[JDX740]

I am at 44.3 hours right now on my 2012 X740, and I have a question for you folks.

My tractor has not worked hard at all. It has spent the first 44 hours cutting grass with the 54 inch deck and hauling my cart around with yard waste.

Now, my dealership gave me a maintenance/part # sheet for my tractor, and it says to change the oil for the first time at 50 hours. My concern is that with how light the work has been, my engine won't be anywhere near ready for full synthetic oil.

Should I replace the break-in oil with good ol regular 15W40, or switch to full synthetic at 50 hours? I am leaning towards running a regular 15W40 until I hit 100 hours.

It says to wait until 200 hours before changing the hydro system, but I think I might do it next year when I hit 100 hours or so.

 

[mikestoy]

I would strictly go what your manual says regardless of your usage.

If for any reason between 50 and 100 hours your X740 needs warranty work,
there will be no doubt.

My X720 up to 50 hours was also used to mow grass, and I changed it then with full synthetic oil going into winter before installing the snow blower.

 

[JDX740]

The X720 is a different animal all together with it's gas engine.

Diesels love to be worked hard. The proper way to break in a diesel engine is to work it as hard as you possibly can. Obviously that is almost impossible with these garden tractors.

I think I will just go with full synthetic and see how it does.

 

[BrintonJD]

Diesels love to be worked hard. The proper way to break in a diesel engine is to work it as hard as you possibly can. Obviously that is almost impossible with these garden tractors.

I will be approaching my 50hr interval by the fall and also will have hit the mark just mowing and other light duty work. The thing is what do us "residential use" owners do to give our machines a proper workout so they get broken in properly? Maybe filling up our carts with enormous oak rounds or something and going for a ride. Any ideas out there? Maybe tie a rope to a tree (100ft +) a keep pulling? :fing20:

 

[mikestoy]

The proper way to break in a diesel engine is to work it as hard as you possibly can.

Does your manual actually state that.

Just seems strange way to break in a new engine.

 

[mowergene]

It would be a big mistake to go to full synthetic with less than 100 hours!!! Allow the rings to seat. I, personally, would have changed the oil @ < 10 hours break-in to get the burrs out.

 

[JDX740]

This is 2013. Engines from 40 years ago had that issue. Machining is so finely tuned in todays building process that metal contamination is extremely remote. Even if there is burrs, that is why you have an oil filter. If there is anything in the oil that can wreck the engine, even after it is filtered, you had bigger problems to begin with.

I come from driving trucks and owning my own for years. After rebuilding a diesel the best way to break it in was to find the heaviest load you could, haul it through some mountains and keep the hammer down. Do that for 50,000 miles before anything else.

 

[Dale X495]

The important thing with breakin period is not to do a lot of engine idling, and low RPM work. Mowing at wide open throttle gives a fair work out in heavy grass. I would do whatever the manual says and also ask your dealer service dept. Just my 2 cents

 

[wasz3520]

Hello if you do what the owner manual says to do and when to do .You very be very happy in how long it will last .
Oil ,filters and grease are much cheaper than motors and hydro pumps .
Plus being new , there are warranty things that must be done in a timely manner.
Save your records , just in case something comes up .
Wasz

 

[Diesel Powered]

I am at 44.3 hours right now on my 2012 X740, and I have a question for you folks.

My tractor has not worked hard at all. It has spent the first 44 hours cutting grass with the 54 inch deck and hauling my cart around with yard waste.

Now, my dealership gave me a maintenance/part # sheet for my tractor, and it says to change the oil for the first time at 50 hours. My concern is that with how light the work has been, my engine won't be anywhere near ready for full synthetic oil.

Should I replace the break-in oil with good ol regular 15W40, or switch to full synthetic at 50 hours? I am leaning towards running a regular 15W40 until I hit 100 hours.

It says to wait until 200 hours before changing the hydro system, but I think I might do it next year when I hit 100 hours or so.

I'd say run it for another round with conventional oil. What's the reasoning behind switching to synthetic?

The hydro oil/filter is supposed to be done at the 50hr mark just like the engine.

 

[JDX740]

I plan on keeping this machine for a very long time. I am only 25 right now and I hope to have it when I am 50. Don't you think synthetic is worth it for that reason?

Also, the maintenance sheet I was given from my dealership says the first hydro oil change is due at 200 hours. You think that is too long of a wait?

 

[summers5]

As DP said the tranny oil and filter also should be changed. The only thing different I saw from my 2007 manual and the 2012 manual is fuel filter needs changed on 07.
If I was at 50hrs id wait to atleast 100hr before I would switch to synthetic.
Diesels are a diff breed than a gasser.

 

[Diesel Powered]

I plan on keeping this machine for a very long time. I am only 25 right now and I hope to have it when I am 50. Don't you think synthetic is worth it for that reason?

Also, the maintenance sheet I was given from my dealership says the first hydro oil change is due at 200 hours. You think that is too long of a wait?

Considering that you are on top of maintenance from day one, the tractor will be falling apart around the engine even if you use conventional oil (6k hours wouldn't surprise me at all); with that said, I don't see synthetic oil being worth it.

Those maintenance sheets can be all over the board for some reason; your owners manual, as well as the bottom side of your hood, should say 50 hrs for the first hydro service. When I did mine at 50 hrs, it was down right disgusting; I can't imagine waiting until 200 hours.

 

[illiceman11]

Major co. like JD and when the use a different OEM engine spend a lot of money making sure YOU get the max.life out of your unit.Follow their instructions and use their oils and filters.
I have done that for over 60 years and have never had a problem.

 

[JDX740]

Considering that you are on top of maintenance from day one, the tractor will be falling apart around the engine even if you use conventional oil (6k hours wouldn't surprise me at all); with that said, I don't see synthetic oil being worth it.

Those maintenance sheets can be all over the board for some reason; your owners manual, as well as the bottom side of your hood, should say 50 hrs for the first hydro service. When I did mine at 50 hrs, it was down right disgusting; I can't imagine waiting until 200 hours.

After thinking about it I think your right.

Considering this is a garden tractor and not a $75,000 diesel pickup truck, I am just going to run JD 15W40, nothing special. Like you said, the tractor will have issues long before the engine will.

I have ordered the hydro fluid and filter as well and I am going to change them anyways.

 

[Oldoak]

I believe too many owners are confusing garden tractors with HD industrial machines. I see this in other threads as well. :dunno:

Follow the Operator's Owner manual and you will be fine. I think the manufactures of the machines they build know what is best for them. After all, they hold the warranty for them.

Back to synthetic oil. It may be better? But certainly not necessary. My 30 year old 318 has never seen a drop of synthetic oil and is still dependable. Just regular routine maintenance and protection from the elements when not in use is the key to longevity. :fing32:

 

[mikestoy]

I believe too many owners are confusing garden tractors with HD industrial machines. I see this in other threads as well. :dunno:

Follow the Operator's Owner manual and you will be fine. I think the manufactures of the machines they build know what is best for them. After all, they hold the warranty for them.

Back to synthetic oil. It may be better? But certainly not necessary. My 30 year old 318 has never seen a drop of synthetic oil and is still dependable. Just regular routine maintenance and protection from the elements when not in use is the key to longevity. :fing32:

Coming from old school before synthetic, I really believe regardless what oil you use, changing it to manual intervals is the important part here for a long running machine.

Were it all started that by using synthetic oil you can extend your oil changes I'll never know.

 

[wizzo]

Would it be acceptable to run another 50hrs on fresh JD Break In Oil??? From what I have read it is pretty robust stuff. JD Plus50 or Rotella T6 after that, or just pick one of those oils now...

 

[JDX740]

I am just going to go with regular mineral based oil. I decided against synthetic.

As one member pointed out, the tractor will fall apart around the Yanmar diesel, long before that engine ceases to operate.

What we all must remember, me included, is that the mineral based oils of today, exceed synthetic standards that were on the market even just 10 years ago. Mineral based oils today are so good it's almost scary.

Considering this is a garden tractor and not a $500,000 row crop tractor that runs 20 hours per day, the large price jump to synthetic just isn't cost effective.

Even as it is, the home tune up kit, 3 gallons of hydro oil, and the transmission filter is going to cost me $185. This will take care of everything I need to do though, and give me a spare inner and outer air filter element. My air filter right now is still as clean as new with no movement on the air restriction indicator.

 

[Hammerdown]

Hi
I own a 1983 John Deere 318 that I Placed a fresh Onan twin cylinder P-218 engine in last winter. I used Delo Diesel 15-40 engine oil to break my engine in and changed it at four intervals up to 39 Hour's with fresh Oil and filter's. I use strickly Wix filter's on my engine and Hydro Pump, as they have been said to be the best filter out there to use. I decided at 39 Hour's to Place a full synthetic engine oil and used my old stand by being Pennzoil Platinum of 10-30 weight. In choosing the Pennzoil it showed to have the Highest shear strength of any other oil made. I have been using it in my 2000 Dodge Ram that now has just shy of 200,000 Miles and it only uses a Quarter of a quart between 10,000 Mile change intervals. I have never had any Internal part failures in my V-8 318 engine and it does not have any Lifter or other engine noises that I have heard commonly on other 318's that ran bean oil, Nor have I ever had the engine apart in it's 200,000 Mile run.


The air cooled Onan Twin cylinder engine will run an average Temperture in excess of 265 Degrees in a Hot Tennessee day. That is hot enough to Break down, and Burn up any standard bean oil and in essence causing Premature internal engine wear of the rings and cylinders as well as the valve train. Synthetic engine oil will not break down at these Higher Temperatures as They use Pennzoil Synthetic engine oil in the Indy race car engines that turn 12,000 RPM's with No internal Part failures see Team Penske. Since Placing the synthetic Pennzoil Platinum engine oil in Onan it sounded quieter right off the bat, on Initial start up with it than when it was on bean oil and it has not used one drop of oil, so I feel confident that it is fully broke in as it shows no evidence of Oil consumption. There is a lot to be said for what Oil guy's want to run in their engines there will always be the Bean Oil Versus the synthetic engine oil's, but for me the Pennzoil Platinum oil has the Highest rating out there for shear strength, so that's what I am going to use and as far as price goes we are only Talking two quart's here at oil change intervals which does not add up to the cost of chancing the life long expectancy of a re-buillt engine being $1475.00. I am sticking with Pennzoil synthetic in my air cooled Onan, it's worth it's price to me... Regards, Hammerdown