Oil viscosity in skidder

[OH logger]

So I’ve  got a 548 Deere skidder and I’ve always ran 15w40 in it. I’ve always had a drum of it on hand but I noticed lately most all my newer equipment calls for 10w30. So I’m considering switch em to all 10w30. I put about 350 hours a year on the skidder which means I only change the oil once in the spring. My skidder book shows 15w40 being good for      5-122 degrees and 10w30 being good for -13-104 degrees. I work down to about zero or a little below. Basically I’m way more likely to work colder than 5 degrees than I am to be workin above 104 degrees. That could/should help with cold starts in the winter but I’m a little concerned about protection and oil consumption in the hotter summer months.   I’m thinkin schaffers oil cause I don’t use but a half a drum a year prolly. Then I can for sure get by and only change oil
Once a year in most of my machines. Any thoughts?

[barbender]

I was running a Pknsse forwarder that had about 15k hours on it when Ponsse changed from a 5w40 synthetic to 5w30 synthetic in the newer engines. I feared that my older machine would have excessive oil consumption with the 5w30. However, nothing changed. Still didn't use any oil. 

 My stuff I run 5w40 Rotella synthetic in most everything, if I had to switch to their 10w30 I wouldn't stress it.

[ehp]

I run 5W -40 in the winter and 15W-40 in the summer , machines start so much better in the winter with the thinner oil as I normally got to work in the minus 35C or a bit colder , when I was further up north cut off was 40f below 0 , I use to use shell T6 but cause its getting hard to get I switched to amsoil and it seems ok, been about 2 years now using it . The shell oil is a lot cheaper to buy 

[OH logger]

Thanks for the replies. Just always seems to me like 15w40 is more of an HD oil for larger diesel
Engines but I guess a good 10w30 schaffers oil made for diesels should be fine. Not sure why I’m concerned. My Dad has always put 15w40 in EVERYTHING. From tractors to
Trucks to mowers. I mean everything 🤦🏽‍♂️  His equipment lasts longer than most it seems like too. 

[timbco68]

We used to run straight 10w in the detroits and deeres in the winter and never had any problems. I run semi syn  10- 30w rotella in my 648 and timbco but I think I will switch to 5 - 30 . I believe more damage is done on a motor with stiff oil than light oil in our part of the country at least.

[OH logger]

Timbco68 do you run semi synthetic 10w30 all year round right now in your 648 and timbco? And if so how hot does it get where your at in the summer? 90 degrees ever? Cause I believe the schaffers oil guy said the 10w30 he had in mind for
Me was semi sythetic too

[timbco68]

I have been using 10- 30w semi syn  in the summer lately also but will still use conventional 15 - 40  also. It gets in the mid 90's some in the summer here. I don't have a fear of syn 10- 30 being too thin for summer but I will put regular old 15 - 40 in for the summer just to save a dollar or two. My dad knew a detroit diesel mechanic that had a customer run straight grade 10w year round in a 353. He claimed the motor lasted a long time but that seems a bit extreme if you ask me .

[timbco68]

I run about 150 hrs to an oil change in the summer and 200 in the winter. I'm not concerned about the oil breaking down as much as   I am about the dust the motor is breathing in  and accumulating in the oil. I run the semi synthetic mostly for winter flow issues.

[Peter Drouin]

What do you guys do with all the old oil?

[OH logger]

I’ve never even heard of 10 weight oil. Is that real
Thin I assume?

[OH logger]

I put my old oil in the IBC totes I think they’re called and my mechanic takes all he can get from me and whoever else he can and that’s how he heats his shops

[customsawyer]

I collect mine in one of those 250 gallon tanks, I think OH logger has the name right. When it is full I call a guy that comes around and pumps it out. We don't need it for any shop heat in this part of the world so it gets recycled. I put engine and hyd. oil in the tank.

[Loony661]

Hello, I run synthetic Amsoil 15w40 in my Timberjack 230A that has a Cummins 4BT. Schaeffer’s Oil is good too. I wouldn’t over think the 10w30 or 15w40 decision. I just make sure to let my skidder idle a while and warm up good before I start working it.