Synthetic oil in Kubota gen

[Mike in GA]

I think this has been addressed before, but please remind me...
Switched to Rotella full synthetic in my 2003 Power tech with a four cyl Kubota.
The recommended oil change interval for regular cf-2 diesel oil is 100 hours.
Am I safe in extending this to 200 hours with the synthetic oil?
Thanks in advance.
Mike in GA

[OneLapper]

Hmmmm..... in my opinon, probably not if the engine has a lot of hours on it.  100 hours is approximately 5000 miles in automotive wear and tear.  For newer, cleaner running diesels, 200 hours on synthetic should be fine.  For your engine you might be pushing it at 200 hours.  

But the good news is that you can do an oil analysis and know for certain!  I'd take a sample at 100 hours and then again at 200 hours and compare.  

[luvrbus]

Kubota says no www.kubotaengine.com/support/faq-2 most diesel engine manufactures are the same they will allow synthetic if it meets the spec but won't allow longer drain intervals,that is why I don't waste money on synthetics  

[TomC]

Big rig trucks running very hard with their engines use 50mph to figure engine house. To convert generator engine hours to miles, I've always heard to use 40mph. As with extending any engine oil, the true telling is an oil analysis. That is how I decided on a 12,000mi oil change on my 3406B mechanical in my truck. It made life easy-since I just changed the oil at every division of 12,000mi. Good Luck, TomC

[jackhanow]

so having changed my oil both regularly and on some things regular was some time in the last year or so, I've found the biggest difference is how hard you stress the machine. The more stress, the more heat. People should pay more attention to crankcase ventilation because the fumes that build up in the crank case, condensation, and high heat cause the oil to break down and create free fatty acids, just like the doc says, causes oxidation and build up on the surfaces. Even plugs up the Lube ports. For the most part oil is oil, the difference is mostly the additives. Don't skimp on filters. Buy good filters and change the filter at your half way point. Kubota motors are tough and for the most part are overbuilt when compared to other motors. I've often wondered over the years if there is such a thing as over maintaining a
Maschine. Have a customer that changed his oil every 5000 miles and the motor gave up just under 200k and have another with the same identical truck and motor that changes his a couple times a year and he pulls a 12k lb trailer most of the time and he's pushing 600k on the original motor go figure. Is it oil or luck. 

[TomC]

Kubota generator engines are very understressed. I have a truck driver friend that when he sold his truck, the 3 cylinder Kubota had over 26,000hrs on it and was still running fine. Good Luck, TomC

[Oonrahnjay]

        I have 400K on my '03 TDI Jetta, run on Mobil 5W-40 "Turbo Diesel Truck" oil, changed at 10K intervals.  You could eat off the inside of the engine (I pulled the oil pan at 350K to change the oil pump chain while I was doing a timing belt change, figuring something that important should be changed at a third of a million miles).  Yeah, it's a little more expensive than 15W-40 but it's proven to be a fine oil.  Since it make sense to me to use a good oil in my Onan 10Kwatt generator (and for a large part in not having to carry around another different bottle of oil), I wrote Onan and asked if it was OK to switch to the 5W-40 in that generator.  They replied that the 5W-40 would be an excellent oil for that generator. 

[luvrbus]

It's all about the service and drain intervals on any oil do your samples.I going from Transynd back to Dexron in my B500 I don't drive enough miles per year to justify the cost difference between the 2  like 11 bucks a gal vs 50 bucks a gal    

[TomC]

Rather than paying for Synthetic oil (which is still petroleum oil, but engineered more precisely), I run normal 15W-40 in my Mercedes TurboDiesel 300. I have 493,000mi on the engine without overhaul yet. The only time it is opened is for valve adjustment. I change the oil every 3,000mi. The book says 5,000mi, but my mechanic also says that typically these engines need a ring job around 250,000mi, but I haven't had it-he believes it is because of the 3,000mi oil change intervals. I also read in Wikipedia that these Mercedes models (W123) regularly go 1,000,000km or 620,000mi before first overhaul (Diesel engines). You can bet Mercedes don't make these all cast iron engines anymore. There is a company here in L.A. area that rebuilds the older Mercedes models www.mercedesmotoring.com Good Luck, TomC

[brmax]

My rule was always following the warranty first till its done, then the recommendation of rebuilders either engines and a bit more with wet clutch stuff. I will say some equipment has qualifications for special "non fleet" lube.
Then making the bean counters happy, but believe me It wasn't easy sometimes making a costing argument to that level.
The fleet system is excellent but gauged on a bigger scale and can win and lose a percent.
I think as mentioned a testing or sampling at least in concern situations is best, and to put some of this in a different light. Example; is this equipment in a run environment away from general view for continuous run cycle, 200hrs that's enough fuel burn to take a look at some things. I mention that because having some engines in field conditions running a lot puts a bit of that fuel into oil just from cylinder wash top/lube splash bottom, except in a perfect world.
I think your the best manager on your equipment, and smartly I know because your one of us.
good day
Floyd