Motor oil

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kerley

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Is Synthetic Motor Oil better than regular Motor Oil in our Tractors or is it just preference?
 
I think it depends a little on the tractor and how it gets used... you have a smaller (newer) tractor working it's behind off, it's probably a good idea to go synthetic... We have a lot of leaky old iron, so it gets an oil change with Walmart oil every 100 hours and it's probably just fine for it.
Since I just built a brand new engine for my Dodge, I've used synthetic in it.. they recommend longer oil change intervals on it so despite it costing $70 for an oil change, I go for about 6000 miles on it which makes up for a lot of the extra cost. I seem to get improved mileage on it especially at highway speeds too.. if that's not a figment of my imagination.
 
I bought a new in the box 6hp Suzuki outboard motor and the service manual specified using a synthetic motor oil. Interestingly, there was a single page flyer in the box that said do not use synthetic oil.
 
I've been wanting to try the synthetics but don't have anything new enough to run it in. For those of you who use it do you notice any difference in oil pressure? Not that it would make any difference in lubricity - just curious.
 
The debate is usually rotella or straight weight. This is new be interested in the thoughts. Rotella is proven on my farm.
 
lavacarancher":2eue305d said:
I've been wanting to try the synthetics but don't have anything new enough to run it in. For those of you who use it do you notice any difference in oil pressure? Not that it would make any difference in lubricity - just curious.

I really don't think age of the equipment has anything to do with using synthetic or not. None of the stuff I've used synthetic in has an oil pressure guage, only idiot lights, so I can't answer your question about oil pressure.

I've run 5W40 synthetic in my 1973 and 1974 Ford tractors and my 2013 Kubota. Also run 10W30 Mobil 1 synthetic in one of my V-twin zero turn lawnmowers since new, but considering switching back to dino 10W30 or straight 30.

The main advantage I was looking for the tractors was easier starting and faster lubrication in winter. I'm really not so sure that the 5W40 has any real cold starting advantage over regular 10W30. I always plug the tractors in anyway if possible.

On the lawnmower, I thought Mobil 1 might give some extra protection for operation under high heat/heavy load/ longer OCI on the zero turn. I can almost change the oil twice as often for the same price, except the cost of a new filter.

FWIW, I've got 10W30 again to change Fords this fall. Still plan to put 5W40 in the Kubota.

Another FWIW that I'm not sure is relevant to this discussion but I'll throw it out there anyway. I had a 1982 Chevy pickup with 189K miles and a very tired 350 in it. Don't know for sure before I bought it at 117K, but I suspect the engine had never had a wrench on it. That got to where it would use a quart of 10W30 in 600 miles. Not leaking oil, it was going out the exhaust and a spark plug would foul occassionally. Add a quart and be down another quart in 400 miles and then I usually changed it. Had similar experience with a 1979 Impala 305 after it got over 200K miles. Couldn't hardly keep it firing on all 8 all the time.

Last time I had the oil changed before I sold the pickup I had the guys at the co-op put 15W40 in it. The pickup did use less oil, and the aftermarket oil guage did read higher at any given temp and rpm. With the 10W30 at operating temp idling, there was only about 15 psi oil pressure 15W40 seemed to maintain closer to 20 psi, and at highway speed might get up to 30 psi.
 
I think you make a good point.. it's the weight of the oil that makes oil pressure higher, not the composition of it.. synthetics actually usually flow a little thinner than dino oils, but perhaps that's just when it's cold, perhaps they don't thin out as much at high temps.

I had an old toyota tercel 4wd wagon... I had that thing flipped on it's roof on the farm once, hauled 70,000 lbs of carrots in it, hauled hay for the cows for a whole winter, I put about 5,000 miles on it over the course of 2 years on the farm, then bought another car that was roadworthy but had a blown engine, so I put that one into it, and drove it for a year, about 25,000 more miles, never did change the oil in it, added a quart every once in a while, it had a couple leaks. it's parked now (rusted out), but that engine is still strong.. you s'pose I should change the oil?
 
I sure understand the need to have the vehicles start when the temp is well below freezing. I don't have that problem in S. Texas but that's the reason they make multi-vis oils. I use 10-W30 (Pennzoil) in my gasoline powered engines and 15-W40 Delo or Rotello in my diesels. My Duramax has 280K on it now and, well, what the heck, why try to fix something when it's not broke. If I live long enough to need another truck, first oil change will be to synthetic.
 
lavacarancher":1yn56xm6 said:
I sure understand the need to have the vehicles start when the temp is well below freezing. I don't have that problem in S. Texas but that's the reason they make multi-vis oils. I use 10-W30 (Pennzoil) in my gasoline powered engines and 15-W40 Delo or Rotello in my diesels. My Duramax has 280K on it now and, well, what the heck, why try to fix something when it's not broke. If I live long enough to need another truck, first oil change will be to synthetic.

I don't drive or pull them hard, so I use regular 5W30 oil in my Dodge V10 and GMC 454 year round. I use 5W20 oil in the 2012 Hyundai. I get local co-op to change my oil. They keep bulk oil in the shop in 5W20, 5W30, and 10W30 all priced at $4/qt. They have bulk 15W40 too priced a bit higher. Any other weights or synthetic oil you have to buy off the shelf at a higher price.

I started the Hyundai last winter on one clear cold morning without a cloud in the sky because I had a medical appt in town. The temp around 8AM was -37F. I really appreciate fuel injection 8) Never even sat in the ice cold seat. I just reached in and turned the key. The car rolled over a few extra times, then started right up. No garage, no soft plug heater, no nothing :banana: :banana: :banana:

I have started the Kubota down to 0 inside the shed with no assistance except for the tractor's glow plugs. The glow plugs only activate when it is +5 or colder. Anytime it gets down to 20 or so I normally plug the tractor in.
 
Never got that cold here, but once a winter, on the coldest morning, I start my truck without plugging it in.. I like to know it can do it if it needs to..last year it was about -25C, so probably around -15F... of course it doesn't *like* it, but it starts on the first try, coughs a little and chugs away
 
Several years back, I attended a seminar on lubricants. A lubrication engineer with one of the big 4 oil
companies was answering questions. When asked about synthetic motor oil, his response which I will attempt to recall was: (he was speaking to people from Kentucky and Tennessee) " synthetic oils have a
definite benefit in extremely cold areas and extremely hot areas " however , he did not see any benefit
for folks in Ky. or Tn. climates. While synthetic oils do offer a longer drain interval (before oxidation begins), his opinion that DIRT was the primary enemy of the engine, not oxidation. Therefore, he felt that all oils needed to be changed based on the environment the engine was operating in with regard to dust, etc.
 

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