Oil recommendation for Massey Ferguson 255

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meulenms

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Hi All,
I've been lurking on this list for years, but now have come up with a question I can't find answered in the archives. I have a Massey 255 with a Perkins 4.236 diesel engine. Prior owner told me it was hard to start when cold (below 40 F), and he was right. He also told me he ran 15w-40 oil in it, year round. Looking at the owners manual Massey recommended the follow oils:

Above 90 deg - SAE 30
Between 32 and 90 deg - SAE 20 or 20/20W
Below 32 - SAE 10W

I can't find the second or third viscosity oil anywhere, and I'm wondering if the 15W-40 is too heavy for winter use. This tractor gets used year round. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Mike
 
What is the lowest temp when you are trying to start? Is it stored under cover or left out? Are you cycling your glow plugs prior to starting? It will always be a bit harder to start a diesel in the cold. You can use a quality diesel rated 10w-30 or 5w-40 year round. I would let price and availability dictate the brand.
 
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
5W40 is a great idea as it is noticeably lighter than 15W40. Easy to find too (rotella).


costs more though.

If you dont mind paying 5$/qt the 5w40 rotella is good.

if you want cheaper 10w30 delo if you can find it.

15w40 should be "ok" down to about 10F not the best but how is it stored and how often used in the winter?
 
Originally Posted By: friendly_jacek
5W40 is a great idea as it is noticeably lighter than 15W40. Easy to find too (rotella).

I'm going with 5W40 rotella as well for my tractor as well. It has started just fine with 10 seconds on the glow plugs with the factory 10W30 in 8F weather too.
Probably boils down to the need to start the tractor in 0F and lower temps? Then you better get a 0W40 or 5W40 synthetic oil. If you can wait until its 10-20F then a dino 10W30 would be fine all year round.
 
SAE 20 and 30 used to be everywhere... in 1965.

I'd agree, you could try 5-40 year round or 10-30 in the winter and whatever 40 in the summer.
 
I would agree that any decent dino 10w-30 HDEO would work.

I know that Rotella is available at Advance Auto Parts, and Walmart. AAP Part No. 5073790 and W/M #004214359. Another alternative is that the T5 10w-30 is often stocked at many Walmarts. It has the same cold crank rating as the T6 for a lot less cost.

I don't know what part of MI you're in, but there has got to be one of those two reasonably close to you. If not, you're in a very rural area, and then a suspect you would have a farm supply store ... I have seen the T5 products at Rural King and TSC.
 
Thanks for all the information, this tractor needs to start year round, so the lowest temp it would see here in SE Michigan is probably around -10F. It is kept in a barn so it's at least sheltered. Unfortunately, it doesn't have glow plugs or an ether kit, I could puff some in, but it's a little tough with the air cleaner in the front. Is there a certain designation that makes an oil approved for diesel use? I have a TSC by me, I'll swing through and see what they have.
Thanks,
Mike
 
I've been using Delo 15W-40 in my Perkins 4.236 in a boat, and it starts up OK down to around freezing. Below that I would go with the Rotella 5W-40 synthetic, which you can get at any Walmart around here. You could consider putting a little portable heater under it for an hour or so before you need to start it up.
 
Originally Posted By: meulenms
........Is there a certain designation that makes an oil approved for diesel use? .........


Yes, there is. It should be spelled out in your owner's manual. Something like CE or CF or CI-4 or ?
 
No, the owner's manual for that engine will be well out of date on oil designations. CJ-4 is the latest diesel API service category I believe, and they should be backwards compatible with older categories. Here's some more information: API Categories
 
10w-30 is alot easier to find than most know. If you're in SE MI then you're not far from me in NW OH. Menards, Walmart, TSC, along with all of the impliment dealers will stock it. Auto parts stores also.
 
My owners manual (circa 1979) calls for CC/SE in the appropriate SAE grade. I found Rotella T6 at Walmart for $21 for 4 quarts. I think I'm going to go that route. I couldn't find the Delo 10W-30. I don't put a lot of hours on the tractor and if I'm not mistaken that will cover me both winter and summer. It only holds 8 quarts, so for $40 I'll be set for at least a year.
Thanks,
Mike
 
Actually, you should be good for much longer than a year, with low annual use. I would suspect you could go at least two, if not three years, on that sump load, given low annual use.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: meulenms
My owners manual (circa 1979) calls for CC/SE in the appropriate SAE grade. I found Rotella T6 at Walmart for $21 for 4 quarts. I think I'm going to go that route. I couldn't find the Delo 10W-30. I don't put a lot of hours on the tractor and if I'm not mistaken that will cover me both winter and summer. It only holds 8 quarts, so for $40 I'll be set for at least a year.
Thanks,
Mike


That sounds like an excellent plan. Around here T6 is only $3 more per gallon then conventional diesel rated 10w-30. For the little extra you will be using a well proven product, just look at these forums for T6 posts.

Here is the last API engine oil guide from when CJ-4 hit the shelves. It should help explain the API donut better for gas and diesel.
http://www.apicj-4.org/2009_ENGINE_OIL_GUIDE.pdf
 
Walmart sells T6 5W40 currently for $21.50/gallon and T5 10W30 syn blend for $16. I can find the Rotella 10W30 Triple Protection mineral at several stores for between $13 and $14/gallon (If you have Menards up there, they carry the Triple Protection 10W30). Delo 10W30 is about impossible to get out east. Rotella is more common and equally good IMO.

If your tractor doesn't have a block heater, I suggest getting one. My big tractor is one of the most notoriously poor cold starters on the planet, but if needed, I can get it fired in the dead of winter after about 2 hours with the block heater plugged in.

I think you will be fine with the 5W40 T6, though it's a bit more expensive than the 10W30 (though easier to find in some places). The cold flow characteristic of a 10W30 and the 5W40 are similar, with a slight edge to the 5W40.

My small Ford diesel tractor had cold weather starting problems with 15W40 (no spinning over fast enough) at around 0F and in the 'teens. Rotella 10W30 cured it. I have since begun to switch everything over to the T5 and now have a block heater on the Ford (I only got power into the barn in 2009!). I used the last of the 10W30 Triple protection a couple of weeks ago as the first fill for my newly rebuilt 6.9L Navistar farm truck diesel. The big tractor (never started in winter) is running 15W40 now but if I don't trade it in for a less tired tractor this year, I will switch it over to 10W30 T5 at the next OCI. Both the tractors are on 2 and three year OCis... verified by UOA... using the factory hours interval only (but changed at three years if not reached).
 
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I owned and ran a 4.236 in a Land Cruiser for about 20 years.
There are 2 cold start devices: a block heater and a flame unit that screws into the intake manifold.
I was able to start in subzero temps.

Charlie
 
I'm using John Deere synthetic 0w-40 year round in my farm tractors. Really helps winter starts for plowing driveway or working in the summer heat. I don't care for a 15w-40 in the winter. Its amazing the differance the 0w-40 has made for winter starts. I used to be a 15w-40 only guy... not going back!
 
Originally Posted By: meulenms
Hi All,
I've been lurking on this list for years, but now have come up with a question I can't find answered in the archives. I have a Massey 255 with a Perkins 4.236 diesel engine. Prior owner told me it was hard to start when cold (below 40 F), and he was right. He also told me he ran 15w-40 oil in it, year round. Looking at the owners manual Massey recommended the follow oils:

Above 90 deg - SAE 30
Between 32 and 90 deg - SAE 20 or 20/20W
Below 32 - SAE 10W

I can't find the second or third viscosity oil anywhere, and I'm wondering if the 15W-40 is too heavy for winter use. This tractor gets used year round. Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Mike


Our diesel IH hydro 70 has similar oil recommendations. even thinning 30wt with kerosene per the manual. we run 15w-40 year round with no problems and better winter performance over HDEO 30wt. Tho I'm in TX.

If you looking for better cold performance I would look at rotella T5 10w-30 or 10w-40. I have also heard you can get regular rotella T in 10w-30, but I have yet to see it on a shelf.

edit: just saw your post where your went with T6. Top notch choice IMO. I would feel very comfortable going 2 years on that OCI.
 
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