[AT] Engine oil

[John Hall]

What this group needs (in my opinion) is a good farm equipment discussion.
Engine Oil--but wait, this isn't your ordinary oil discussion!!! Long 
story short, I have a fleet of old gas powered working FARM 
equipment--not talking about lawn equipment. We have always ran big name 
brand oil. I switched from Exxon Super HDII about 3-4 years ago because 
it was getting really hard to source. I switched over to Chevron Dello 
400 (both are 30W). The Dello is formulated for diesels, but supposedly 
works in older gas engines. I now have 2 engines that drink oil when 
being worked hard. My Farmall M can drop 2-3 qts in a couple hours of 
pulling a cultimulcher--yet you don't really notice it smoking. It does 
foul plugs. That work is a very heavy load. Also I have a 3300 Deere 
combine that will drop a qt or so every truckload of corn. Now I've only 
had this combine about 8 years and the oil consumption just started 
about 3 years ago--I swear some days it is worse than others. I really 
wonder if its the oil I'm using. I have on hand some CaseIH low-ash oil 
I run in lawnmowers--considering putting it in the combine for this 
fall. Supposedly the same stuff IH has been selling for 40+ years. The 
cost is about $3-4 more a quart, so an extra $25 to change oil. For the 
record, the rest of the gas powered fleet doesn't run hard/long enough 
to notice a problem. The combine is such a gas hog, can't help but 
wonder if its a fuel issue causing dilution.

What you guys think, worth a shot?

John Hall