How Many Hours Do You Put On Your Oil

[Larkin]

I'm running M1E 10w30 with wix filters in my John Deere and Exmark mowers. They are all air cooled. The Exmarks have an oil cooler. Running them about 200 hours between oil changes. After joining the forum, I'm going to Rotella t6 5w40 for my next oil change. What do you think? Thanks, Larry

 

[SwedishRider]

I run Amsoil ASE 10W-30/SAE 30 and Wix filters in my R322T AWD Rider and change them out once a year in the fall. I only average about 50 hours per year though. I do think you'll be okay with your hour change schedule provided the time you'll need to reach 200 hours is less than a couple of years.

 

[Larkin]

I run a lawn care service and on average put around 300 to 400 hours a year on a single mower. Thanks

 

[Eddie]

My John Deere L111 with a 20HP B&S twin suggests changing oil and filter at 50 hours. I use 10w30 PP and change it once a year which is ~ 30 hours.

 

[CT8]

What does the MFG recommend?

 

[Bror Jace]

Larkin, how often do you have to add oil? If, after the 100 mile mark, consumption seems to increase significantly, I'd guess the oil has sheared and is due for replacement. It'd sure be interesting to see a UOA on your 200 hour oil.

Otherwise you are probably OK with changes at the 200 hour mark. After all, it has a spin-on filter to catch the worst of the wear bits.

Have you retired a mower yet? If so, why? For most OPE, the engine easily outlasts the rest of the machine.

 

[Larkin]

I'm thinking 100 hours on the exmark. I was hoping the better oil and filter will gain me time. This year I'm going to test one with M1EP and the other with t6.

 

[Larkin]

I guess my thinking is. With my Camry with standard oil 5000 miles , with M1 10000 miles.

 

[Larkin]

The John Deere GX255 has 1250hrs. When I pick it up it had 300hrs. Its uses the most oil. I would say 20ozs. of oil between changes. Exmark has 900hrs When I pick it up it had 250hrs. It uses less. Thanks

 

[Dufus2]

I used to work for a refuge company who based their OCI on UOA and later drained their equipment at a set OCI of 450 hrs using a full synthetic with filter changes every 150 hrs. 200 to 250 hrs is typical on similar equipment driven over the road.

If you plan to run Rotella T6 in your mowing equipment, I would stick to the OEM recommendation of 50-100 hours. The reasoning is from small particles that accumulate in the oil and grind away at your equipment. I have also used the Amsoil ASE Small Engine oil and its a premium product, their recommendations are also to follow the equipment's drain interval.

Last summer I installed an hour meter on my personal mower and really don't know my annual hours since it was so dry that it was parked half the summer. I used the Amsoil SAE 30/10w30 for two years and it still looked like new (clear) when it was drained.

 

[Kuato]

Why not have a UOA performed and be sure? You might actually be able to extend your interval and save some business cash.

But to answer question, when we had the 12hp JD(Briggs) it was once a year, around 70 hours.

 

[spasm3]

I only put about 25hrs a year on my toro zero turn. I run the amsoil 10w30 motorcycle oil or the hdd 5w 30 amsoil diesel. I change once a year , filter every other year.

 

[Colt45ws]

Hmm. I don't know. That reminds me, its been awhile since Ive changed it in the mower. Like almost 2 years now. Suppose I should change it after it warms up.

 

[mrsilv04]

One doesn't need to spend $10 a quart for oil, to get quality protection.

I have a 1995 John Deere 425 AWS with 2700+ hours on it. The recommended OCI for this unit is every 150 hours.

I change it every 125 hours (which is once a year at my rate of usage) with Rotella T 10w-30, and a $4 oil filter (not a JD filter).

The Rotella T is around $12 a gallon.

At 2020 hours, I replaced the valve cover gaskets due to seepage. Here is what I found. For $3 a quart, that oil is doing its job just fine.

 

[Larkin]

I have a job that takes 50 hours out of your week. So I would say time and money. It's started as a business for my Boys,to help pay for college,cars,gas, and sports. Over the last 3 years its grown to 40,000 gross. I feel if oil is good 200 hours, it saves me time and money.

 

[Larkin]

Is your JD 425 water cooled

 

[Clevy]

Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
One doesn't need to spend $10 a quart for oil, to get quality protection.

I have a 1995 John Deere 425 AWS with 2700+ hours on it. The recommended OCI for this unit is every 150 hours.

I change it every 125 hours (which is once a year at my rate of usage) with Rotella T 10w-30, and a $4 oil filter (not a JD filter).

The Rotella T is around $12 a gallon.

At 2020 hours, I replaced the valve cover gaskets due to seepage. Here is what I found. For $3 a quart, that oil is doing its job just fine.

Looks great.

Who says you need a synthetic in OPE eh