Welder Dave
Senior Member
In the engine why not?
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Advice with Engine oil grades
- Thread starter watglen
- Start date
TorontoGuy
Well-Known Member
I guess it would make sense to run it to 250 the first time and get the oil tested.
Welder Dave
Senior Member
What does the manual say regarding oil change intervals? You could do an oil sample but a skid steer doesn't take a lot of oil so why not just change it at the recommended intervals? An initial oil sample is going to have a bunch of high levels of certain elements due to initial break in. You could do them every oil change to monitor levels but skid steers don't typically get near the hours mining machines or larger construction equipment gets. I'd wait until maybe 1000 hours before I'd be too concerned with oil samples. Just change the oil and filters at recommended intervals and go to work.
Shimmy1
Senior Member
Why? Is that 2 gallons of oil too expensive?
TorontoGuy
Well-Known Member
Not really. I realize it makes no sense to save a few bucks. These machines are over 6 figures
Those two aspects are what is appealing to me. We do not extend the service intervals, but it makes me feel better knowing we could. We use it in our pickups as well and change those at 10,000 miles, so I guess we do extend it a bit on those. The cold starting benefit is the biggest reason for us.
Skid steers usually get stopped and started numerous times in a shift, and often don't get properly warmed up and cooled down like bigger equipment. I would not extend the hours considering the small amount of oil that they use. The cost of filters is probably as much or more than the oil, but still their use probably falls in the extreme service category.
Nige
Senior Member
Anyone switching oil brands/grades who has their oil analysed on a regular basis would be well advised to change the oil early after the switch, say 200 hours, and only go to the manufacturer’s recommended interval once they have a few results to confirm that the oil is performing as per expectations.
As a couple of people have already pointed out above, with the small quantity of oil in a skid steer engine it isn’t going to break the bank to change it a bit more frequently than recommended by the OEM. Also, and this is the bit in the manual that nobody ever reads, there is a ‘severe service’ caveat that can cut the oil change period by half in the most restrictive of circumstances. I agree that even the normal operation of this type of machine probably puts it in that category. My 2c - YMMV.
Shimmy1
Senior Member
In my probably uneducated opinion, the reason 5w-40 came to be was the OTR trucks. The limiting factor wasn't always the additive package, or the quality of the oil, it was the soot load. 5W-40 I think I read somewhere that it can hold 30-50% more soot than 5W-40.
Nige
Senior Member
You mean it can hold 30-50% more soot than a 15W-40 I assume.?
Shimmy1
Senior Member
Before viscosity becomes an issue. I'm guessing you're about to tell me to go lie by my dish haha
That's my thought too with doing 250hr OCI.
Some places do 400 or 500. Oddly enough I see engines often getting rebuilt at those shops. Would they last longer with shorter OICs? Dunno.
Nige
Senior Member
But in my experience these are generally the large outfits who religiously perform oil sampling and know from the basis of their SOS analysis trends know exactly how far they can take their oils before either the physical properties, soot loading, etc, etc, get anywhere near the limit. Their machines often work 24/7/365 so not only are they working optimally (never cold) they are also racking up 250 hours every 12-14 days. Under those circumstances customers can save literally millions on their yearly oil costs if they can take their oils SAFELY (and I can't emphasise that fact enough) further than the OEM-recommended change period.
A couple of examples. The last job I was on we had our haul truck engine oil at 400 (from 250) and rear axle oil at 6000 (from 2000). A big bonus to the financial bottom line of the operation.
We had the numbers crunched 6 ways to Sunday and the answer was no. Our engine overhaul limits were more determined by total fuel burned TBH.
Shimmy1
Senior Member
Am I severely mistaken in my assumption on soot load in 5-40 vs 15-40?
Nige
Senior Member
I haven't seen any information to confirm or deny that, but that doesn't mean to say it's not out there somewhere. with modern engine oil formulations anything is possible I guess. If you can find it please share.
Some places sample, some don't.
They wanted me to do 500hr on the work truck. ISX Cummins. I think 250hr is proper for the conditions it sees, but whatever.
earthscratcher
Senior Member
talked with my supplier about changing to 10/40 he said main reason for switch is cold starts, oil gets up top faster. anything below 32 deg f we try not to work always seem to have problems. make more money going ice fishing.
Shimmy1
Senior Member
I have seen nothing but good after switching to 10-40 except one tired old ISX. If I don't run 15-40 and a gallon of Lucas, the oil drops below 10 psi hot. 7 years and 100k later it's still rattling down the road the same as it was when we got it 15 years ago.
earthscratcher
Senior Member
shimmy how long have you been running it, how hot are your summers, do you think its not breaking down has fast because its a hair thinner or is it a soot thing?