[DaveDelux]

Last week I picked up my 2018 1025R from a dealer with 204 hours. They told me they performed the 200 hour service including an oil change. I can see that zerk fittings had been greased and the engine oil filter had the date marked on it in paint pen. When I went to check the engine oil level, the color seemed very unusual to me, much darker than I am used to.

Questions:

• Is this normal?
• Is this the color of the oil that is used in these engines?
• Does a diesel engine change the oil color quickly?
• Was the oil not changed by the dealer?
• Do I have a problem with my tractor?

Thanks in advance for any input.

 

[Darryle]

Hard to tell, picture is a little blurry, but yes diesel oil gets discolored rather quickly. It appears fine to me.

 

[DaveDelux]

Hard to tell, picture is a little blurry, but yes diesel oil gets discolored rather quickly. It appears fine to me.

I appreciate the good news! I will try to get a better picture.

 

[WestTexasFarmBoy]

The oil in diesel engines will definitely turn very black as hours accumulate. It is hard to say for sure from a picture, but that looks awfully dark to me for only four hours... Diesel engine oil that has been run for many hours has a very distinctive smell. It is very hard to describe, but it is very different from that of fresh engine oil.

 

[DaveDelux]

The oil in diesel engines will definitely turn very black as hours accumulate. It is hard to say for sure from a picture, but that looks awfully dark to me for only four hours... Diesel engine oil that has been run for many hours has a very distinctive smell. It is very hard to describe, but it is very different from that of fresh engine oil.

I never thought of doing it, but I will absolutely give it a smell!

 

[MTB98]

Diesel oil does get dark. When I change mine it’s almost impossible to see on the dipstick for the first10 hours or so. What did it look like when you took it in?

 

[DaveDelux]

Diesel oil does get dark. When I change mine it’s almost impossible to see on the dipstick for the first10 hours or so. What did it look like when you took it in?

I haven't taken it in, I just purchased it from the dealer last week and have put about 4 hours on it since then.

 

[MattL]

Yup, diesel oil gets dark quick. How clean is the exterior of the filter? Did they just paint marker a date and hours on the filter and wipe off the crud? (Highly unlikely for a reputable business), but if there's areas on the filter that appear to have a heavy (I know my filters after some time are covered in dust/crud/sasquach hair) buildup, then maybe?!?, but realistically I wouldn't stress about it.

Edit: Also take a look at the hydraulic oil filter (under the center of the tractor on the "front" of the hydrostatic transmission) Is this area clean? 4 hours and it should be fairly clean if the 200 hour service was performed. Finally a quick way to check is looking at the suction hose clamps, they will usually show type of marking from the act of loosening them. Suction hose too will show some evidence of manipulation from cleaning the suction screen during the 200 hour service.

 

[DaveDelux]

Hard to tell, picture is a little blurry, but yes diesel oil gets discolored rather quickly. It appears fine to me.

I went to get another picture, and it looks a lot better than I thought. Depending on how the light hits it, it looks pretty good. I think I'm okay.

 

[DaveDelux]

The oil in diesel engines will definitely turn very black as hours accumulate. It is hard to say for sure from a picture, but that looks awfully dark to me for only four hours... Diesel engine oil that has been run for many hours has a very distinctive smell. It is very hard to describe, but it is very different from that of fresh engine oil.

I went and smelled my oil, and it didn't have much of a smell at all. When I looked again, the color didn't look as bad as I thought. I guess I am just a nervous new father.
Thanks.

 

[WestTexasFarmBoy]

"I guess I am just a nervous new father."
Great analogy

 

[bfloyd4445]

Last week I picked up my 2018 1025R from a dealer with 204 hours. They told me they performed the 200 hour service including an oil change. I can see that zerk fittings had been greased and the engine oil filter had the date marked on it in paint pen. When I went to check the engine oil level, the color seemed very unusual to me, much darker than I am used to.

Questions:

• Is this normal?
• Is this the color of the oil that is used in these engines?
• Does a diesel engine change the oil color quickly?
• Was the oil not changed by the dealer?
• Do I have a problem with my tractor?

Thanks in advance for any input.

View attachment 790567

Take a sample and have it analyzed then you will know for sure. Simple to do

 

[dixie460]

Looks good to me. Diesel oil turns dark fast. Doesn't mean anything is wrong with it, it's just the nature of the engine. Your oil is clear enough to see the crosshatching on the dipstick so that tells me it ain't been in there long.

 

[Ritz]

I don't recall mine going "dark" so quickly, but I'm at 10 or 11 hours now and it is looking almost that dark. I also noticed the oil seems rather "thin" for a 15W-40 diesel oil, but I've read that the factory fill is special "break in" oil.

Best,

 

[99f250]

It looks good to me mine gets dark after 2-3 hours of use the only diesel I've ever had that didn't get dark almost immediately is my 99 f250 with the 7.3 powerstroke it's the only exception I've had in a diesel 👍🏻🙂

 

[Big]

but I've read that the factory fill is special "break in" oil.

Oh Lord, please don't start this discussion again.. I thought this was put to bed when TTWT went to the John Deere factory and was told that the engines are already broke in and to run them like you stole it.

 

[tibadoe]

I will add my 2 cents and say the that is normal color for 4 hour post oil change. The reason I say this is because a dealer is not going to let the oil drain 100%. Dealers are on a time schedule and will pull the plug, let the majority drain, reinstall plug and add oil. So there will still be a little old oil that will mix with the new oil and turn it darker a little faster.

When I change the oil I pull the drain plug and let it drain while I work on other projects. Sometimes it will drain overnight. Plenty of time for the oil to drain back out to the pan. Oil stays clean and hard to see on the stick for quite sometime. Nothing wrong with either - just my observational 2 cents.

 

[RalphVa]

The diesel oil on our 1983 240D Benz would always be black, like tar, even after an oil change. By contrast, the oil in the Isuzu generator driver took eons before it hardly got dark. Right now, after being changed about 5 years ago at 50 hours and with 100 hours or so on the oil, it's amber. The JD tractors have been in between these extremes. The VW TDI's oil would clear up after each 10k mile change and then get about as dark as the JD's.

 

[bfloyd4445]

The diesel oil on our 1983 240D Benz would always be black, like tar, even after an oil change. By contrast, the oil in the Isuzu generator driver took eons before it hardly got dark. Right now, after being changed about 5 years ago at 50 hours and with 100 hours or so on the oil, it's amber. The JD tractors have been in between these extremes. The VW TDI's oil would clear up after each 10k mile change and then get about as dark as the JD's.

completely different animals. If concerned just have it analyzed...is that so difficult?

 

[NotYourGrandfathersDeere]

If you're not convinced that the dealer did the oil change or did it properly, do it yourself. It's not hard, and you will be sure that everything was drained properly and the proper weight oil is in there. If you suspect that someone just cleaned the filter and marked it with the date, change them too. This is a reasonably cheap way to get familiar with your new tractor and give you peace of mind. Every used vehicle or engine that I've ever bought has had an oil change done almost as soon as it possible no matter what the former owner said about when it was last done. Having said my peace, congratulations on your new tractor and I hope that it will give you many years of good service.