Fuel Too High?

[crashz]

I think my machine burns 0.5 gals/hr and probably offers the most work done per gallon burned over anything else motorized I own. The tractor would be the last thing I'd sell or stop running. I think I'd be using it to help grow more food rather than typical mowing however. Because if fuel is that high, so will be food.

 

[RaydaKub]

I figure my mower burns about 1 gal an hour, my backhoe and tractors burn about 3 gallons an hour typically so lets say average is about 1.5 gallons per hour. Haven't had to ckeck lately but I assume a good head doctor is about $200/hr maybe more so I feel the price of fuel in my tractors is cheap if it preserves my sanity.

First visit around here is $475 and each 1/2 hour after that is $200. Keep on driving, man! :thumbsup:

 

[techwrtr2]

Don't let the tractor idle... money turned into smoke.

I don't burn that much though I cringe when I buy fuel because I'm also usually buying it for the pickup at the same time. Very good thing truck is an occasional use vehicle these days. That would drive me totally broke far quicker than running the tractor. I believe it was a $.50 difference in cost when I filled up on Saturday.

 

[94BULLITT]

From what little I have used the L4240 I think it uses less than a gallon a hour. I think the bx is .5 or .75 a hour. Even at 1 gallon a hour and $10 a gallon that would be $10 a hour for fuel. That would cost over $130 dollars a to fuel up the L4240. If fuel prices went up I would still use the tractor. All of the work I do with it is necessary. I think fuel prices or too high know. Gas is $3.66 around here I don't know what off road diesel is up to. I wish it was $2.00 a gallon.

 

[droy]

Owner / Operator of an eighteen wheeler. End of July I was looking at my fuel costs- $42,000+ Jan. 1 to July 31.
The little bit my tractor uses doesn't concern me yet.
However.....

case 245,
I suspect that most tractors of a specific size doing the same work will be very close in fuel consumption. I haven't heard any complaints about Kubota's burning more fuel than any other brand. I think Kubotas' as a group are as efficient as any one else.

Recently traded my 33 hp NH for a 47 hp Kubota, and I was surprised by the added fuel consumption.
In all fairness, I'll admit it's kinda apple to oranges, using 5' tools (rotary cutter mostly), with the NH;
6' tools, AND cab + AC on the 'Bota. Fuel consumption has almost doubled shredding my 10 ac.

 

[jenkinsph]

droy,
Could be you are not moving fast enough to make the larger tractor work in it's optimum performance range. A 47hp tractor with a 6' rotary cutter is capable of a much faster ground speed than a 33hp with a 5' rotary cutter. Yet most of us would be limited by ground conditions as to how fast we can ride safely. Obviously the cab and ac will use a little more fuel and is well worth the increase in fuel if you stir up a yellow jacket nests or have to go outside almost any day in south Louisiana to work.

Man I miss the food and fishing there but I don't miss the climate, food pretty much sucks in New Mexico but the climate is wonderful. I am a native of NOLA.

 

[NICKB304]

Someone like me who uses a tractor for a handful of chores per year........ it certainly wouldn't effect my tractor use @ 10 or 15 dollars per gallon. Problem is..... how much will groceries, building materiels, clothes cost when everything is moved by truck? No doubt the current administration would love to see diesel @ $12/gallon tomorrow.

i see it the same way, as far as my transportation/fuel cost per % of my disposable income is concerned i would be fine. the cost of everything else going up because of fuel that high would put me in the poor house.

 

[Gordon Gould]

droy,
Could be you are not moving fast enough to make the larger tractor work in it's optimum performance range. A 47hp tractor with a 6' rotary cutter is capable of a much faster ground speed than a 33hp with a 5' rotary cutter. Yet most of us would be limited by ground conditions as to how fast we can ride safely. Obviously the cab and ac will use a little more fuel and is well worth the increase in fuel if you stir up a yellow jacket nests or have to go outside almost any day in south Louisiana to work.

Man I miss the food and fishing there but I don't miss the climate, food pretty much sucks in New Mexico but the climate is wonderful. I am a native of NOLA.

Steve, I see what you are saying and you have a good point but don't you think it might be more complex than that. I would think the ground speed would be limited by the quality of the cut. If two tractors can both turn the mower at 540 rpm won't the ground speed be limited more by the mower capability rather than the tractor hp. An other thing is time. Doesn't it take more energy to do the same job faster. So going to a six foot mower will get it done quicker but will also take more fuel.
Just thinking out loud.

 

[nybirdman]

My L4240 HSTC with the air on and at PTO speeds burns 1.25 gallons per hr.My L3130 HST open station burned 1 gal/hr running the same equiptment.

 

[Baby Grand]

Having to pay more I could tolerate. Within limits.
Having to wait in line for hours is another story.
I hate to wait.
"Hurts my motor to go so slow."