Yanmar Tractor - puzzling OEM recomendations.

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kd5byb

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Hey gang,

I hope this is the right forum. Sure, this is a tractor and not a "Diesel/Gas Pickups/Trucks/Vans" but certainly, it's about HDEO.

I've got a 1970's era Yanmar YM1700 tractor. It's got a 20HP water-cooled twin cylinder diesel engine and the manual has some really odd recommendations for oil viscosity. Or maybe I should say that I've never seen anything like it. Below is a chart I duplicated from the operator's manual:

YanmarOil.jpg


Conventional wisdom on these tractors is to use 15w40, like Rotella T, and be happy. In the past I've run Rotella T Synthetic 5W-40.

Looking at my viscosity spreadsheet, at 100 deg C, most SAE 30 oils are between 10.9 and 11.5 cSt viscosity. Rotella T Syn is 15.5. So it seems that Rotella T Syn is a little thicker at operating temp than typical SAE 30's.

Interestingly, 10w30's have a low of 10 (M1) to around 10.5 (Valvoline SynPower). This tends to corroborate other conventional wisdom that says that if you can't find SAE 30, that you can toss 10w30 into the lawn mower and she'll be happy. :)

So, y'all think Rotella T Syn is this a good choice even though its thicker at temp than the called-for SAE 30? Or should I put in SAE 30?

I find it interesting that the multi-grade 10W30 is only suggested for such cold temps, yet has a very similar hot viscosity!!!

THANKS,
ben
 
That Rotella T Synthetic 5w40 sounds about perfect for that engine for year-round use. For warmer temps, a conventional 15w40 HDEO would be fine as well. I would mostly ignore that chart as it was published quite a ways back when oil quality was lower and multi-grades were not what they are now.
 
I'd continue to run the RTS. Remember that oil technology has come a long way since that literature for that manual was written in the 70's.

I would consider running Delo 100 30wt if you only use the tractor for short periods of time (cold operation).
 
Originally Posted By: Eddie
Alabama weather suggests that a good 10w30 would be my choice


HDEO 10w30 if you go that route. I have a hard time finding that grade of HDEO here in the South. A straight weight SAE 30 HDEO would work in warm weather as well.
 
Hey gang,

Thanks for the responses. I use this tractor rather infrequently, but when I do, its always in warm to hot weather for about an 8 hour day. I'm feeling a lot better about RTS but its good to know that an HDEO 10W30 is also an option.

But then again, I can't remember ever seeing an HDEO 10W30 here in the South either. I have even checked Tractor Supply, which generally has a good wide selection, and nothing.

thanks much,
ben
 
I'd agree with the HDEO 10W30. I use RT 10W30 in my 10 Series Ford tractor (38 hp 3-cyl.). I'm way north of you and a good ratio of cold starting performance + cost dictated my choice. 10W30 was recommended by Ford in my tractor's era. I always find RT 10W30 at Menard's stores, but I'm not sure they go that far south. Motorcraft also makes a 10W30 HDEO, as does Chevron.

If 10W30 isn't readily available I could easily live with the 5W40 RT from a performance spec in your warm climate. I won't pay that much for oil (the numbers don't crunch in my situation). My third choice would be a 15W40. Pour point of the Rotella 30 is -18, so I don't know if that's a player.
 
I have a new Kioti CK25 (25hp 3-cyl.) it has similar recommendations biased toward 30wt/10w30 but 15w40 is still an option. Since I use the loader allot I decided to go with Amsoil AME 15w40 and I have not looked back.
 
Originally Posted By: BobFout
I've seen Rotella T 10w30 at Wal-Mart here in TN, Hunstville isn't that far south from me.


Where in TN? Reason I ask is that I'll be driving from Huntsville up to Nashville tomorrow. I've been to Wal-marts around Franklin and Brentwood but have never seen 10w30 Rotella T...

thanks,
ben
 
Originally Posted By: BobFout
I've seen Rotella T 10w30 at Wal-Mart here in TN, Hunstville isn't that far south from me.


I am in east TN and have NEVER seen HDEO 10w30 in any store.

Advance
Vatozone
TSC
Coop
napa
etc
etc

I would love to find some but no luck here.
 
I would not spend the extra $$ for syn for a 35 year old tractor that was never designed to use syn. Small industrial diesels are way overbuilt and need no special treatment IME.

I would use 15w40 or 30hd and not worry too much.

My Ford 15 series is made in Japan and has a similar chart on the air cleaner with almost the same specs. I run whatever 15w40 is cheapest.
 
Originally Posted By: milwaukee
I would not spend the extra $$ for syn for a 35 year old tractor that was never designed to use syn. Small industrial diesels are way overbuilt and need no special treatment IME.


A big driver in my decision to go with the RTS is because I have two gallons in the garage. If I didn't have those two gallons, I'd have certainly gone with the dino stuff...

thanks,
ben
 
Originally Posted By: milwaukee
I would not spend the extra $$ for syn for a 35 year old tractor that was never designed to use syn. Small industrial diesels are way overbuilt and need no special treatment IME.

I would use 15w40 or 30hd and not worry too much.

...

I'll second this. I've had a couple of very old Yanmar marine thumpers with similar lubrication charts. All they're saying is don't use 50w in Alaska or 5w in Death Valley. Anything else will probably work just fine.
 
I get so tired of people finding HEDO 10w30 and bragging about it on bitog. O'Reilly doesn't carry it here.

I've been looking for a couple years now. The closest I got was Advance willing to order me a case of gallons at $13/GALLON.
 
Originally Posted By: askani79705
If you have a O'Reilly Auto they carry Rotella 10w30.

I'll look there tomorrow - we have several here. But I'll admit, I usually look at the motor oil aisle closely (don't all BITOG'ers? ha) and don't recall seeing any on past trips.

thanks,
b
 
Originally Posted By: askani79705
O'Reilly does have it here.So it's in their supply system,They should be able to order it if they don't have it in stock.

WOW! I just used your link, changed to my local O'Reilly, and guess what? They show it in stock at the store. Wow.

thanks!
ben
 
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