They insist on 15w40 because they don't know any better,typical dealer.
that engine could easily use 10w30HDEO or 5w40.
that engine could easily use 10w30HDEO or 5w40.
Why does my shop insist on 15-40???
- Thread starter antonmnster
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15w-40 work pretty good above freezing. Below 0 things get cold. Batteries drop volts. The oil gets thick . Grease gets hard. I hate cold.
Well, it started just fine yesterday when it was about 5F. It's amazing how this unit sounds so quiet and refined when it's warm, but sounds like it's trying to kill itself at anything below 0F.
When I originally posted, the tractor had sat for about 2 weeks without being run. The John Deere sitting next to the New Holland - with fresh 10-30 that I snuck in against the orders of the shop - spins MUCH easier and does reliably start. It's kind of scary how it starts, but it always does. I should shoot a video of it.
There is only one good outlet in the area for equipment, and that's reserved for the $200,000 Pisten Bully. The building is "historic" and the LAST thing my organization would ever put any money into is a maintenance facility upgrade.
When I originally posted, the tractor had sat for about 2 weeks without being run. The John Deere sitting next to the New Holland - with fresh 10-30 that I snuck in against the orders of the shop - spins MUCH easier and does reliably start. It's kind of scary how it starts, but it always does. I should shoot a video of it.
There is only one good outlet in the area for equipment, and that's reserved for the $200,000 Pisten Bully. The building is "historic" and the LAST thing my organization would ever put any money into is a maintenance facility upgrade.
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I wonder if that has anything to do with the starting.
Keep in mind how a diesel engine starts. The piston has to move in the cylinder fast enough to compress the air charge and raise the air temperature enough to ignite the fuel charge. Glow plugs or intake air heaters are a help, as is heating the water jacket so less heat is lost to cold iron. The important thing is that very cold oil is like glue. The starter motor running off a cold (lower voltage) battery can't crank the engine fast enough to start it if the oil is too thick. In very cold regions an oil pan heater and battery heater, in addition to the water jacket heater, are a big help--plus thinner oil as allowed in the owner's manual. For hydraulic fluid there might be a reservoir heater that'll work. Otherwise, just run it easy until it warms.
I wonder if that has anything to do with the starting.
Keep in mind how a diesel engine starts. The piston has to move in the cylinder fast enough to compress the air charge and raise the air temperature enough to ignite the fuel charge. Glow plugs or intake air heaters are a help, as is heating the water jacket so less heat is lost to cold iron. The important thing is that very cold oil is like glue. The starter motor running off a cold (lower voltage) battery can't crank the engine fast enough to start it if the oil is too thick. In very cold regions an oil pan heater and battery heater, in addition to the water jacket heater, are a big help--plus thinner oil as allowed in the owner's manual. For hydraulic fluid there might be a reservoir heater that'll work. Otherwise, just run it easy until it warms.
Old timers in shop will insist on whatever they want.
Many will always fear the price, the word synthetic, the newer technology available.....
You should grab an HDEO 0w40 or 5w40 if you plan on starting it in the cold all the time. Even a 10w40 HDEO is worth considering. You can 'teach the shop'.
And, if synth is not in a budget, if available, definitely use the 10w30, 10w40, or 5w30 HDEO's during the winter.
Synthetics and cold climate fluids are also available for the hydraulic systems.
Many will always fear the price, the word synthetic, the newer technology available.....
You should grab an HDEO 0w40 or 5w40 if you plan on starting it in the cold all the time. Even a 10w40 HDEO is worth considering. You can 'teach the shop'.
And, if synth is not in a budget, if available, definitely use the 10w30, 10w40, or 5w30 HDEO's during the winter.
Synthetics and cold climate fluids are also available for the hydraulic systems.
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Originally Posted By: FowVay
I drive modern diesel VW cars and EVERY oil change place in my area also says it needs 15w40. The funny thing is that Volkswagen has not specified a 15w40 oil for any of the TDI engines I've owned in the past twelve years.
Not a diesel, but I know shops will dump 20W-50 into older German gas engines. I ran Delo 400 15w40 in 2 Mercedes we had, and I can tell the difference on a cold Bay Area morning.
Years ago, when I was a wee little kid I heard the parent's car try to kick over on 20W-50 on a cold Tahoe morning.
I drive modern diesel VW cars and EVERY oil change place in my area also says it needs 15w40. The funny thing is that Volkswagen has not specified a 15w40 oil for any of the TDI engines I've owned in the past twelve years.
Not a diesel, but I know shops will dump 20W-50 into older German gas engines. I ran Delo 400 15w40 in 2 Mercedes we had, and I can tell the difference on a cold Bay Area morning.
Years ago, when I was a wee little kid I heard the parent's car try to kick over on 20W-50 on a cold Tahoe morning.
It is the same here in this town, Flagstaff AZ. Every diesel shop I have come across says it has to be 15W40 and very few places sell 5W40 much less 0W40. It got down to -30 early Jan and was fairly cold for a couple weeks. The JD tractor and diesel trucks did not want to start with the 15W40 at these colder temps. I ended up putting 5W40 in my diesel truck which has helped some with cold starting. The tractor would probably benefit from the thinner oil also and a block heater.
Originally Posted By: hate2work
Originally Posted By: antonmnster
my shop INSISTS that it get 15-40. I wonder if that has anything to do with the starting.
Yes, of course it does. You might as well have molasses in the crankcase at -5F. If they insist on a 40 weight, they should use 5W-40, you would see a big improvement in cold starts.
This is a bitoger's nightmare, oil so thick it won't turn over, yikes
you're 100% correct... wrong viscosity for cold temps... bad on cold starts, VERY bad for cylinder walls and bearings.
btw.. need to apologize to you hate2work... I misunderstood the reasoning behind your "Search" help the other day.. it's all good.
Originally Posted By: antonmnster
my shop INSISTS that it get 15-40. I wonder if that has anything to do with the starting.
Yes, of course it does. You might as well have molasses in the crankcase at -5F. If they insist on a 40 weight, they should use 5W-40, you would see a big improvement in cold starts.
This is a bitoger's nightmare, oil so thick it won't turn over, yikes
you're 100% correct... wrong viscosity for cold temps... bad on cold starts, VERY bad for cylinder walls and bearings.
btw.. need to apologize to you hate2work... I misunderstood the reasoning behind your "Search" help the other day.. it's all good.
I just have a gasoline passenger car. But I buy my own filters and oil, and my mechanic puts them in. So I get the oil weight to my liking. Can you do that?
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