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western WI | So I went to do some snowblowing, snowblower is jointly owned by my dad and uncle. Uncle is in Florida for the winter, the step grandchildren are watching the farm/ one living in the house. Since snowblower was on it, asked if they were done with it, etc...O.K. my turn, check engine oil and its low. Only thing I could find was some Fleet Farm 15-40, filled it.
I only used it one hour and bolt broke off on blower, stopped and decided enough til it gets a bit warmer, got blown what absolutely needed blowing. Tractor started vibrating terribly on the way back, thought, crap didn't check hydro oil. When I parked it, needs say 3-4 gallons hydro. I told the one step grandchild, if he uses it needs hydro oil and also check gearbox oil in snowblower. This was 2 weeks ago.
I go over there Saturday and needed to use it (they put bolt back in blower and were seen using it earlier last week.) I checked fluids, nothing, they checked and added nothing. I was looking at oil filter and someone scratched the hours on, I looked at the odometer and holy CHIT, almost 500 hours since number on filter. Thats it, I got in van and right down to John Deere, got filter and oil. Took the old filter off and someone scratched the date July 2012, OMG!!!!!!
I ran it for the few hours I used it, then drained the oil, it was nasty!! What would you do in this situation? Want to tell them kids about their lack of maintenance, but I don't want to piss them off, know what I mean?? How much life has been taken away from this engine?? Such a shame, I remember when it first came on the place. This was an experemental 4440 of Deere's.
Do I call my uncle and say, oh by the way i changed your 7 year old oil before the tractor blows up?? I do know my uncle never changed the oil and / or greased like my dad taught me, but 7 years and 500 hours is a little too much for me to fathom!. The thought of it blowing up while i was operating it came to mind. uncle has a 4430 that is toast as of a few months ago. those kids, I don't know if they don't know how, or just don't care, or is it both? Not my job to be their parents, When I say kids, the one is 19, the other is late 20's.
Edited by grainbinder 3/3/2019 23:47
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4440 JD 7 years since oil change
