Fuel Consumption

[rwork]

Just hit 7 hrs on my R3039H and just a hair shy of a half tank of fuel left. That seems to be close to 2 hrs per gallon. Does that sound about average?

 

[joshuabardwell]

Just hit 7 hrs on my R3039H and just a hair shy of a half tank of fuel left. That seems to be close to 2 hrs per gallon. Does that sound about average?

You should keep in mind that many fuel gauges are non-linear. They will read "full" until, maybe 3/4 tank, then start dropping, and drop faster as they get closer to empty. I have not personally verified this with every single fuel gauge I have, but I have verified it with multiple vehicles on long road trips, where mileage stays roughly the same. I'll go 200 miles from a fill-up and the gas gauge is still pretty much on "full". With a 400 mile range on a tank. Right.

In order to really measure your fuel consumption, you have to fill the tank to a known level, then run for a while, then refill the tank to the same level and see how much fuel you put in.

EDIT: To actually answer your question, I get better than an hour per gallon unless I'm really working (e.g. bushhogging tall grass). I don't think I get two hours per gallon, but based on what I said about fuel gauges, I don't think you're getting two hours per gallon either.

 

[rwork]

That does make sense. I'll have to check by your method when I fill up. Run for a couple hrs, then refill, and see how much fuel is used.
I'm just enjoying my new tractor so much, I look for an excuse to go work it!

 

[yelbike]

My z465(gas), 2320 and 2305 each seem to be burning about 1gal per hour rough guess. The 2320 can get a little more thirsty when I'm pushing it hard with the tiller at full RPMs.

 

[joshuabardwell]

That does make sense. I'll have to check by your method when I fill up. Run for a couple hrs, then refill, and see how much fuel is used.
I'm just enjoying my new tractor so much, I look for an excuse to go work it!

Now that I have pointed this out to you, you will start to notice it all over the place. The next time you are on a road trip, count how long from a fill-up it takes for your needle to leave "full". To be fair, some of this is because there is room at the top of the tank, above the float, and in the filler tube for extra fuel. But that's not the whole explanation. If you wait until the moment you notice the needle has left "full," and then see how many miles it takes to get to half tank, and then see how long it takes you to get to empty, I bet that you will find you consistently get more miles from full to half than from half to empty.

Here is an article on the topic: How Does Your Gas Gauge Really Work?

Now, do I know for sure that your tractor does the same thing? No. Tractors are a lot simpler than cars. But it does stand to reason that there is room in the tank above the float, so even if the gauge is totally linear all the way down, you'll still get an extra little bit of fuel on "F" before it starts to drop down.

 

[bruceatlam]

I'm at about a gallon per hour while mowing brush with a flail mower.

 

[oldtoyboyd]

I average a gallon per hour on my R4047.

 

[Bladehauler]

I average about a 1000 smiles per hour on my 4047!!!! Fuel ??? I just don't let her run out !!!!

 

[joshuabardwell]

I hogged for about six and a half hours today and burned just under six gallons. All time was at PTO speed.