Synthetic oil

I use 10w30 oil in my M farmall the year round. Is it okay to use Mobil 1 synthetic 10w30 in the tractor? Someone said that it might start better in the winter. Does anyone know for sure?

10-30 will be about the same either synthetic, or petro stock based. It has a little more lubricity, an I would use it if I was the owner of a fresh (and just broken in) engine. JimN

As a little experiment, take a few different brands of 10W-30 1 quart bottles of dino oil and a few different brands of 1 quart bottles of synthetic oil and put them in the deep freeze at about -15 overnight. The pourability between the brands might surprise you despite the fact they are all 10W-30 oil.

Things may have changed in the last decade, but about 10 years ago synthetics had somewhat of a reputation for being more apt to leak out. A mobile1 technician once told me, "If a seal is damp with regular oil, it will drip with synthetic. If it drips with regular oil, it will pour with synthetic." But, as I said, that was 10 years ago.... maybe things are different today.
The thing about synthetics in old tractors, to me, is more of a cost factor. Why? Because with an old (hobby) tractor [i:bf6f6e91c9]usually[/i:bf6f6e91c9] you are changing the oil more due to the age of the oil than to the number of hours on the oil. In other words, it gets contaminated by age - moisture for example - not thermal breakdown or hours of use. So, you end up changing it every year or two anyway. Therefore, no need to spend the extra dough on synthetic oil. Now, if it is in a tractor you are working for a lot of hours, that is a different situation and synthetic may be the way to go.
mike

It will leak like crazy. I do run Syn in the modern cars but not in 50 & 60 year old tractors.

WHAT a bunch of bull puckey. A COMMON "old mechanic's tale", but just that, a bunch of B.S..

Both my tractors leak a little anyway, mostly from the rear of the tractor, not from the engine. I use 10-40 reular oil in the tractors with a quart of Lucas oil additive that stays on the parrts in between starting. I can't see that Mobil 1 would leak anymore that what you are using now,. I have used synthetic oil Syntec since it has been on the market and have yet to have a leak in my cars Henry

Jerry: When synthetics first came out, I found my car, truck and tractors were already exceeding claims offered by synthetics, as it applies to engine life, bearing life, durability of lubricants. I saw it as a rip off.

I've heard stories since, that convince me I was right. There is nothing makes up for good maintenence.

I agree on the age issue, but synthetic oil also resists the effects of moisture in the oil - the primary result of which is sludge. That's why mechanics in the know advocate synthetic oil be used in engines prone to sludge issues - like the Chrysler 2.7.

If you are going to run a Synthetic, you may as well drop down to 5w or 0w-30. Being thinner it pumps into the motor faster at startup.

I have been told if you switch to Synthetic oil,you have to stay with it. You should not and can not switch back and forth oil's. I was told it you do, you'll start burning oil in you engine. My info came for a oil salesman.

The head office of the company I work for decided that we should switch all the trucks and equipment over to synthetic oil. The reason was to increase the oil change interval, as most of the trucks maintenence was being neglected anyway. What a waste of money that has turned out to be. Any truck with more than around 50,000 miles started leaking and burning oil right away. The gas powered stationary engines were the same. Diesel stationary engines with less than 3000 hrs and new trucks (both gas and diesel) seem to be ok and have minimal oil consumption when using a change interval double that of conventional oil. Any longer of an interval and the engine turns into a burner.
The leakers, when switched back to cnventional oil still leak (mostly at the crank seals), the burning will slow down.
This is my personal experience maintaining a fleetof 45 five ton trucks, 55 pick ups, 65 stationary engines, 10 off road machines.
I will never use synthetic in my own vehicles.

To answer the question "will it start better in the winter" I would have to say that IF you release the clutch, the starter will be able to turn the engine over faster.

My .02 Cents - I've run synthetic in every new or rebuilt engine I've owned for the last 30 years - haven't had any issues or leaks. Even opening up one engine at 300,000 miles to look at it and it looked like new. I wouldn't use anything else...

I started using syn oil in my 2001 Chevrolet K1500 at about 60,000 miles. I now have 132,000 miles and it gets a filter change at 5,000 and new oil at 10,000. I run M1, Syntec, or Valvoline; which ever is on sale. Never had an issue swapping syn brands, no sludge, no leaks. I have a Snapper ZTR mower with a Kohler engine. Kohler recommends waiting 50 hours before using syn oil to allow rings to seat in. I have 37 hours on it and counting... My wifes Mini Cooper S has Castrol Syntec in it from the factory. BMW's recommmended oil change intervals is 20,000 - 25,000 miles or 1 year. It is under 4 year warranty and they change the oil, so I quit arguing with them on that one. 1.6L TURBO 4 cyl, 8,000 redline, 180 HP, little aluminum engine, 25K oil change... This car will do 5.9 sec 0-60 and run out to 140 mph only limited be electronic speed control and this is their engineered oil change interval.

If your tractor has a recent OH, I'd run syn oil and not look back. If it is a loose engine, worn rings, bearings, seals, ect, WHY? I agree. In cold weather you may need 5w-30. An oil pan heater helps ad holding the clutch down while cranking.

My .02 cents on syn oils.

CT