John Deere Engine Oil, Coolant and Grease Guide

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John Deere 1025R compact utility tractor parked at a farm machine shed, ready for an oil change, coolant check and greasing

The John Deere engine oil for diesel equipment is Plus-50 II, and Deere pairs it with Cool-Gard II coolant and SD Polyurea grease. Lawn tractors such as the D125 take Turf-Gard 10W-30 instead. When the Deere product is not on hand, Deere's manuals allow API CK-4 oil, ASTM D6210 coolant and NLGI GC-LB grease, each with conditions covered below.

Key Points

  • Diesel engine oil: Plus-50 II is Deere's recommended oil. Torq-Gard II is its standard-interval oil. Both meet API CK-4.
  • Lawn tractors: Deere's D125 and X105 parts guides call for Turf-Gard 10W-30, changed every 50 hours.
  • Viscosity: pick the grade by the air temperature you expect before the next oil change. 15W-40 covers about 5°F to 122°F, while 0W-40 reaches -40°F.
  • Coolant: Cool-Gard II pre-mix. The 50/50 mix protects to -34°F. The manual's alternative is an ASTM D6210 coolant with no nitrites.
  • Grease: SD Polyurea is preferred, HD Lithium Complex and Grease-Gard Premium Plus are also recommended, and the fallback is an NLGI GC-LB grease.

What Engine Oil Does John Deere Recommend?

For diesel engines, Deere's operator's manuals are direct: "John Deere Plus-50 II is the recommended engine oil." Deere sells four engine oils, and each one has a different job.

John Deere oil Grades Made for What Deere says about intervals
Plus-50 II 15W-40, 10W-30, 5W-40, 0W-40 Diesel engines, including Tier 4. API CK-4 and backward compatible with older diesels Up to 500 hours with John Deere filters, where your manual allows it
Torq-Gard II 15W-40, 10W-30 Diesel engines on standard drain intervals. API CK-4 Deere rates it for 250 hours of performance
Break-In Plus 10W-30 family Factory fill in new engines, and rebuilt engines At least 100 hours, up to 500 hours
Turf-Gard 10W-30 4-cycle gasoline engines in lawn and garden tractors and mowers Every 50 hours on the D125 and X105

Older jugs and manuals may say Torq-Gard Supreme Plus-50. Deere's parts site now lists Plus-50 II 15W-40 as its substitute, and the Plus-50 II product data sheet says the oil is backward compatible with every legacy diesel application where Plus-50 was used. Deere also says Plus-50 II should not be used for the initial fill of a new or rebuilt engine, which is the job of Break-In Plus.

Transmission and hydraulic oil is a separate fluid, covered in our John Deere Hy-Gard specs and equivalents guide.

Which Oil Viscosity Is Right for Your Temperature?

Deere's rule is to "use oil viscosity based on the expected air temperature range during the period between oil changes." The chart in the 6105D to 6140D Operator's Manual (North America edition) lists six multi-grade oils, and the manual adds that "multi-viscosity diesel engine oils are preferred."

John Deere diesel engine oil viscosity chart showing the air temperature range for SAE 0W-40, 5W-40, 5W-30, 10W-40, 10W-30 and 15W-40
  • SAE 0W-40: -40°F to 122°F (-40°C to 50°C)
  • SAE 5W-40: -22°F to 122°F (-30°C to 50°C)
  • SAE 5W-30: -22°F to 104°F (-30°C to 40°C)
  • SAE 10W-40: about -13°F to 122°F (-25°C to 50°C)
  • SAE 10W-30: about -13°F to 104°F (-25°C to 40°C)
  • SAE 15W-40: about 5°F to 122°F (-15°C to 50°C)

Single-grade oils appear on the chart too: SAE 10W from about -13°F to 50°F, SAE 30 from 32°F to 104°F, and SAE 40 from 50°F to 122°F. If your winters dip below about 5°F, 15W-40 is outside its range, and a 10W, 5W or 0W grade is the one Deere's chart points to. Deere's Plus-50 II 5W-40 product page quotes a different low limit, so your machine's manual is the final word.

What Can You Use If Plus-50 II Isn't Available?

The manual allows other oils, with conditions. In Deere's words: "If John Deere Plus-50 II engine oil is not available, engine oil meeting one or more of the following may be used:"

  • API Service Category CK-4
  • API Service Category CJ-4
  • ACEA Oil Sequence E9
  • ACEA Oil Sequence E6

The same page, written for Interim and Final Tier 4 engines, says not to use oil with more than 1.0% sulfated ash, 0.12% phosphorus or 0.4% sulfur, and to run ultra low sulfur diesel only. The Plus-50 II data sheet adds that CK-4 oil must be used in Tier 4 engines "or significantly reduced DPF life will result."

Your choice of oil also sets the interval. The extended interval depends on two things together: Plus-50 II and the specified John Deere filter. On the 6105D to 6140D, the manual says to drop to 250 hours "when using any lubricant other than JD PLUS 50 II oil and filter," and its general rule is that Torq-Gard and other API CK-4 oils are changed at the normal service interval.

What Oil Does a John Deere Lawn Tractor Use?

Deere's replacement parts guides for the D125 and X105 lawn tractors both list Turf-Gard 10W-30 (part number TY22029), a 4-cycle gasoline engine oil Deere makes for lawn and garden tractors and commercial mowers. Both guides call for fresh oil and a new filter on a 50/100/150/200/250-hour schedule, which means every 50 hours.

  • D125: 1.9 L (2.0 qt) with filter
  • X105: 1.4 L (1.5 qt) with filter
  • Oil filter on both guides: AM125424

Our engine oil filter replacing John Deere AM125424 meets or exceeds OEM specifications, and the listing shows fitment for lawn tractors including the D125, X300R and X350, plus many X100-series and LA-series models. For alternates from other filter brands, see our John Deere oil filter cross-reference guide. Deere's lawn tractor guides do not list a second grade, so check your operator's manual before using anything other than 10W-30.

How Much Engine Oil Does a John Deere Hold?

It depends on the machine. These figures come from Deere's own documents for four common models.

Machine Deere oil named Engine oil capacity Oil service interval
6105D, 6115D, 6130D, 6140D Plus-50 II 15 L (3.9 US gal) First 100 h, then 500 h on Plus-50 II with a Deere filter, 250 h otherwise
1023E, 1025R, 1026R Plus-50 2.7 L (0.71 US gal) with filter Oil filter every 200 h and annually
D125 Turf-Gard 10W-30 1.9 L (2.0 qt) with filter Every 50 h
X105 Turf-Gard 10W-30 1.4 L (1.5 qt) with filter Every 50 h

One number worth correcting: some websites list the 1025R at more than 5 quarts. Deere's own filter overview for the 1023E, 1025R and 1026R lists 2.7 L (0.71 gal) with the filter, which is just under 3 quarts.

The same overview lists oil filter M806418 for all three tractors. Our engine oil filter replacing John Deere M806418 shows fitment for the 1023E, 1025R and 1026R, along with the 2025R, 2026R and many Gator utility vehicles. Deere replaces the air filters on these tractors every 400 hours, and the overview lists these numbers:

Deere's 2022 guide switches later 1023E tractors (serial JJ117914 and up) to different air filter numbers, so check your serial before ordering. Send your model and serial number to sales@partsonline.com and we will confirm the part for you.

How Often Should You Change John Deere Engine Oil?

Start with the break-in. New John Deere diesel engines leave the factory filled with Break-In Plus, and the 6105D to 6140D manual sets the first oil and filter change at 100 hours. Deere says a longer break-in, up to 500 hours on Break-In Plus, may be needed if the engine spent a lot of time idling or at light load, or needed make-up oil in the first 100 hours.

  • After break-in (6105D to 6140D): every 500 hours with Plus-50 II and a John Deere filter, every 250 hours with anything else.
  • At least once a year: the manual's annual service record includes an engine oil and filter change, even at low hours.
  • Other machines: intervals differ, from 50 hours on the D125 to a 200-hour oil filter on the 1023E, as the table above shows.

Check the level every day before work. On the 6105D to 6140D, park on level ground, shut off the engine, and keep the oil between the two dipstick marks without overfilling. Even Deere's Plus-50 II data sheet tells you to confirm the interval in your machine's operator's manual.

What Coolant Does John Deere Use?

Deere's preferred coolants are pre-mixed John Deere Cool-Gard II and Cool-Gard II PG, the propylene glycol version Deere specifies "when a non-toxic coolant formulation is required." The 50/50 pre-mix needs no added water. Cool-Gard II also comes as a concentrate, which the manual says to mix at 40 to 60% with quality water: below 40% the corrosion additives run short, and above 60% the coolant can gel.

Cool-Gard II pre-mix Freeze protection limit
20/80 16°F (-9°C)
30/70 3°F (-16°C)
50/50 -34°F (-37°C)
55/45 -49°F (-45°C)
PG 60/40 -56°F (-49°C)
60/40 -62°F (-52°C)

The 6105D to 6140D manual's coolant section gives a drain interval of 6 years or 6,000 hours with Cool-Gard II, provided the system is topped off only with Cool-Gard II pre-mix. Any other coolant cuts that to 2 years or 2,000 hours. The same manual's older service chart still prints 5 years or 5,000 hours for Cool-Gard, so follow the interval in your own manual.

Capacities vary: Deere lists 3.7 L (0.98 gal) of Cool-Gard II for the 1023E, 1025R and 1026R, and 13.5 L (14.3 qt) for the 6105D to 6140D. Test the coolant every 12 months or less with Cool-Gard II test strips, and add Cool-Gard II Coolant Extender only when the strips call for it. Never open the cooling system hot: Deere says to wait until the coolant is cold, then loosen the cap slowly to relieve pressure.

Can You Use Other Antifreeze in a John Deere?

Yes, within limits. The manual states: "Other ethylene glycol or propylene glycol base coolants may be used if they meet the following specification:"

  • Pre-mix coolant meeting ASTM D6210
  • Coolant concentrate meeting ASTM D6210, mixed 40 to 60% with quality water
  • An additive package free of 2-ethylhexanoic acid (2-EHA)

The same section lists what to avoid:

  • Coolants that contain nitrites
  • Mixing ethylene glycol and propylene glycol coolants
  • Sealing additives, or antifreeze that contains them
  • Automotive coolant, such as products meeting ASTM D3306, which Deere says lacks the additives heavy-duty diesels need
  • Plain water, except in an emergency, followed by a refill with a recommended coolant as soon as possible

Deere asks for deionized or demineralized water when mixing concentrate, and says to run a recommended coolant even where freeze protection is not needed, since water alone leads to corrosion, scaling and cavitation.

Which John Deere Grease Goes Where?

In the operator's manual, "John Deere SD Polyurea Grease is preferred," with John Deere HD Lithium Complex Grease and Grease-Gard Premium Plus also recommended. Deere's parts literature then gives each grease a job.

John Deere grease Thickener, NLGI grade Where Deere says to use it
Multi-Purpose SD Polyurea (TY6341) Polyurea, NLGI 2 Rolling-contact applications. Deere's factory fill for U-joints and axle bearings
Multi-Purpose HD Lithium Complex (TY24416) Lithium complex, NLGI 2 Wheel bearings, U-joints, suspension systems, ball joints, plain bearings. Listed on the D125 and X105 guides
Special-Purpose HD Lithium Complex with 3% Moly (TY6333) Lithium complex, NLGI 2 Pins and bushings, ball joints. Not for high-speed bearings
Special-Purpose Calcium Sulfonate with 5% Moly Calcium sulfonate complex, NLGI 2 Heavy-duty construction, forestry, mining and farming. Not for high-speed bearings
Special-Purpose Corn Head Grease Polyurea, NLGI 0 Corn heads and other slow-speed gear cases up to 1,000 rpm
Special-Purpose Golf and Turf Cutting Unit Grease Polyurea, NLGI 0 John Deere reel mower gearboxes

Temperature matters for grease too. The manual's chart shows the three Deere multipurpose greases covering about -22°F to 122°F, with NLGI 2 suited to about 14°F and up, NLGI 1 to about -4°F to 86°F, and NLGI 0 to about -22°F to 50°F.

On the 6105D to 6140D, the service chart has you grease the front axle pivot pins, steering linkage and MFWD axle shaft every 50 hours (daily in extremely wet or muddy work) and the 3-point hitch every 250 hours. The D125 and X105 guides simply list grease "as needed."

Can You Mix John Deere Grease With Other Greases?

Deere's documents lean different ways here. Its parts literature calls SD Polyurea "compatible with most other types of grease," and rates the moly lithium complex grease as compatible with lithium, aluminum and calcium greases. The operator's manual is stricter: "Mixing greases should be avoided. Consult your grease supplier before mixing different types of grease."

If you cannot get a Deere grease, the manual allows one that meets either of these:

  • NLGI Performance Classification GC-LB
  • ISO-L-X-BDHB 2 or DIN KP 2 N-10 lithium complex, with a non-synthetic base oil of 100 to 220 mm²/s at 40°C

Deere's reason for caution: some thickeners, base oils and additives are not compatible with others.

What Does a John Deere Fluid Service Schedule Look Like?

Put together, oil, coolant and grease follow one hour-meter schedule. On the 6105D to 6140D, Deere's service chart and lubrication pages line up like this:

  • Daily or 10 hours: check engine oil and coolant levels.
  • Weekly or 50 hours: grease the front axle pivot pins, steering linkage and MFWD axle shaft.
  • First 100 hours: change the break-in oil and filter.
  • Every 250 hours: grease the 3-point hitch. Change oil and filter if not on Plus-50 II with a Deere filter.
  • Every 500 hours: change oil and filter on Plus-50 II with a Deere filter.
  • Every year: change oil and filter even at low hours, and test the coolant.
John Deere 6105D to 6140D service timeline showing daily oil and coolant checks, 50-hour greasing, the 100-hour break-in oil change, and 250 and 500-hour oil changes

Other machines differ, so use this as an example of how the pieces fit, not as your schedule. Find filters and service parts in our John Deere parts collection. Part numbers change at serial breaks, and it is the customer's responsibility to verify fitment, so send your model and serial number to sales@partsonline.com if you want a second check. Consult a certified mechanic for engine or cooling system repairs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the engine oil capacity of a John Deere D125 lawn tractor?

Deere's D125 parts guide lists 1.9 L (2.0 qt) of Turf-Gard 10W-30 with a filter change, using oil filter AM125424.

What is the engine oil capacity of a John Deere 1023E?

Deere lists 2.7 L (0.71 US gal) for the crankcase with filter. The 1025R and 1026R take the same amount.

What is the best engine oil for a tractor?

For a John Deere diesel tractor, Deere recommends Plus-50 II in the grade that matches your temperature range. If it is not available, the manual allows oil meeting API CK-4 or CJ-4, or ACEA E9 or E6.

What type of oil does a John Deere lawn tractor use?

Deere's guides for the D125 and X105 list Turf-Gard 10W-30, a 4-cycle gasoline engine oil. Check your operator's manual for other models.

Can I use 5W-30 oil in a John Deere diesel?

Deere's diesel chart lists SAE 5W-30 for about -22°F to 104°F. If it is not Plus-50 II, it must meet API CK-4 or CJ-4, or ACEA E9 or E6.

Is 15W-40 oil OK for a John Deere?

Yes, for diesel engines working between about 5°F and 122°F, per Deere's chart. Plus-50 II and Torq-Gard II are both sold in 15W-40.