Diesel engines are easy, Delos 15w40 in trucks, Plus 50 15w40 in John Deere tractors and combine, RotellaT 15w 40 in other tractors. Cars oil is changed in town and they use 5w30 in those gas engines. I still have old M`s and a 70 JD, D-14 Allis and such but don`t work them or even annually start them, so they get whatever is handy for oil.
But I was at a sale and a little toy workhorse followed me home and I`m going to work it, so I want a good gas tractor work oil. In the olden days when we used M Farmalls, Dad ran 10w 40 summer and winter and it worked fine. I go to the Big Box stores Fleet Farm, Bomgaars, Walmart and it`s damned hard to find 10w 40 oil anymore! It`s all these fancy multigrades for wannabe drag racers all touting their "low ash, good emissions, good gas mileage" ect ect. I don`t care about good mileage and low emissions, I want to make a big "carbon footprint" and make that old gas tractor last. 🙂
So, after reading fine print and studying on the internet, i figure the cheapest oil today was way better than the best back in 1960. However, just my gut says stay away from synthetics and those bragging about "emissions". When in doubt "What Would Dad Do?" he always bought Traveller oil brand from TSC. So a NAPA Gold filter and (2) 5 quart jugs of 10w 40 from TSC $12.99/jug and we`ll see how that works.
See, 10w 40 has about the best range for a gas motor working range for a single grade oil, yet it`s tough to find these days. And oh yeah, I am using "Ethanol Shield" in the gas, sorry Ethanol industry, I ain`t taking any channces with the new addition to my family 🙂
