Engine oil for TEA20

Hi everyone,

I have a 1948 Ferguson TEA20 with the 80mm engine. Is it OK to use 15w40 oil in it? What about high detergent oils that are rated for petrol and diesel engines?

Thanks.

10-30 10-40 15-40, all are good.
Non-detergent is not ok

use 15w-40 because it still has zinc anti-wear compound. other oils that are newer than SL rating have had the zinc compound reduced because they were harming the cat converter on modern cars.

Excellent, thanks for that. Is Mobil Delvac MX 15w40 acceptable? I know it's a diesel oil and I have a petrol engine, but that just means it should do a better cleaning job, especially when worked hard.

Not familiar with that particular oil, but I use 15-40 diesel oil (Shell Rotella) all the time.

You choice of oils is somewhat dependent on the ambient operating temperature. In cold climates, winter may dictate a change to 10Wxx oils and then to 15W40 in summer. I use 15W40 Chevronn Delo 400 in my diesel and I'm looking to going to a diesel rated 10Wxx to help the winter starting difficulties I have with 15W40. In my gas TO-30 I use 10W40 year around.
If you live in a more moderate climate, you can use 15W40 year round.

The most important thing is to change your oil regularly!!

(quoted from post at 23:35:03 10/07/08) Not familiar with that particular oil, but I use 15-40 diesel oil (Shell Rotella) all the time.

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ood to know, thanks.

(quoted from post at 05:28:05 10/08/08) You choice of oils is somewhat dependent on the ambient operating temperature. In cold climates, winter may dictate a change to 10Wxx oils and then to 15W40 in summer. I use 15W40 Chevronn Delo 400 in my diesel and I'm looking to going to a diesel rated 10Wxx to help the winter starting difficulties I have with 15W40. In my gas TO-30 I use 10W40 year around.
If you live in a more moderate climate, you can use 15W40 year round.

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eah I realise this. Most people would be using 20w50 in their machinery where i live, but I find this to be quite unnecessary if the engine is in decent condition. It will also allow me to run the same grade oil all year round. 15w40 is rated to colder temperatures than we get here.

(quoted from post at 10:58:51 10/08/08) The most important thing is to change your oil regularly!!

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ep for sure. In my cars I change the oil and filter every 5000km (3000mi) and intend to change the tractor oil and filter quite frequently too. What is a good hour interval to change the oil?

I also have a 1948 TEA-20 80 mm. (serial 76848) I found that 20w-50 was better for my oil pressure, for that old engine. but if your engine has no wear on it 15w-40 or 10w-40 is fine.
Klaus

Mate, Page 3 of the Ferguson Operator's Manual for your tractor says change engine oil every 120 hours and change oil filter every second oil change - i.e. at 240 hours.

Unless you live on Kosciusko, use 15W-40 all year round. We don't have the temperature extremes the Yanks have. (I've started using Caltex 15W-40 oil in the Fergy and my Jag as they now have three grades: one for pre 1970 engines; one for 1970s to 1990s; and one grade for modern engines.)

Change the transmission oil every 720 hours and use the same 15W-40 oil in the transmission and back end, takes 30 liters. [u:2c55c3ba66]Do not[/u:2c55c3ba66] use heavy gear oil in the transmission!

You may need to flush out the engine sump and transmission before putting the new detergent multi grade oil in.

Tyres: front 26 psi, rear 12 psi. Three drops of oil down the center of the distributor shaft every 120 hours. Check and if necessary, replace oil in the air cleaner every 120 hours. Check steering box oil level every 720 hours and fill with engine oil (or if the drop arm seals are worn and leaking, use gear oil or oil/grease mixture.) Check front hubs oil level every 720 hours, top up with engine oil (or if the seals are worn and leaking, use gear oil or oil/grease mixture.)

I could email you the Ferguson Operator's Manual but the file size is 14.5 MB.

Bob in Oz
'53 TEA20

Mate, Page 3 of the Ferguson Operator's Manual for your tractor says change engine oil every 120 hours and change oil filter every second oil change - i.e. at 240 hours.

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K thanks. I'll probably change them at more like 50 hours.

Unless you live on Kosciusko, use 15W-40 all year round. We don't have the temperature extremes the Yanks have. (I've started using Caltex 15W-40 oil in the Fergy and my Jag as they now have three grades: one for pre 1970 engines; one for 1970s to 1990s; and one grade for modern engines.)

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air enough. The coldest it gets here is about -5C, and I'm quite sure I won't be out using the Fergie in that weather!

Change the transmission oil every 720 hours and use the same 15W-40 oil in the transmission and back end, takes 30 liters. [u:e3eb0af0cd]Do not[/u:e3eb0af0cd] use heavy gear oil in the transmission!

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ood info, thanks. I read somewhere to put hydraulic fluid in it?

You may need to flush out the engine sump and transmission before putting the new detergent multi grade oil in.

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intend to.

Tyres: front 26 psi, rear 12 psi. Three drops of oil down the center of the distributor shaft every 120 hours. Check and if necessary, replace oil in the air cleaner every 120 hours. Check steering box oil level every 720 hours and fill with engine oil (or if the drop arm seals are worn and leaking, use gear oil or oil/grease mixture.) Check front hubs oil level every 720 hours, top up with engine oil (or if the seals are worn and leaking, use gear oil or oil/grease mixture.)

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will most likely put more than 26 psi in the front tyres, as they are 7.50x16 Dunlop Roadtrak Major, on 16x5.5 wheels for a David Brown.

I could email you the Ferguson Operator's Manual but the file size is 14.5 MB.

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f you'd like to email it to me, I can put it up on my website for everyone to see.

"I read somewhere to put hydraulic fluid in it?"

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No - don't use hydraulic oil or gear oil in the transmission!!! In the US they use GL1 which has similar viscosity to engine oil. GL1 is not available here, use the same oil you use in your engine. Anything else may affect your hydraulic action.

I change both engine oil and oil filter at approximately 80 to 100 hours or annually. Changing at 50 hours is probably unnecessary unless the tractor is doing very heavy work.

A lower viscosity oil in winter only aids starting in near or sub zero temperatures, which we don't get in Australia. 15W-40 is fine year around anywhere in Australia.

Bob in Oz

(quoted from post at 19:20:35 10/08/08)

"I read somewhere to put hydraulic fluid in it?"

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No - don't use hydraulic oil or gear oil in the transmission!!! In the US they use GL1 which has similar viscosity to engine oil. GL1 is not available here, use the same oil you use in your engine. Anything else may affect your hydraulic action.

I change both engine oil and oil filter at approximately 80 to 100 hours or annually. Changing at 50 hours is probably unnecessary unless the tractor is doing very heavy work.

A lower viscosity oil in winter only aids starting in near or sub zero temperatures, which we don't get in Australia. 15W-40 is fine year around anywhere in Australia.

Bob in Oz

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Fair enough. So $150 to fill the gearbox and diff... that sounds like fun.

Buy it now whilst it is only Aus$150!!!

The Aussie Dollar opened this morning in the mid 60 cents US range, down from 98 US cents two and a half months ago.

You haven't seen anything yet until the local retail price of imports catches up to the current exchange rate!

I'm off to the US in three weeks. I put off buying US currency a couple of months ago thinking the exchange rate would get even better.

It only got dramatically worse!!

And I won't even think of my Super going backwards by thousands of dollars in recent months. I worked out that if I can work for another ten years, I should be able to retire in my 70s, totally broke!

Ugh, yeah. I am extremely broke this week though, I've spent $1200 this week in dental bills, bought a GPS, Top Gear Live platinum class tickets, etc. Not good. I can get 20L cubes of Delvac MX for $112 at the moment, I should probably get one this week...

Definitely buy this week. By next week you will need to mortgage your house to buy the oil and fill the Fergy fuel tank......

I'm an accountant but I'm yet to work out why Australia has arguably the world's strongest economy, our banking sector is guaranteed secure, unemployment at record low, our mortgage interest rates are obscenely above the rest of the developed world .... and the US economy has a hiccup and we pay with a dollar worth around 30% less.......

Not impressed!

Yep fair enough. I will have to try to remember to do it tomorrow.