quote:

Originally posted by tomgun:
I use the Valvoline in my cummins 5.9 because it’s endorsed by cummins.

Valvoline is probably providing Cummins the financial benefit of providing them the factory fill oil in exchange for that endorsement which no doubt benefits both of them.

quote:

Originally posted by sigcrazy7:

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
As little oil as it takes to change the oil in a riding motor, I would just order the factory OEM and use it.

I deal with a lot of large diesels that run a high load for hours on end (80% load), and I'm not a fan of Rotella. It seems to thin out and oil pressure drops a bit within 50-75 hours. The Mobil Delvac seems to be far superior and who makes the oil for CAT, MAN, and I think Cummins.

Probably because you have worked with two strokes, perhaps? My experience with Delvac has been just the opposite. The Rotella seems to come back with superior results from the lab. Less wear metals.

I haven't worked with 2 strokes in a very long time. Probably around 8-10 years. I used to really like the Chevron Delo 40W for the Detroits......

I generally use/specify the manufacturers oil, because we're talking about $250k-$1 million engines, and nobody can argue that using the manufacturers oil is wrong (and most engines have 5 year extended warranties on them, so the dealer does the oil changes anyways). Plus rebuilds are hellified expensive in a yacht as it has to be majored IN the yacht which adds a lot of labor, access is not great, and yacht owners don't care about saving a few dollars.
The MAN Common rails require full synthetic delvac. In the yachts we generally run 80% load for hours and hours (8-10 hours straight) and sometimes slow speed days.

The MTU dealer has told me they see a lot of ring wear with the Rotella since they reformulated it 5-10 years back. I've noticed it seems to thin out really quickly, and by 50-75 hours, it seems to drip off of a cold dipstick like water and makes less oil pressure and gets black faster. I haven't noticed anything majorly different with oil samples from Rotella to Delvac, Rotella seemed to be a little higher in wear metals.....but we're talking 10 ppm and different engines....so hard to say....

The engines I've been dealing with lately are mostly in yachts that are pretty new (2018 or newer with exception of a few) (pairs) 2 sets of MAN non common rail v10-820hp, MAN CR V8-1200HP, MAN CR V10-1100 HP, MAN V12-1450HP, MTU 16v2000 2600HP, Cat C12.9 1000hp, C18- 1150HP, C32 1650 HP, C32 1900hp. A set of Volvo D 6's

quote:

Originally posted by kramden:
Switching is no issue. Just curious what the Kohler oil costs per quart. Any name brand syn. oil will serve you well.

$6 @ Rural King
$8 @ Tractor Supply

quote:

Originally posted by jimmy123x:
The engines I've been dealing with lately are mostly in yachts that are pretty new (2018 or newer with exception of a few) (pairs) 2 sets of MAN non common rail v10-820hp, MAN CR V8-1200HP, MAN CR V10-1100 HP, MAN V12-1450HP, MTU 16v2000 2600HP, Cat C12.9 1000hp, C18- 1150HP, C32 1650 HP, C32 1900hp. A set of Volvo D 6's

There’s something in those newer engines that are grinding the polymers in the oil. Perhaps some tight turbo tolerances or some needle bearings. The older engines I’ve dealt with don’t have this issue (3406E, ISX, Big CAM 400). Those new engines also probably have DPF and DEF systems, I would think. Therefore, the Rotella’s higher ZDDP could cause harm.

The OP’s engine is in a farm tractor. It probably has older tech, like tappet valves. Just the kind of engine for which Rotella was designed, with it’s high ZDDP content. The problem of thinning is a non-issue since the OP’s engine will not have any technology that will damage the thickening polymers in the oil. I would guess that the new MAN engines require an oil specification that the Rotella doesn’t carry. Sticking with the oil specified by the manufacturer is always good policy; however, if you’re looking for an oil that better suits older, simpler engine designers, then Rotella is still the best bet.

A modern German diesel engine and a gasoline farm tractor really don’t compare when it comes to oil needs.

^^^Seriously, let's hope this thread is now back on track and in the same universe of the OP's original question. NOTHING could be further from the lubrication needs of a Lawn Tractor than that of 2600 HP Marine Diesel Engines used in ocean going ships and/or yachts!

quote:

Originally posted by ARman:
Rotella T4 is a 10W30 high ZDDP oil.

Yep. Just because the engine is branded Kohler doesn't mean the oil bottles have to be too. There are lots of quality oils out there that are far more available and likely less expensive. Just do a bit of homework.

quote:

Originally posted by MNSIG:
IMO, changing the oil on schedule is far more important than brand or type variations. Almost any oil you buy today is far superior to what was sold a few decades ago. To paraphrase a famous SIGforum post: "Get some damn oil!"

Yep. I have a 15 year old Gravely zero turn that gets an oil change and filters every spring before I use it, and it's still humming along today after all these years.

Jimmy,

How many hours do you guys typically run those motors before changing the oil?

Rotella or Mobil 1 with this additive from BG Products (zinc and misc. other stuff). Buy a 5 qt. bottle of Mobil 1 and pour this in and shake it up. Rotella is good to go as is.

https://www.bgprod.com/catalog...g-moa-extended-life/

Looking at the Rotella t4, isn’t that just a conventional oil, no sync blend or full sync?
No problem switching back and forth? Also the tractor only gets about 20-25 hrs a yr on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Sigfest:
Looking at the Rotella t4, isn’t that just a conventional oil, no sync blend or full sync?
No problem switching back and forth? Also the tractor only gets about 20-25 hrs a yr on it.

T4 is conventional. T5 is a synthetic blend. T6 is full synthetic.

Follow this Cub Cadet Manuals. I believe your model number is Cub Cadet XT1 LT50 FAB; you'll need to enter your serial number too. This model is for the 24 hp Kohler engine. Look up the API service spec for engine oil. So long as the oil you're considering using meets this spec, you're good to go.

quote:

Originally posted by Edmond:
Jimmy,

How many hours do you guys typically run those motors before changing the oil?

Majority of CAT's oil change intervals are 250 hours or annually. MAN's are 400 hours or annually. Most of the yachts are changed on the annually and see about 75-150 hours of usage a year. Once in a while I run into one that does accrue that many hours. A service on a set of 1200 HP V8 MAN's is around $4,000 for oil/oil filter, fuel filters and a 27kw generator (which is a small part of the price). A service on a set of 1600-1900hp C32 CATS is around $4000-5000 for the same, then there are additional items that may be every 2 years/500 hours, every 6 years/1000 hours that can drive the price up considerably more. etc. etc. etc. Fuel is the biggest price....on the V8 MAN boat they burn 100 GPH at 80% load and 33 mph. A C32 1900 HP will burn 180 GPH at say 40 mph in that boat.

The thinning I've seen are more on the old school diesels using Rotella, since the bottle label changed. In a lawn mower engine it probably won't matter much, and change interval is probably more important. The Mobil delvac is the same price as Rotella at Walmart, So I don't see a need to use Rotella from my experience with it. (I don't buy oil there for yachts, simply because they don't have enough on the shelves.)