gas vs diesel

[Code54]

Diesel all the way for me. I have a 86 Kubota I use for mowing - maybe 17HP and that thing will run all day on next to NO fuel. Cut for a total of 4 hours this weekend and doubt we used two gallons. My bigger machine is a new turbo diesel, not nearly as good on fuel but the smooth power is perfect for tractor tasks. I also like the fact I never worry about fuel going stale and none of the carb problems the ethanol causes on my small engines.
Nothing wrong with a gas tractor at all - but I personally am a diesel guy. By the way the MF35 is a good solid all around machine!

 

[Soundguy]

Do I get 'brownie points' or sumpin for that one? :laughing:

i'm not saying I 100% cna't repair an injection pump. I just don't have any specific way to test or any of hte gear i might need. carbs. they are easy.

the way this year has gone. i think we all need brownie points. .. heck.. i'd settle on a brownie

 

[Soundguy]

I think if its gonna set much (winters, off season ect) gassers are easier to maintain in the long run. .

i dunno. my diesels usualy start right up after the winter set. just add charged bats and go. ( mind you.. my gassers usually do too. )

IMHO.. diesels are less maint.. but when something does go wrong ( past a filter..e tc.. ) then it's more spendy... gassers need lots of expendables...

 

[endinmaine]

I'll add my 2 cents,,, I have run Diesel trucks for the past 12 years and would never go back to gas,,, truck, tractors etc. HP is nearly the same but the torque is nearly double and that's where the rubber meets the ground. I have a TYM 50 hp and it can put a stump out of the ground where a gasser could not budge it. Mileage and lower maintenance is much better.

 

[pjbci]

Im embarrassed to ask but whats a TYM? Sometimes i get behind on the abbreiviations!

 

[pjbci]

Oh i got it. Nevermind. Sorry guys.

 

[DXN1EL]

Real Engines don't use spark plugs :cool2:

 

[Ted Summey]

We have a 1972 Diesel MF 135. It is in field condition. The injector pump had to be rebuilt this year for the first time. It works harder than I can - it is 41 and I am 50.It is a great tractor.

We also have a 1962 IH 140 cultivating tractor. It is a gas tractor. Never been rebuilt and will work all day. I do the ignition and fuel system work. Otherwise there's not much else to go wrong.

Both work extremely well for my uses. You just need to gauge your work and buy the tractor that matches. I prefer diesel for ground engaging implements, hay baling, bush hogging, hay mowing etc. I use the 140 for cultivating garden or pulling a cultipacker. It is used for very little else.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

One thought, is everything else you have gas? If so a gasser would be handy in the fact you would only have to keep one fuel handy, if you have both gas and diesel already that's mute point. I have a 74 ford 3000 gas and I love it except it easily burns twice as much fuel gallon wise as dads 4610 ford diesel which is a lot more tractor. Mowing we put 10 gallons in the 3000 everyday and 10 gallons in the 4610 every other day. That's mowing with 451 new holland sickle mowers side by side in the same field. That got really long sorry

 

[flusher]

i'm sure this has been discussed many times, but i could not find much doing a search. what are advantages/disadvantages of gas/diesel? been looking for @40 hp tractor for a while now and in my head i was settled on a diesel, mainly because of the ethanol issues that could pop up, as tractor would sit for periods of time. but i've seen some good deals on gas tractors and am starting to change my mind. guy down the road from me has a good looking MF 35 gas burner for sale. i stopped and looked at it and told the guy i was interested in a diesel. $3500 which i'm not sure if that is a good price. someone give me some input, please. have seen several MF and fords gas burners on CL that appear to be in good condition.

I bought a 1964 MF135 diesel deluxe with multipower in 2006 for $3600. Gassers generally are considerably less expensive. But if that MF35 gasser is in superior condition (no problems with engine, 2-stage clutch, tranny, rear end, hydraulics, pto, steering, good sheet metal, working gauges, decent rubber especially on the rear) and you really want a gasser, then $3500 is not outlandish. You probably can get a motivated seller to deal around $3000 if you show him the money.

On my 135 there are two weep holes on the bottom of the clutch housing that you can use to check for seal leakage from the engine and the tranny. A few drops of oil/tranny fluid is normal--anything larger may be trouble since you need to spilt the tractor to fix those seals. My guess is that the MF35 has them, but I not 100% positive about that.
Good luck