil filter I buy at dealer. But, I put in my 6.5 qts and 6.5 comes out when I drop it. Even with 185k miles on it. So it must be doing OK.
I buy Kubota filters at the dealer here as well. No generics and I think I change it every 30-40 hours.
Oil and filters are cheap. Engines are not. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[fried1765]

I think in "real world" (not One Armed Bandit World), you can buy just about any "brand" be it Shell, Valvoline, the Farm & Fleet brand or Fleet Farm, Mobil, what have you. As long as it's got proper "ratings" for grade and duty cycles and then most importantly CHANGE it often. And the engine will have a good long life.
I personally don't believe in "pushing" an oil change interval. All it's doing is looking for trouble. I personally use the T-6 5W-40 because I can usually find it reasonably priced, I know it's good for my Kubota, and it seems to work well in my other outdoor stuff (Honda walk behind mower and Toro snowblower). Engines start easily, don't smoke and run fine. This way I stock one oil for everything except my cars.
Though, currently our RAV4 Hybrid goes to the dealer since it's under warranty for all services. But my older Highlander with the 2GRFE V6 uses 0W-20 and if it comes due in winter (4-5k), it goes to the dealer (because at my age this big fine body is NOT crawling under a vehicle in the cold and yuk). If I change myself I buy the oil at Costco (0W-20 made by Warren Oil). and factory oil filter I buy at dealer. But, I put in my 6.5 qts and 6.5 comes out when I drop it. Even with 185k miles on it. So it must be doing OK.
I buy Kubota filters at the dealer here as well. No generics and I think I change it every 30-40 hours.
Oil and filters are cheap. Engines are not. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

I am likely a good bit older than you but.......I still change my own oil.
Harbor Freight dipstick pump, and canister filter on top (in engine compartment).
Purflux filter + 7 qts of Mobilone - European formula.

 

[lmichael]

I am likely a good bit older than you but.......I still change my own oil.
Harbor Freight dipstick pump, and canister filter on top (in engine compartment).
Purflux filter + 7 qts of Mobilone - European formula.

I like that Euro Formula M1. When I was working between Chicago O'Hare and Minneapolis MSP I was commuting in my little Saturn SL2. It used a little oil (maybe a qt every 1200-1500) but I drove the living daylights out of it. Twice a week trips from Rockford IL to MSP and then daily to ORD. I ran it about 3500-4000 miles a month. So I extended OCI to 8500 to 9500 miles. Hell it ran like a top until some guy in a Jeep Grand Cherokee slammed into the back if it when my daughter was driving it. Yep.......totaled. It sent he sailing over 4 lanes of traffic and a median into a parking lot on the other side of the street.
But that little car was about the best little car I ever had. At 200k on the clock it was leaking at the valve cover. I took it off and it was pristine inside. Good stuff that Euro

 

[fried1765]

I like that Euro Formula M1. When I was working between Chicago O'Hare and Minneapolis MSP I was commuting in my little Saturn SL2. It used a little oil (maybe a qt every 1200-1500) but I drove the living daylights out of it. Twice a week trips from Rockford IL to MSP and then daily to ORD. I ran it about 3500-4000 miles a month. So I extended OCI to 8500 to 9500 miles. Hell it ran like a top until some guy in a Jeep Grand Cherokee slammed into the back if it when my daughter was driving it. Yep.......totaled. It sent he sailing over 4 lanes of traffic and a median into a parking lot on the other side of the street.
But that little car was about the best little car I ever had. At 200k on the clock it was leaking at the valve cover. I took it off and it was pristine inside. Good stuff that Euro

Thank for your comments.
I will not live long enough to put 200K on my E-350.

 

[lmichael]

I use a Mighty Vac now. Mostly on the Kubota. Drain plug is crazy hard to get to. Have to get the mower deck out and that huge deck is unwieldly for me. Darn thing weighs almost as much as my whole little Honda did. So I took Lugbolts advice and bought a Mighty Vac. Woks like a champ, I use it to do trans fluid on my Toyota Highlander, oil on my snow blower and on the mower as well. (though on those two things I'm thinking of switching to battery electric ones).