Yes, I've seen it happen. Not proved by a controlled scientific study, but close enough. At our Deere dealership 30-40 years ago it was a big issue. We sold Deere tractors but worked on all makes of tractors. In our shop we carried three types of oil. Quaker State HDX (medium detergent), Quaker State non degergent, and Deere Torque-Guard Supreme which is extremely high degergent.
Our shop policy was to never use the Deere oil in any tractor that had not had it since new. If we could not verify, we'd use some version of the Quaker State.
We had a few "mis-haps" when a tractor got fixed and then someone dumped the Deere oil into it. We had a few that ran perfect before, and then started using oil shortly after the change. We'd drain and find the new oil looking like mud. On a few, we actually found the oil-pump pickups plugged with freshly loosened debris. On one Allis Chalmers we had to put in new main and rod bearings after such a mishap. When we pulled the pan we could see that the engine had never been maintained. Did not seem fair that we were now responsible. But, it DID run fine until some idiot dumped the Deere oil into it and then stuck it on the dyno for four hours.
It's not so common anymore to find 2" thick sludge inside an engine. That being said, I just yanked apart a TO-35 that IS that bad (Continental Z-134).
When unsure - do an oil change with HD oil and keep an eye on the dipstick. If the oil turns to mud - you've got problems. If it just gets dark faster then normal, change more often. If the engine is known to be badly sludged inside? Why the heck would anybody risk using a HD oil? Nothing to gain and plenty to lose.
By the way, a friend of mine had a Deere dealership at his farm for many years. Closed late 50s. He kept three "left-overs" and was very careful about oil changes. He always used non-degergent. A 420, 530, and a 620. Last year I pulled the oil pan off his 420. Note the pan had never been off since that tractor was new. It was absolutely clean inside. I guess that shows that tractors that get used right, and maintained can stay clean even with non-D oil.
I also had a logger customer that bought a new Chevy LUV diesel truck when they first came out. Last I saw him he had 120,000 miles on it and had never done an oil change. Just kept topping it off when low. I wonder what that thing looked like inside? Note it still ran perfect.
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