Reuse my oil filter once? Also other oil related talk

[Landreo]

It is hard to find objective data on oils, multigrade, detergent effects, etc on the web since there are so many forum talkers out there that may be right or may be wrong. There are some white papers from folks who should know oil, Bob Olree from the International Lubricants Standardization and Approval Committee, is one. Here is a link to one of his statements:

http://www.nonlintec.com/sprite/oil_myths.pdf

I have never seen any real objective data that shows switching to multigrade or detergent oil will damage an engine. Some forum talk but not real expert data or opinion.

Detergent oil should be almost black when drained, from suspended microsolids, that is the point of the detergent and dispersants.

I can think of one potential side effect from using multigrade oil if it is left in way too long but otherwise there is a large pool of test subjects for many years, i.e. the cars on the road, that survive a much harsher engine environment that is in a cub engine.

It was common years ago to only change the filter with every other oil change. Not saying it was a good idea but was common.

[punchofdeath]

Thanks for all of the replies.

My oil is pretty dark if not getting to be black. I don't see it being black a good indicator of hydraulic oil because in every gas engine I've seen oil gets black once it's been in there for quite a while. Oil level never goes up as well.

Wouldn't say my engine is worn badly. Starts pretty easy and pulls hard.

I should have mentioned that the filter that's in it is a purolator from advanced auto.

[offrink]

For the last 6 years I have run mobile 1 10w-30 full synthetic. I have a rear main leak and I know it. I would rather have to add a quart every other month and have superior protection in cold weather start ups for plowing and the protection if it somehow overheats. Synthetic oil cleans the engine better so, when I got my tractor, I changed the oil, ran the engine hard for a couple of hours and changed it again. The first year I changed the oil 2 more times and after that stuck to once a year and it runs great with lots of power and no smoke. (Maybe a little when I throttle up quickly) no hydraulic leak and the oil was dark the first two years but improved the more it was used.

[Indiana Robinson]

Anybody ever drive an earlier VW rear engine vehicle? I used to have a 65 Beetle... Guess what, no oil filter, just a coarse screen to keep out the chunks. I kept the oil changed regularly and never felt that it hurt it or shortened its life.

On a side note:
It used to be common for some guys (especially on their drive to work car) to just change the filter and add a quart...

Another note:
Gary Dotson and I were talking about condensation problems at the Barnyard Bash. I never had water in my tractor's lubes before I retired from grain farming. Regular field use kept the moisture cooked out. Now I use the tractors so seldom and for such short times that water accumulates.

I recall that when Diana and I first got married (1963) I was only commuting about a mile to work and every time you pulled the dipstick it was dripping with condensation and white oil . After a year and a half we bought a house and moved out in the country and even though it was only about 8 miles out most of it was on a state highway (65 MPH back then) and all of the condensation problems went away.

.

[HiltzMachineWorks]

My local Tractor Supply has the C60 oil filters on the shelf. Weird. Maybe they sell enough here in Maine to warrant that. Tons of old Farmall stuff still working on farms up here. I bet there's a dozen Farms with a regularly used H on them within a 10 mile radius of my house. H was very popular up here with Potato farmers.

I switched to Rotella T1 30W for the Cub this year and am really liking it so far.

I was running cheapy Wal-Mart Supertech 10w-30 in it for the past several years until I read more about the multi-vis problems in older engines, the ash contents etc.

I called Rotella and they said the T1 30W has 1100 ppm Zinc Content, which is more than any gasoline rated oil. It is also rated as a Low Ash oil, although they don't give a specific % like the CaseIH oil does.

[outdoors4evr]

Since this thread does say "Also other oil related talk" then there is an invitation to hijack this thread.

I'm going to share my ignorance on oil viscosity...
Oil experts: Please help me understand.
When running a multi-viscosity oil, I expect the oil to change in density (thickness) as the temperature of the oil increases.

When running SAE30 (for example) I do not expect the oil to change in density (thickness) as the temperature of the oil increases. However, the oil does seem to get thinner at high temperatures (hence the drop in oil pressure).

[Gary Dotson]

Using 10w30 as an example, when cold, the oil should have the cold flow properties of cold 10w. When hot, it should have the hot flow properties of hot 30w. In other words, multi-vis oils will thin less as they get hot. It still thins, but not as much as straight weight oil does.

[Jim Becker]

Don't confuse the properties of viscosity and density. Density is the weight of a given volume. Oil (like virtually everything else) expands with heat so a given volume weighs less at higher temperatures. Calling different viscosities "weights" is a common misnomer.

All motor oils are rated by viscosity which is a resistance to flow. Viscosity of all motor oil changes with temperature. The SAE grades specify an amount of viscosity AT A SPECIFIED TEMPERATURE. The winter grades (the "W" in ones like 10W) identify the lowest temperature that grade passes the cold-cranking test. Thus a 10W passes the cold-cranking test at a lower temperature than a 20W. They both must meet their specified viscosity ranges at high temperature (100 c). An SAE 30 oil does not have the "W" and is not required to pass any cold-cranking test. They will both loose viscosity as they get hotter. But the 10W will be thinner than 20W at any given temperature. The rate viscosity changes with temperature is called the viscosity index.

Multi-grades (like 10W30) have to meet specifications of both straight grades. That is, it must pass the cold-cranking test of a 10W and the high temperature viscosity of 30. This is done by adding viscosity index improvers. If you were to graph viscosity vs. temperature for 10W, 30, and 10W30, You would find 10W and 30 both running downhill more or less parallel to each other. The 10W30 line would be closer to horizontal, crossing 10W at about 0 c and 30 at about 100 c. You can see what this looks like by going to this page and scrolling down to graph 3. (Graphs 1 and 2 illustrate my previous paragraph.)

http://www.kewengineering.co.uk/Auto_oils/oil_viscosity_explained.htm

[Matt Kirsch]

As far as reusing an oil filter once, as long as you haven't put a lot of hours on the previous oil change, I see nothing wrong with it.

That said, the most expensive Cub oil filter known to man is still under $10. Tractor Supply is all sold out of the 99-cent Fram filters, which are garbage anyway.

[Waif]

The oil/oil filter that's in my tractor currently was last changed in November. After the oil is in it for a while my Cub starts burning oil. The last time I changed the oil it quit smoking for a few months.
My local TSC doesn't have an oil filter for the cub so I don't have anywhere to get them cheap.
This oil change I'm gonna put 10w-40 in it instead of 10w-30... Doesn't have the greatest oil pressure when hot. Not sure what brand.. I figure it doesn't make too big of a difference. I've been running Pennzoil in it since June of last year which is when I began working on it.
Thinking about putting that Rotella 15w-40 in it but I'm not sure about running an oil for diesels in a gas engine. I've read about other people doing it however on the forum.

Not looking to spark the great oil debate. I just like to hear someones opinion every now and then.

Not my best piece of writing.. Been busy today and I'm fixin to go to bed. just figured id get my question out. Been meaning to for a few days.

~CG

Well ,you can reuse the filter.....New is nice ,but until you can stock up ,and want some fresh oil try it. I'd want to drain as much out of the used filter before reuse as possible. Not just to get rid of some debris but because you are changing oil type too.
If it still smokes and has low oil pressure after a change ,note what your next filter change does.

The first (nasty) filter I pulled out of mine barely fit in the housing. Thought the parts guy at Case had given me the wrong replacement...Not related but still interesting. It must have affected something....(?)

[outdoors4evr]

Thank you Jim for the detailed explanation and the link.
This is a very informative read. I really appreciate this site and the talented people who contribute!