Best motor oil to use

Jerry Tyler

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Mowing,bush hogging, loading, grading, gardening.
May 14, 2018
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Deville
Hello ..I would like to know what brand of oil are the best are what are the majority using?
I have a L3830 shuttle shift and a L3430 HST cab
 

eipo

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L4060
Dec 1, 2015
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MI
Ditto shell rotella. Make sure its T6 though. That's the full synthetic. There is also a T4 and T5.

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Jerry Tyler

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Mowing,bush hogging, loading, grading, gardening.
May 14, 2018
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Deville
Thanks I sert of thinking that.... just needed a backup opinion ...thanks again
 
Oct 8, 2014
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oregon
Delo, just change it more often. The Rotella guys are going to start a war with the Amsoil guys, then the Mobil guys will chime in. If you go the T6 route I'm pretty sure WallyWorld is the place to get it.
 

Daren Todd

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Fight!!!!! Fight!!!!!!! Fight!!!!!!!!! :D:D:D

Amsoil, Shell and mobile all make good oil. Just make sure it's for a diesel engine and you will be fine.

Fwiw, I have shell rotella jugs in my garage. But refill them off the 15w40 bulk tank at work. That oil is made by chevron :eek::eek:
 

russell.still.5

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Aug 28, 2017
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Lafayette, Alabama
Have never used anything but Delo. Neighbor has a older John Deere and decided to rebuilt the engine at just over the 10k Hrs mark. Inside of the engine looked brand new and there was hardly any wear on the cylinder walls. He bought the tractor new in the 80s and had always run Delo 400 in it. IIRC they honed the cylinder and buy new rings in it and that’s all they did.

Buy a quality oil and you can’t go wrong. Most oils are good to well over the recommended service intervals.


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Jerry Tyler

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Mowing,bush hogging, loading, grading, gardening.
May 14, 2018
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Deville
That is so funny about the oil wars....I am a member of a motorcycle group and if any new member ask about best oil ....just like starting up a war between Amisol and Rotella guys...just for anyone wanting to know ....Rotella T6 is what everyone uses for the motorcycle oil.....
 

85Hokie

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That is so funny about the oil wars....I am a member of a motorcycle group and if any new member ask about best oil ....just like starting up a war between Amisol and Rotella guys...just for anyone wanting to know ....Rotella T6 is what everyone uses for the motorcycle oil.....
That simply because the Rotella T6 cost less!!!!

I love Amsoil....always have, but sometimes my pocketbook gets in the way of my thinking. But when you place it side by side ....there is a difference....slight but present.

I can go to wally world right now and get a gallon of 15w-40 Rotella T6 for about 23 ish bucks :

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Shell-Ro...-Heavy-Duty-Diesel-Engine-Oil-1-gal/102646780

My uncle IS a Amsoil dealer and even WITH his discount.....I still am paying slightly more than Rotella ....but the damn shipping is where the kicker lies, Wally world is a 5 minute trip and Amsoil is a $15 shipping!:p

As others have mentioned....MAKE sure it say DIESEL on the container.......will oil for a gas engine work? Sure - but it does not have all the little things in it to handle the bad stuff diesels kick out!
 

mattwithcats

Active member
Jun 17, 2017
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Virginia
Oil should be rated “CJ4” or “CK4”...

If you have a diesel particulate filter, use “CK4”,
fewer additives to clog the DPF...
 

100 td

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For the OP
Any diesel oil on the shelf will pass Kubota specs, best idea is to ensure a good filter.
Engine oil : API service
classification CD, CE or CF
Above 25 °C : SAE30,
(77 °F) 10W-30 or 10W-40
0 to 25 °C : SAE20,
(32 to 77 °F) 10W-30 or 10W-40
Below 0 °C : SAE10W,
(32 °F) 10W-30 or 10W-40
 

GeoHorn

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May 18, 2018
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Before the 1950's the best oil was always a "Pennsylvania-Grade" oil made from Pennsylvania Crude. This was because the oil from that stock consisted of long molecular chains that resisted break-down and therefore delayed wear in engines. It's why Quaker State, Pennzoil, etc etc enjoyed such popularity.

After the big war (WW2) the German ability to synthesize oil from coal, etc. became widely known and refining techniques improved to the point that virtually any ol' grade of crude could be brought up to similar standards as Penn-grade crudes. This revolutionized the motor-oil trade because it was no longer necessary to begin the process with Penn-grade crudes to achieve the high quality.

These days oil is brought into port from UAE, Iraq, Libya, West Texas, and Arkansas and all of it is dumped into the same tanks down at Pasadena, TX etc and refined by SOSUS and placed into whatever plastic bottle various brands wish to order and it's placed on shelves with prices from $2.40 to $8 per quart depending upon whether it's Purple, Blue, or Red bottles.... makes no difference...it ALL meets the ASCME, ILSAC, API, etc etc... the standards necessary to meet EPA, mfr'r warranties, and the industry standardized on a "starburst" symbol to place on packaging so everyone can know the oil in the bottle meets those standards. In fact, the EPA, API, and ILSAC is so picky and demanding that virtually NO DIFFERENCES are allowed because it can defeat the required standards!
The only difference between brands that have that API starburst is PRICE.

I had a '92 Jeep Cherokee that had 330K miles on it when I was rear-ended by a woman driving a Class A motorhome pulling a car-hauler with an Indy-type racecar on it while she was texting. That car used less than a 1/4 qt of oil between 4K mile oil changes and all it ever had in it was WalMarts cheapest SuperTech straight SAE 30 wt oil with that starburst symbol on the package.
I cannot prove that SuperTech cheap oil is why it got to 330K miles without any major repairs.... but I can state without blinking .... that Cheap, SuperTech oil did not PREVENT that car from making 330K miles without any trouble other than batteries, spark plugs, and brakes/tires. Why anyone would spend more than $5 per qt on some exotic brand of oil that is identical to the Starburst SuperTech priced (at the beginning of the experiment) at less than 85-cents/quart is beyond me! But if you want to start an argument just hang around any WalMart and wait for some guy/gal to pick up a quart of Castrol, or Lucas, or Purple Passion or whatever.... and say to them, "you know...that oil your considering is no better than any other on the shelf that has a starburst-symbol on it"... and step back and watch the fisticuffs fly!

Over the years I've had buddies tell me I should switch to some synthetic super-oil they use.... and I just smile and keep the THOUSANDS of DOLLARS I've saved to myself and let them feel confident in their ignorance.

(Putting my NOMEX suit on now for the tirades from people more willing than me to throw money away on overpriced oil. )
 
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Bulldog

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If you look at the big picture Amsoil is king.
Factor in the fuel savings alone and it will cover the cost of the oil.
Figure in only needing one change per year in most cases.
The best cold weather performance.
Cooler operating temps in the summer.

It's not just about what oil will work. It's about which oil will give the highest level of protection and the biggest return for your money.

If you look at it from every angle there's only one choice, Amsoil.
 

Luckystars

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M5950 M1840A RTV900 CLUB CAR CARRY ALL 1
Mar 1, 2018
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Webster FL USA
I run the Rotella but not the synthetic. I have been for 20+ years. On my Cummins engine I oil sample to Blackstone labs every change. The owners manual says 6,000 miles between changes. I run 10,000 and every sample the lab says I could try 12,000 between changes because the oil has that much life left in it. Also the wear metals they test for are below the national average they see in similar cummins that are doing the 6,000 mile intervals.
It works for me. I maintain 9 engines at our place. Never an oil related repair.
It works for me and I'm not changing.
FYI Rural King in 2.5 gallon containers is what I find the cheapest. And the jugs work great as oil pans if you cut the front out of them.
 
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KennedyFarmer

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L3901, with not enough attachments
Jun 8, 2015
290
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Pennsylvania
i used Rotella T not sure what "T" it was, maybe T4. i know it was 10W-30

I was considering T5 or T6 but T6 seems pricey.

What I am considering is another oil change i'm almost at 200hrs with 2 years+ on the oil and I am thinking of changing the oil and filters. Prior to the 400 hour change. Anyone do this?
 

Creature Meadow

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2012 L4600, Disk, Brush Hog, GB60 Garden Bedder, GSS72 Grading Scraper
Sep 19, 2016
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i used Rotella T not sure what "T" it was, maybe T4. i know it was 10W-30

I was considering T5 or T6 but T6 seems pricey.

What I am considering is another oil change i'm almost at 200hrs with 2 years+ on the oil and I am thinking of changing the oil and filters. Prior to the 400 hour change. Anyone do this?

I change the oil in my L4600 each spring, avg about 50 hours a year on it. With little to no snow in the winter mine works the hardest in the warmer months that is why the spring change or late winter.

Is it necessary doubtful but it is a 25K investment so the cost to change the oil each year for my peace of mind it is worth it.

Many opinions on oil here and none are wrong just some more conservative than others.