Oil & Fuel CUT/SCUT fuel consumption?

[deezler]

^ That's actually a pretty good argument. Engines are inherently more efficient when operated closer to full throttle (less pumping losses past a partially closed throttle plate) except that with modern fuel injected engines, they enrich the A/F ratio as you approach full throttle to keep the piston and exhaust gas temperatures lower (safer). In short, it can be complicated.

After ~40 hours put on my new Cub Cadet 7305 CUT, I am amazed with the rate of fuel consumption. Seems to be about 0.5 gals/hr, even when brush hogging or dirt digging. Awesome stuff. Well, except that I always assume the tank is low enough to hold a full 5 gallon jug, and then over full it and dump diesel all over my tractor. Doh!

 

[284 International]

...Engines are inherently more efficient when operated closer to full throttle (less pumping losses past a partially closed throttle plate)...

The diesels in our tractors don't have a throttle plate, though. But still, generally, it will be more efficient to run a lower powered engine at high fractional power loading than a high powered one at a lower setting.

Let's say I have a load that will take about 10 horsepower to run. I have a choice of my diesel IH 464 or my gas IH 284, rated about 45 and 25 PTO horsepower respectively. The presumption would be the diesel engine would use less fuel, since it is diesel, and, with such a light load, will loaf along. The data show differently. (Attached is the 464 test; the 284 test is above)

The 464 burns 1.4 gallons per hour to make that power, and is producing 7.18 horsepower-hours per gallon. The gasoline 284 burns 1.3 gallons per hour to make little more power-12 horsepower, and makes 9.07 horsepower-hours per gallon of fuel. Running the big diesel at 44 PTO horsepower, though, burns only a little over 3 gallons per hour, more than quadrupling the power for a little over twice the fuel consumption, and it produces 14 horsepower-hours per gallon of fuel.

This shows the importance of having well-matched implements and tasks to one's machine. It would be more efficient to run a heavier load on the bigger machine than it would to let it loaf in front of an undersized one. With that said, there are many other contributing factors to overall efficiency, but in purely mechanical terms, it is generally more efficient to operate at a higher percentage of output than less.

 

[bigdad]

Yeah, I think my cousin said his 400hp Ford takes 450 gallons to fill up and he does it every other day in spring or fall work. At $4 a gallon, that'll get your attention in a hurry. As compared to my BX that I've had for almost 9 months and have burned through about 15 gallons total.

It's a question to be answered for curiosity sake, but hardly relevant.

Does your cousin fill at the pump?

 

[RaydaKub]

Does your cousin fill at the pump?

No, he buys bulk. The land he farms stretches about 15 miles and he just has a truck come out to where ever it is.

 

[bigdad]

No, he buys bulk. The land he farms stretches about 15 miles and he just has a truck come out to where ever it is.

He has to pay four bucks a gallon bulk? I pay that at the pump here in Illinois. Guess I don't have it that bad.

 

[RaydaKub]

He has to pay four bucks a gallon bulk? I pay that at the pump here in Illinois. Guess I don't have it that bad.

Well, that was quoted in an off-hand way a year or 2 ago. I guess if you take the road tax off and add the sales tax, it probably comes down to $3.75. And he uses enough for his grain trucks that it probably all feels the same. Even so, 450 gallons at $3.75 would still get your attention every 2 days.

 

[JDgreen227]

I put about 90-95 hours a year on my Deere and about 80% of that is mowing which I have calculated as burning close to .625 gph @ $4 per gallon which is about $240 a year. For the amount of work my tractor accomplishes for that much cost for fuel...heck, my NEWSPAPER costs more a day than my Deere does to operate and the paper doesn't put a big s*** eating grin on my face when I open up the barn and admire my toy...

 

[Don87]

My Massey GC2400 is using just about .5 to .6 gph also. That's mowing, tilling, or snow removal.

 

[boggen]

allis chalmers CA, primary used for mowing. put 5 gallons of gas in it. and turn on the PTO to get the blades spinning, and then adjust between 1,2,3 rd gear (out of 4 gears) for getting a good cut at fastest speed. figure approx 0.75 to 1 gallon an hour. i forget how many acres, but figure about 7 gallons of gas for 7 to 8 acres worth of finishing mowing. pending on how tall grass is, and gear i can place tractor in, that means any were from 3 to 4 hours to 6 to 9 hours seat time.

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ford 555c TLB, loader work
put 10 gallons of diseal in it in the morning, and about 6 to 10 hours later i am near empty again. normally loader work, digging in a pile of dirt and then going as fast as can between places dirt needs to go.

backhoe work, if my body is able to keep up. i am around 3/4ths throttle. and going like crazy. i see less desial usage. i am not actually using that much power, and just wanting the higher GPM of hyd oil to the cylinders. and may get 14 to 20 hours of work time out of 10 gallons of diseal.

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it has been way to many years since a riding lawn mower been used here on the farm. but i want to say they used more gas, and took long to mow than the allis chalmers CA tractor takes.