John Deere 445, was Mobil 1 0w40 a good choice?

[zstand]

This is a family members tractor that does not get serviced regularly. I am working from home because of the Covid, and am servicing many of my family's mowers and cars with my extra time. I usually run a 10w30 hdeo oil on my personal OPE, but had a jug of the Mobil 0w40 and went with that on this air-cooled tractor. It mows 5 acres about once a week here in Illinois where 70-90° is pretty normal for mowing season. Was the 0w40 a good choice, or would I have been better off with a 10w30 or 15w40 HDEO like Rotella or Delo?

 

[walterjay]

You have chosen well. Have used it for years in my JD garden tractor. It will give you everything needed at every temp.

 

[jfairchild327]

I would think it will be just fine. It will warm up quickly and be at the 40 weight most of the time. That's a much more modernized engine vs the old ones that always called for straight 30.

 

[blufeb95]

Euro spec 0w40 is more like a very thick 30 anyways at 12.9CSt at operating temp so it's barely a 40.

 

[samven]

I am sure everything will survive but that said I would have been more comfortable with a 15w40 just for the thicker base. I know these engines are better than the old ones but every air cooled engine including motorcycles I have seen recommend a thicker base and fewer VII's and the cooling on these small lawn tractors is horrible.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by jfairchild327

I would think it will be just fine. It will warm up quickly and be at the 40 weight most of the time. That's a much more modernized engine vs the old ones that always called for straight 30.

What would it be the rest of the time?

 

[zstand]

Sorry, this is a water-cooler engine. I mistyped that in my original post.

 

[blufeb95]

I think the think 40 will suit you well here in the midwest

 

[Oildudeny]

Since you already had the oil I see no harm using it..

 

[jfairchild327]

Meaning the engine will be at operating temp and everything expanded. Might have higher consumption when cold till the tolerances tighten up a little

 

[mrsilv04]

I have two of these tractors... one was purchased brand new, that has 3300 hours on the clock now. I'd never use 0w-40 in them. HDEO only. But whatever. It's not your equipment, and the oil is already in there. So... why not. Hopefully the plastic cam gear that fails has already been replaced. Personally, I wouldn't be messing around with what oil goes in if it hasn't, but it's already in there.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by jfairchild327

Meaning the engine will be at operating temp and everything expanded. Might have higher consumption when cold till the tolerances tighten up a little

The oil is much, much thicker when cold than when hot. Consumption is at temperature, not when cold (for any oil not just this one). The winter rating will have no effect on consumption at all.

 

[jfairchild327]

But then why do some of my old mowers smoke blue when cold and not at all when warm?

 

[4WD]

"Side winder" pistons can do that … oil leaks past rings during cool down and over time. For example … I have a low hour well maintained 4 cylinder outboard motor. If I leave it tilted down … going to smoke at startup and quit every time … If I leave it tilted up … does not smoke at startup at all. If a V or vertical cylinder does that … probably valve stem leak.

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted by jfairchild327

But then why do some of my old mowers smoke blue when cold and not at all when warm?

Well you have worn components or leaking seals that even thick oil can leak through. Here is the oil in question, see how thick it gets when cold? Misunderstanding of the winter rating is not unusual with people thinking things like "it's a 0 grade when cold" or something similar. It's still a 40-grade oil all day long and like every other oil, very thick when cold. No oil gets thin when cold.

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted by mrsilv04

I have two of these tractors... one was purchased brand new, that has 3300 hours on the clock now. I'd never use 0w-40 in them. HDEO only. But whatever. It's not your equipment, and the oil is already in there. So... why not. Hopefully the plastic cam gear that fails has already been replaced. Personally, I wouldn't be messing around with what oil goes in if it hasn't, but it's already in there.

This. The plastic cam gears in these can become a problem no matter what oil is used. There is an upgraded metal replacement part available. These are liquid cooled and 0w40 should be perfectly fine, but it does depend on if the owner checks the oil, how much the machine burns, etc. I use 0w40 in my own small engines with great results, but use 15w40 HDEO in customer machines because it seems to be more resistant to burning off, and most of my customers are people who check the oil maybe once a year or never check it. Surprisingly many of them have been getting better lately though.

 

[zstand]

Originally Posted by jeepman3071

Originally Posted by mrsilv04

I have two of these tractors... one was purchased brand new, that has 3300 hours on the clock now. I'd never use 0w-40 in them. HDEO only. But whatever. It's not your equipment, and the oil is already in there. So... why not. Hopefully the plastic cam gear that fails has already been replaced. Personally, I wouldn't be messing around with what oil goes in if it hasn't, but it's already in there.

This. The plastic cam gears in these can become a problem no matter what oil is used. There is an upgraded metal replacement part available. These are liquid cooled and 0w40 should be perfectly fine, but it does depend on if the owner checks the oil, how much the machine burns, etc. I use 0w40 in my own small engines with great results, but use 15w40 HDEO in customer machines because it seems to be more resistant to burning off, and most of my customers are people who check the oil maybe once a year or never check it. Surprisingly many of them have been getting better lately though.

This machine has already had the plastic cam replaced with metal. Good point on the need to check the oil. A 15 year old boy does most of the mowing on this machine. Is there a reason you choose the 0w40 over HDEO for your personal equipment?

 

[jeepman3071]

Originally Posted by zstand

Originally Posted by jeepman3071

Originally Posted by mrsilv04

I have two of these tractors... one was purchased brand new, that has 3300 hours on the clock now. I'd never use 0w-40 in them. HDEO only. But whatever. It's not your equipment, and the oil is already in there. So... why not. Hopefully the plastic cam gear that fails has already been replaced. Personally, I wouldn't be messing around with what oil goes in if it hasn't, but it's already in there.

This. The plastic cam gears in these can become a problem no matter what oil is used. There is an upgraded metal replacement part available. These are liquid cooled and 0w40 should be perfectly fine, but it does depend on if the owner checks the oil, how much the machine burns, etc. I use 0w40 in my own small engines with great results, but use 15w40 HDEO in customer machines because it seems to be more resistant to burning off, and most of my customers are people who check the oil maybe once a year or never check it. Surprisingly many of them have been getting better lately though.

This machine has already had the plastic cam replaced with metal. Good point on the need to check the oil. A 15 year old boy does most of the mowing on this machine. Is there a reason you choose the 0w40 over HDEO for your personal equipment?

I use 0w40 in my personal equipment because I already use it in several vehicles I service (especially the Euro cars). It's easy to use in everything from snowblowers to riding mowers. My Deere garden tractor gets used year round, and I noticed even with 10w30 HDEO it cranked over a bit slower on 0 degree mornings for snow blowing. Either one works fine though, for me it is more out of convenience because of what I have on hand.

 

[Bighorn2500]

I stick to 5w40 HDEO in my tractors and mowers.

 

[AnthemBassMan]

I run Harvest King full synthetic 10w30 in my Mother-in-law's John Deere x475 garden tractor. L8R, Matt