Starting a B6200

[Jason 001]

I have a Kubota B6200 tractor with only 300 original hrs on it. I was wondering if any knows why I have to use the glow plugs every time I start a cold engine? It doesn't matter if its 90 degrees outside or if its 20 degrees, I always have to use glow the glow plugs then it starts right up and runs perfect. I used to have a cub cadet with a 3 cyl diesel engine and I never had to use the glow plugs unless it was winter time. Am I doing something wrong? This is my first Kubota. Thank you.

 

[Eric McCarthy]

Diesel does not spark and ignite like gas does. Diesel burns there for it has to get hot in order to ignite. Also consider the size of the engine block of your Kubota compared to the block of the Cub Cadet. Theres a sizeable difference between the two.

 

[Jason 001]

Thanks for the info. I do not know much about diesel engines. Still learning.

 

[Bulldog]

I think the biggest thing on the cold start has to do with the type of injection system being used. A indirect injection system seems to have a combustion chamber that simply allows for faster start. The preheat times (2-3 sec @ 32F -- 10 sec @ 5F) on both my L 3000 and my M 9000 are much less than a B series tractor. I started my L 3000 this winter without using glow plugs at -14F.

In march of 93 I started my B 7100 after we had a blizzard. It had been around 0F or below for about a week. I had about 5' of snow in my yard from where it had drifted up the hills from my pasture. I needed to get a path out to the road so I could try and get to my 80 yr old Uncles's house to try and make a trail in to him to get him out (lost power, no heat) I barely got it to crank but did and was able to get to him and make a way to get him to a warm place. The one and only thing that allowed this little work horse to fire up was the use of synthetic oil.

It seems that most people don't want to hear that synthetic lubricants are the best choice but in this case I feel like it saved a life. Our power was out for 13 days and it was 19 days before I was able to get my 4x4 truck out of my drive way. Stranded wasn't the word for it, more like trapped.

Amsoil 5w30 heavy duty diesel oil pour point; -58F MSDS sheet pg 2 / freeze/melt point
Amsoil 15w40 diesel oil pour point ; -44F MSDS sheet pg 2 / freeze/melt point www.amsoil.com/msds/hdd.pdf
www.amsoil.com/msds/ame.pdf

Shell rotella t 15w40 diesel oil pour point; -4F MSDS sheet pg 4 / pour point
Shell rotella t6 syn 5w40 diesel oil pour point; -15F MSDS sheet pg 4 / pour point
Be sure to look at all the dates, they are current.www.correctionenterprises.com/products/msds/index.82-0382-03m
www.equivashellmsds.com/Display_MSDS.asp?ID=196724

What this means for you and your engine is that Amsoil 5w30 HDD is still considered a liquid at or down to -58F. Their 15w40 is rated down to -44F.
Rotella T is considered to be a liquid down to -4F.

Now just ask your self what does that mean to me. I don't know about you but I use my Kubota on a regular basis in cold weather. I may live in Ga. but I have had quite a few days this past winter that it was below zero here. How cold did it get where you live this winter? If Rotella T is considered a liquid down to -4F. That means it is considered a Solid at any temp below that point.

I'm not trying to sell you on anything. If you can look at these numbers and still be happy with the oil you use then go for it. I like the fact that I can start my Kubota at -14F and not worry if my engine oil is doing what I paid for, protecting my Orange investment.

 

[Jason 001]

I do use synthetic oil. I use mobile. Is Amsoil better?

 

[Theekillerbee]

Amsoil does make some good stuff. I personally haven't used it, but I have friends who swear by it. I guess I'm just slow to be converted....

That Purple power stuff is also supposed to be some great stuff, once again, only second hand experience. Not sure if there has been a comparison between the 2 brands.

 

[Bulldog]

I do use synthetic oil. I use mobile. Is Amsoil better?

Hi Jason,

I grew up as a firm believer in Mobil oil products. As far as petrolium oil is concerned I think Mobil is still the best on the market. When Mobil 1 came on the seen I switched to it and had very good luck with it. I am a firm believer in the benefits of synthetic lubricants.

About 13 or so years ago I was talking to a friend and oil was mentioned. He introduced me to Amsoil and said I should try it. I was leary about changing a good thing so he offered this to me. He gave me a change of oil and said that if I couldn't tell a difference that I owed him nothing for the oil. I had a 95 model F 150 4x4, 302 HO, 5 speed OD, 355 gear sitting on 33x12.50r15 Cooper Discoverer mud tires. It had 10w30 Mobil 1 flowing thru it as soon as I brought it home from the dealer (43mi). At this point in time I only had 25,000 mi on it.

This truck was my daily driver and it loved gas stations. I had to stop at about every other one it seemed like to fill it up. 9 mpg driving back and forth to work. I changed to Amsoil 10w30 and to my pleasent surprise I was now getting 11 mpg. I changed the power steering, tranny and transfer case over to Amsoil Universal ATF and it jumped to 13 mpg. I could believe what I was seeing. I changed the diffs to Amsoil Series 2000 75w90 gear oil and it would go back and forth between 14 - 15 mpg. I have a Autometer temp guage and I thought it wasn't working. It only runs at about 125 degrees in the winter and about 150 - 165 degrees in the summer (180 degree thermostat) even with the AC going. I confirmed the temp several different times with a heat gun.

I still have this truck now (runs like new) and it has 130,000 on it. I am only on my 5th oil change since swapping over to Amsoil at 25,000 miles. Their 10w30 is rated for 25,000 mile oil change intervals.

I run my F 250 Power stroke 10,000 mi between changes using Amsoil 5w30 Heavy Duty Diesel oil. The oil is rated for 50,000 mi oil change intervals but I have a trailer behind me more than I don't and I like to wrench on it more often than that. After doing a complete change over I gained about 5 mpg which saves me on average $500 in fuel cost (depending on price at pump) every 10,000 miles.

I have Amsoil in every thing I own from my R/C car all the way up to my M 9000 Kubota. If it takes oil or grease it has Amsoil either in it or on it.

I could write or tell you stories all night long about different things I have experienced for myself but the only real way for you to believe it is to try it yourself. It will only take 1 oil change and your eyes will be opened up to the next level of oil performance.

So to answer your question; Is Amsoil better than Mobil? I proved it to myself time after time.

When Mobil 1 came out with their 15,000 mi oil it blew people away. I sure everyone here at OTT can remember when the T/V commercial came out. Amsoil started making 100% synthetic oil rated at 25,000 mi oil change in 1972. Amsoil has the motto; "The First in Synthetics" for a reason. They earned it before any other oil company even dreamed about it.