Did I put in the wrong oil? *Gulp*
 

So. I've been all over the internets. I realize the debate about transmission fluids, etc. I am NOT trying to start one of those debates...please. :beatdeadhorse:

What I am doing is trying to figure out if I need to drain the fluids in my cub and start over. I have a Cub 122....

After a store-to-store search of oil. Engine oil. I was coming up empty handed. First store had SAE30, but $4 a quart for generic. Sorry. Pass!

Anyway, after several stores, I ended up at WalMart. Grabbed a couple of jugs of Rotella T SAE30 (yes, the diesel kind - which I didn't realize until this morning....smh)

I drained the engine and the transmission and filled them both up with the same stuff. Ran it and it shifted smoother (it was getting cranky lately) and seemed to run real nice. Mowed the lawn with it and didn't think anything of it. In fact, I felt like I did something right...with me and machines, that's a major accomplishment.

After talking to my Dad this morning, he said "isn't that stuff high detergent?" Sh**!!!!! After making another trail all over the internet, I'm trying to figure out one thing:

Do I need to drain the fluids in my tractor and replace them with something else?

Kohler does in fact recommend a SAE30 Non-Detergent oil.

Personally, I would not be sweating it. I don't think any damage was done. You just want to watch the color of your oil and if (in your judgement) looks too dirty, change it out.

Weird that you have trouble finding sae30. Put hytran or a off brand hytran in the rear. I never liked the idea of using motor oil for that

That was the other thing - I couldn't find hytran and the closest dealership is about 3 hours from here.

I was shocked that I couldn't find sae30. The were two choices at Wally World.

So, is the oil I bought high detergent?

That's what I use. Also have it in the trans of my 71.

Locally here, I have NO issues finding SAE-30. Between TSC, Wal-Mart, and five auto parts store, someone has always got it.

You guys are making me feel a lot better.

I was shocked that I couldn't find it either. Auto parts stores were dead ends. It was weird.

....I never checked tractor supply. Probably should have!

My Kohler manual says use DETERGENT oil.

They have to say that, as they also recommend 10W-30 for certain temperatures, :bigthink:

I am pretty sure 10W-30 N-D does not exist. :bigeyes:

This tractor recommends engine oil for the gear transmission;

http://i1104.photobucket.com/albums/...0640x602-1.jpg

That mower deck weighs pretty much the same as a Cub Cadet 122.

Engine oil in a transmission would not bother me. MANY manual pickup transmissions call for it.

If I were to use engine oil, I probably would use synthetic, for MORE power transmission!:Shhhh:

If you do use synthetic, don't tell anybody, let them guess why you got the most powerful 122 on the block!!

:beerchug:<-Synthetic oil

The Rotella is detergent oil. You're OK using that. I use it in my 126.

I stand corrected. Detergent oil is OK....it was the "low ash" I was thinking of, that Cub Cadet recommends.....

See..... Engine Oil

Yea, low ash, :bigthink: that would be more rare than hens teeth in my neck of the woods!! :bigeyes:

:biggrin2:

Same here.

I read a couple of interesting articles on the virtue's of low ash oil. It all made sense. But if you can't find without ordering it from Cub Cadet, it's not going to be used very much.:biggrin2:

Great! Thanks so much guys. Happy mowing (tilling/plowing/hauling/snowblowing/etc/etc....)

BTW - totally jealous of that Gravely. It's the one beast I'd swap for my IH Cub.

i use shell rotella SAE 30 in all my cubs. never had a problem with leaks or anything. my opinon pretty good oil. ur only in trouble if u grab oil that says DIESEL OIL on the bottle. but ive ran rotella for 3 yrs in my 122 and never leaks or burns it *heck it dont smoke or anything* but as for the rearend i put 85W-140 in mine on my 122 and 86. they hold up just fine. so u shuld be alright amccune.

I use sae 30 weight. Dont like multi grades in small engines. Always smoke on start up and oil consumption goes up. Just bought a 2 gallon jug of rotella from TSC . Can't change your oil enough in my book.

Any Case-IH dealer will have low ash oil. Also, most small engines like low ash oil, so it should be available at Kohler, Briggs and Stratton and other small engine places, as well as those who sell lawn and garden equipment.

I use CaseIH Akcela low ash oil in my 1250 Nightmare. I also put a couple of ounces of Marvel Mystery Oil in the gas per gallon. The oil stays amazingly clear and I hope the inside of the engine looks the same.

I've been using Rotella T 15W-40 oil for about 20 years in all my small engines including the Cubs. It's high detergent, low ash. Suitable for diesel/gas. No smoke, no oil burning, no unexpected leaks. Available everywhere.

IH Cub Cadet manual calls out Hy-Tran or 30 weight oil in the rearend.

Haha......no such thing as soon as you raise the question! You should have realized that....

Cub Cadet 123

When I bought my #122 the 1st., thing I did was change the tranny fluid. Was suprized when the previous owner told me to use 30w oil. Then I read the same thing in the owners manual. I changed the tranny once a year, & it ran super. Cheap insurance.

NIK,

Its only 12 cents more a quart for me to run farm and fleets hytran equivalent than 30 weight. That's 42 cents per change. Cheap enough for me.