|
jdemaris
02-10-2005 19:55:29
|
|
Re: oil types and intervals ? in reply to Andy350, 02-10-2005 13:30:06
|
|
| |
I'm not sure what machine you have unless it's a first series 350 crawler-loader? I never saw one called an A, they just went from 350, to 350B, to 350C, etc., &c. You mentioned it originally had two filters, so it sounds like a late 60s- early 70s Deere. With the filters, as I recall they are both the same micron capacity, i.e. they are not as you'd see in other systems where the first catches larger particles and second smaller ones. When I worked for Deere, they offered kits to change them over to a single filter design using Deere parts (actually made by Roosamaster/Stanadyne. Most later 350s, 450s, and ag. tractors have a single rectangular filter and it works fine. It has a large surface area that is probably equal to the two old round filters, with a water trap and drain at the bottom. It is much easier to change than the old round dual setups Deere had - and did away with. It is likely there is nothing wrong with the Volkswagen filter you have as long as it can catch water. It's micron filtering, if anything, is probably finer than the original Deere filters, so it protects better. Only downside is it might plug sooner. But . . . it MUST trap water, if a few drops of water make it into your fuel injection pump, it will trash it. I've got two Volkswagen diesels, and they have excellent fuel systems - but part of that is a water-traps under the fuel tank before it gets to the filter. So, I don't know if the filter you have is set up for trapping water or not. If fuel exits the top of the filter, and there is a drain on the bottom, then it's fine. As far a motor oil goes - there's nothing wrong with using the original recommendations for straight 30W in the summer and straight 10W in the winter - but it's a lot easier to just run a good diesel rated 15W-40. This holds especially true for a machine that is only used occasionally. Deere started recommending 15W-40 CD rated oil in the early 80s (that CD rating is up to what now, CJ, SJ, H, or higher?) We had a fleet of rental machines as well as customers' machines that we maintained and never had any oil-related problems either way. EXCEPT for the year Quaker State had a bad batch of HDX diesel oil, and there were tractors and highway trucks blowing up all over the country - 1979 I think. They had one heck of a lawsuit after that. I've never used Quakerstate again. The only caution we used with oil is this. If you get a machine that is very sludged up - which is rare now adays - you'd might want to play it safe and use a med-detergent oil rather than a high detergent oil like Deere sells as Torqguard. As far as comparing oil change intervals with road vehicles - you can't - unless you REALLY beat the crap out of your car or truck. It's assumed that machines like crawlers get pushed to limit, lugged, abused, etc. - most of the time. A diesel engine also puts a lot more soot in the oil than a gas engine, that why diesel oil has special additives to keep the soot in suspension until you drain the oil and get rid of it.
|
|
|
