T6 15w-40 full Synthetic in winter

[hunter2929]

How low of temperatures would you guys run this in a 3 cylinder Kubota?

Last time I ran my tractor in the winter this was not available.

Would like to stay with one oil change a year. Since I use it mostly in the summer can I just go with T6 15w 40 instead of 5w40.

Or Super Tech 15 40 full syn...

I'm in Michigan but park in a garage and use block heater.

Opinions welcome..

 

[Kira]

What oil does the manual call for? ...and how much of it?

 

[hunter2929]

What oil does the manual call for? ...and how much of it?

Forgot that, You don't know Kubota, that's ok , thanks. Kubota oil specs are 50 years to old.. lol

 

[JavierH19]

The tractor is parked indoors and has a heater? It should be fine. A 15w is good down to -13f for the cold cranking minimum but some can do better. If you want you can use other oils like delvac esp 5w-40 which walmart sells in store for cheap. Great diesel oil that you could use year round.

 

[hunter2929]

The tractor is parked indoors and has a heater? It should be fine. A 15w is good down to -13f for the cold cranking minimum but some can do better. If you want you can use other oils like delvac esp 5w-40 which walmart sells in store for cheap. Great diesel oil that you could use year round.

Thanks, was planning T6 5w 40 year round, just discovered super tech full syn 15w40 too

 

[JavierH19]

Thanks, was planning T6 5w 40 year round, just discovered super tech full syn 15w40 too

ST FS 15w-40 is great stuff for the price. The VOA Fantastic posted showed a healthy amount of additives. T6 and ESP 5w-40 cost about the same but ESP is better formulated all around and would be my pick for a year round oil that sees some pretty cold weather. I don't think i've ever seen the thermometer go below 20f here in texas so 15w-40 never gets thick in these mild winters. Trucks start like normal, maybe a blink of an eye slower.

 

[UNC054]

If using the block heater you will be fine with 15w40, but if you start getting consistent temps around zero degrees for starting a 5w40 just makes more sense for ease of starting. Less wear on the battery & starter cranking it over.

 

[kschachn]

If using the block heater you will be fine with 15w40, but if you start getting consistent temps around zero degrees for starting a 5w40 just makes more sense for ease of starting. Less wear on the battery & starter cranking it over.

Even if cost was a major concern I don’t see why you wouldn’t use a 5W-40 all the time.

 

[hunter2929]

Even if cost was a major concern I don’t see why you wouldn’t use a 5W-40 all the time.

So far I am, just checking out my options...

 

[hunter2929]

If using the block heater you will be fine with 15w40, but if you start getting consistent temps around zero degrees for starting a 5w40 just makes more sense for ease of starting. Less wear on the battery & starter cranking it over.

If it gets that cold I'm not going outside... lol

 

[Cujet]

No problem at all considering your conditions.

The pour point of T6 15W-40 is excellent at -42ºF. The 15W viscosity means it's tested at and useful down to -4ºF. However, since T6 is a synthetic with a very low pour point, -20ºF or colder is very likely its reasonable useful limit.

T6 5W-40 offers a wider range of operating conditions. Practical limit a few deg lower, and the high temp protection is great.

 

[hunter2929]

Thanks everyone, I just put in 5w 40 so I'm good until fall.

I'll figure out what I want to do then.

 

[burbguy82]

but park in a garage and use block heater.

you will be fine with 15w40.......but if I were you, I would run 5w40 diesel oil...because of the cold

 

[johnmyster]

T6 15w-40 full Synthetic in winter:​

I'm in Michigan but park in a garage and use block heater.

Full send.

 

[kschachn]

No problem at all considering your conditions.

The pour point of T6 15W-40 is excellent at -42ºF. The 15W viscosity means it's tested at and useful down to -4ºF. However, since T6 is a synthetic with a very low pour point, -20ºF or colder is very likely its reasonable useful limit.

T6 5W-40 offers a wider range of operating conditions. Practical limit a few deg lower, and the high temp protection is great.

Weird it doesn’t qualify for a better winter rating then. No matter the pour point it’s still a 15W rating with the corresponding cranking and pumpability.

This is of course what caused the engine failures in the 80’s, oils that had what should have been acceptable pour points but still wouldn’t pump and caused cavitation and subsequent engine failure.

 

[burbguy82]

This is of course what caused the engine failures in the 80’s, oils that had what should have been acceptable pour points but still wouldn’t pump and caused cavitation and subsequent engine failure.

?

 

[hunter2929]

?

Going to compare oil of today with oil of yesterday..

 

[Silverado12]

FWIW some of our old diesel trucks still use 15W-40 and I've started them at -6 Fahrenheit. We never had any unusual wear and some of those engines made it to 1,000,000 + miles (Detroit Series 60). My opinion is it's nothing to worry about.

 

[hunter2929]

Right, I was surprised to see Kubota is fine with 15w 40 under 32*f, for some reason I remembered 10w30 below 32*f , Don't know why that got stuck in my head.

 

[kschachn]

Going to compare oil of today with oil of yesterday..

Not really. It was a problem with the test method that didn’t properly characterize the behavior of motor oil when rapidly cooled. Engines failed when the pour point said the oil should be pumpable when it was not. There were changes to the test to properly designate a winter rating.