tractor life span?

[john_bud]

Charlie,
<font color=blue>If you put an hour meter on a car, I would bet that few 100,000 mile cars would have less than 3000 hours engine running time on them.</font color=blue>


You are pretty close; I have just under 30,000 mile on my truck and about 780 hours on the clock. (New Chevy Silverado's have hour meters, just like our tractors [img]/w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif[/img]). So for me, it looks like 100,000 miles is about 2500 hours. Tractor engines being built much much heavier duty than truck engines should last dern near forever. Probably longer with the care given!

John Bud

[DONOTDELETE]

Thanks for all the input. I also thought that I should have seen it last alot longer. I was also told by the dealer that I should expect some other major repairs with-in the next 1,000 hours, that also contributed to the decision to make the move to upgrade. Thanks again for all the info. Jim

[Woodbeef]

Man,I sure do not know what your local farmers are running for tractors if they need an overhaul at such low hours,they must be N.A. brands.

If they had tractors from Europe,it would be more like 12500 hrs or more before rebuild. I know of Valmets,Steyrs,and Fendts going over 15000 hours and more before any work being done to them.

[rancar]

Woodbeaf,

I think what the problem is the farmers I've spoken to in my area can only afford well used machines. Yep, they think they are taking care of their machines well and maybe they are at the current time but these machines likely have a spotty ownership record and nobody knows for sure how well they were maintained or abused in the past. These machines are Olivers, Masseys, and even JD. But, I can only report what these farmers tell me. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/hmm.gif[/img]

[pennwalk]

I was at the John Deere dealers shop chatting with one of the mechanics. They had a JD 1050 all in pieces being rebuilt. It had almost 11k on the clock. The mechanic said that it shouldn't have been there except the owner let the cooling system malfunction and the engine got too hot. The JD sales guy I know says the Yanmar Diesel engines ought to go at least 5k before overhaul except in the lawn and garden tractors which get around 3k. I wonder why the lawn and garden engines wear out so much sooner?

Chris

[s1120]

<font color=red>I wonder why the lawn and garden engines wear out so much sooner?</font color=red>

Lack of use is the biggest abuse! Sitting is real hard on a motor. Most lawn and garden stuff sits most of the time.

[RoyJackson]

I wonder why the lawn and garden engines wear out so much sooner?

Lack of use is the biggest abuse! Sitting is real hard on a motor. Most lawn and garden stuff sits most of the time.

So do most tractors!!

Smaller displacement engines have to rev higher to make power. This does accelerate wear, somewhat. Also, diesel engines are built heavier then an equivalent gasoline engine. Most lawn and garden equipment do use single or two cylinder gasoline engines.
However, the point made about setting is valid, especially if condensation builds up inside the engine (such as short trips, etc.). There was a thread a while back on this...

[rancar]

I think I was told by someone the reason is engine blocks are smaller and they run hotter.

[EdKing]

As far as running hotter, aren't most garden/lawn tractor engines air cooled rather than water cooled ? I'm sure this is a significant factor as well.

Ed King

[rancar]

Depends on how small you go. My JD111 is air cooled. Bought it in 1984, still runs great. However, I try not running it in 95 degree temps. My JD425 is liquid cooled. Bigger engine, bigger block but I still don't like running it in 95 degree temps. Certainly, these small block engines won't give you 5,000 hours like an ag tractor or even large CUT will. But if even a CUT can give me 100 hours per year and assuming a 5,000 hour life span before overhaul, that would give me a useful CUT for 50 years. I should then have no problems with my 4710 until I'm at least 96 years old. [img]/w3tcompact/icons/wink.gif[/img]