The engines in today’s farm equipment are more powerful and efficient than ever. Troy Schaar is the regional parts and service manager with Case IH, and he talks about what producers should look for in a high-quality oil to protect their machinery.
“Your oil really needs to keep up with the new technologies. The best oils are those that can handle the high temperatures and pressures and give you the performance that is demanded in our modern agricultural equipment. That means finding an oil that has demonstrated resistance to thermal breakdown, especially under high temperatures and pressures. And if you live in an area that has harsh winters, you need excellent cold weather starting as well. To get a little technical, I’ll just say you need an oil that offers strong protection against oxidation and has good aeration control. This agricultural equipment today is constantly running in these heavy duty conditions for extended service intervals, so look for an oil that’s been tested in lab conditions and under load in extreme field testing and shown good results.”
He talks about what growers should know in order to choose the right oil for their equipment.
“Anyone can go and find a range of this or that tool at the hardware store, right, but the well-made tools are the ones that have hardy components. And so, when you’re looking at a high-quality filter, you really want to take special note of the design, the spring, the media inside, the seal, the baffle. Look for canisters that are smooth around the ends and corners, not sharp. And the reason for that is when you have those sharp edges and wrench flats and so on, that’s where the pressure builds up, and that’s where these things can crack. Look for filters that have heavy-gauge wire used in their springs. This offers more stability, prevents rocking. A filter that has a highly-designed, synthetic, high-capacity media offers a much better performance.”
Schaar talks about his recommendations for oil and oil filters that give maximum engine protection and equipment life.
“The best oil and filter that you can get is the ones that are made just for your machine. For Case IH equipment, that happens to be Case IH number one engine oil specifically-formulated for high-performance agricultural equipment. It’s got a low ash formulation which helps protect exhaust catalysts and offers proven performance for modern low-emission engines. And when you pair that number one engine oil with our top of the line CNH industrial filters, you know you’ve got this set up that’s rigorously designed and tested to offer the superior protection. Your productivity is going to rise, and your downtime will plummet.”
Investing a little more in oil and filters will save you a lot of time and money in the future.
“You can say oil is oil or a filter is a filter, but then you might as well say a tractor is a tractor or house as a house, or you can go right down the line with that analogy. It’s just not true. So, while it might be tempting to save on cost by investing in cheap, low-grade oil and filters, this is one area where spending a little extra now will lead to big savings on repairs down the road. At best, you’ll lose out on productivity, and, at worst, you’ll be left with a breakdown at the height of planting season. Growers interested in protecting their equipment with top of the line oils and filters should contact their local Case IH dealer or head to CaseIH.com for more Information.”
