Kerosene tractors- spark plugs?

[SmallChange]

Do kerosene tractors use spark plugs, or a diesel cycle, or what?

Just curious. Thanks!

 

[dodge man]

Kerosene is similar to diesel fuel so I assume they run like a diesel.

 

[oldnslo]

The old 2 cylinder John Deere A & B, etc. had spark plugs and would run on kerosene. Neighbor had two of them that were started by spinning the flywheel and had compression release peacocks on each cylinder

I believe diesel engine will also run on kerosene.

 

[herringchoker]

They are not compression ignition, they do need spark plugs:

Spark plugs for burning kerosene in a '42 H

Some of you probably ran Hs on kerosene (distillate). If you have, can you tell me what type of plug works best on Kero. I heard I should use a higher heat range plug. I also heard that some have had poor luck with Champions. What type and brand would you recommend? I have my '42 H replumbed to s...

www.redpowermagazine.com

 

[CalG]

My Fordson E27n was offered in a TVO version. TVO being Thermal Vaporized Oil. The oil is Kerosene or paraffin if you grew up near Dagenham.

These engines Started on Gasoline, changed over to kerosene once the "hot plate" in the carburettor came to temp, and then switched back to gasoline prior to shut down to aid in the next start up.

These engines used SPARK PLUGS on both fuels as the modest engine compression ratio precludes compression ignition.

My tractor is straight gasoline, But I have a rather extensive literature collection on the type.

Other makes and executions I am not familiar with.

Champion C5 or C4 if I recall correctly

 

[Tx Jim]

Yes original type sparkplugs are required to ignite either type of fuel. Dual fuel tractors must have engine temperature reach operating temp while utilizing gasoline then switched over to kerosene or diesel. Carburetor needs to be run dry of Kerosene/Diesel so engine can be started again on gasoline Originally these engines operated on distillate which was a by-product of manufacturing gasoline. Many yrs ago I successfully operated my '45 JD BO on diesel just to determine if it would operate on diesel. I was told operating an All-fuel or dual fuel engine on diesel put more fuel residue into engine crankcase requiring more frequent engine oil change interval.

 

[Little Red Tractor]

If I recall correctly, many older Farmall models were designed to run on gasoline, kerosene or distillate. Some of them, I think, had dual fuel tanks. I think they all had to be started on gas...or maybe distillate, and then could be switched to kerosene. I can't find my reference book with the information, though.

 

[NUTTERDW]

The old 2 cylinder John Deere A & B, etc. had spark plugs and would run on kerosene. Neighbor had two of them that were started by spinning the flywheel and had compression release peacocks on each cylinder

I believe diesel engine will also run on kerosene.

The old Farmalls ran on distillate which I have always assumed was kerosene and they had spark plugs. You ran them on gas until they got up to temperature and then switched over. Then on shutdown you had to switch back to gas in order to restart them.

 

[Bentrim]

Back in the early days of tractors most were made to be able to run"tractor fuel" as it was referred to, now we call it kerosene. Some manufactuers referred to the as "all Fuel" Why? it was only a few cents a gallon and was cheaper than gasolline.
For the manufacturers to make a tractor run on kerosene they had to do a few thngs. Lower the compression to avoid knock, install two fuel tanks, a large one for kerosene and a small usually a gallon or so. Some even used water injection to prevent knock.
To run a tractor on Tractor fuel first you open the valve for gasoline to fill the carburetor, start the engine leave it warm up, close the gasoline valve and open the tractor fuel valve. Now you are ready to work.
To shut off the tractor you turned off the tractor fuel valve and allowed the engine to use the fuel in the carburetor. Next time you went to start the tractor you would be able to start it on gasoline, most would not cold start on kerosene. Even then if you shut it offon kerosene there was usually a drain on the carburetor bowl to drin the tractor fuel.
During the fifties most owners just filled the tractor fuel tank with gasoline and did not bother with the tractor fuel. Even most farmers converted the engine to gasoline only. Diesel was also being introduced and became popular about the same time.
Why use tractor fuel? price and sometimes was easier to get than gasoline.
Disadvantages of tractor fuel -- Less power than a strictly gasoline engine.
John Deere 60 - compression Drawbar horsepower all 321 ci
Gasoline 6 to 1 35.86
All Fuel 4.7 to1 29.17
LP Gas 7.3 to1 37.68
John Deere 70-- CI compression Drawbar horsepower
Gasoline 379.5 6.15 to1 42.24
All fuel 412.5 4.6 to 1 39.58
LP Gas 379.5 7.3 to 1 45.16
Diesel 375.6 16 to 1 45.09
Note cubic inch displacement for all fuel, gasoline, LP and diesel
Reference www.tractordata.com

 

[MHarryE]

I have a 1928 Case CC. It starts on gasoline, run until engine is good and hot, then switch to the cheaper kerosene tank. It has a 2 gallon gasoline tank and 15 gallon kerosene tank. Yes, the kerosene mode needs spark. On the other hand, I have a 1939 TD-6 International crawler my dad got when he was an IH dealer. It was diesel but started on gasoline. on gasoline, there was an additional combustion chamber opened by a valve. This had the spark plug and the extra combustion chamber lowered the compression ratio so it would run on gasoline. Once warmed up, there is a lever that closes the opening to the extra combustion chamber increasing compression ratio to run on diesel. Unfortunately both are now yard art.

 

[CalG]

Those were the days when kerosene was less costly than gasoline.

Can we get those times back again?

 

[sandman2234]

Allis Chalmers also had some dual fuel tractors. I had one, once upon a time. Never ran it on anything but gas.
David from jax

 

[RayIN]

Those were the days when kerosene was less costly than gasoline.

Can we get those times back again?

Just Monday I bought 10G Kerosene for my garage space heater, $5,999/G. Same price as alcohol-free gasoline for my 1932 Chevrolet sedan. (Speedway station)

 

[CalG]

Just Monday I bought 10G Kerosene for my garage space heater, $5,999/G. Same price as alcohol-free gasoline for my 1932 Chevrolet sedan. (Speedway station)

gas here is $2.87 a gallon.
Kero is about $6.

I guess keeping the airplanes up in the air is driving up prices!

 

[RayIN]

gas here is $2.87 a gallon.
Kero is about $6.

I guess keeping the airplanes up in the air is driving up prices!

Alcohol-free gasoline. Blended gas here is $2.58 at the Rocket station, for about another 2 months. Then summer-blend is sold = higher price.

 

[CalG]

Alcohol-free gasoline. Blended gas here is $2.58 at the Rocket station, for about another 2 months. Then summer-blend is sold = higher price.

"Your tax dollars at work" keeping alcohol a cheap admixture in gasoline.

It's "cheaper" to make the alcohol in Mexico from Gauva and who knows what else. Then transport it first by ship and then overland up to the Dakotas, than it is to produce it from local grown corn!

But BOTH means are only viable as a "fuel" through heavy government subsidies.
But this is a discussion suited for alternate topics. ;-)

 

[SmallChange]

Thanks everybody -- this is fascinating!

 

[EdGooding]

There was a dual-fuel version of the '48-52 Ford 8N called the 8NAN. Here are a couple of pics of a restored model showing the dual fuel tanks and the two-valve sediment bowl to select which fuel you wanted:

 

[5030]

My very first tractor was a 1941 Farmall dual fuel. They were made to be used during wartime when distillate (not diesel) was more readily available than regular leaded gas.

It had crank close radiator shutters and a hood on the Marvel-Schiebler carb you could close both to get the engine hot enough to run distillate and it had 2 fuel tanks as well.

Tried it one time using kerosene and that was enough for me. The unburned kero coming out the exhaust stack coated everything including me with black oily crud.

Tractor is long time gone. Should have kept it for a collectible but I own enough collectable junk as it is.

Had spark plugs and a magneto as well.

 

[shirleyujest]

The story in my area is that the fuel (distillate) was called "Tractorlene". I have seen 2 types. One used spark plugs for the Tractorlene. The other had spark plugs to get warmed then a lever was thrown to raise compression to use Diesel. The owner of the second type complained of head problems.