A (too?) full day of seat time

[BubbaJr]

<font color="red"> Is the fuel economy I got about what you all get in similar conditions?
</font>
Hi Gary,
It's probably pretty close to what you got. I've never actually measured anything or computed my consumption, but using the SWAG factor, I feel we're in the same ballpark.
Several years ago my Dad asked me what kind of fuel mileage I got in my Mercury Mountaineer I had at the time. I told him I didn't know because I never checked it. He asked me why, and I told him that this is the vehicle I have to drive and if I need to get from here to there it doesn't matter how much fuel it takes, I have to put it in or stay home. That's basically how I feel about the tractor. I have a job to do, and my Kubota is the tool I'm going to do it with, and it will take x amount of fuel to do it. I can either put the fuel in or do it by hand. Guess which method I choose? /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[pruntyc]

You sound like my granfather, who lived in a small town in southern Ohio. When I was young he had got a new car and had it for a while. So I asked him what his milage was on it? He looked at me and said I don't know what does it matter?

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

Frank,

I actually ran mine out the first time. Every time I load it onto my trailer it causes the fuel gauge to read improperly. I forgot to free up the ball in the tank again (usually a good shaking or fishing around with a piece of hard wire). I ran mine completely out with a reading of over 1/4 tank. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

Fortunately, Deere has an auto priming feature which allows people like me to do things like this without having to call the service folks. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

I use a five gallon container and have thought about buying another one. The flip side is I'm only about a three mile round trip to get fuel when I need it. I suppose I could just ride the tractor down there and fill the tank and the container when I go. That'd be more than enough to get me through the longest day of seat time I think I'd ever want to put in. /forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

I guess I'm a lot like your grandfather, too. I drive what I want and fill it up when I need to. I can't remember the last time I drove something that got 20 mpg and I don't care.

I feel the same way about my tractor. I never even considered fuel economy until Dummy tried to denigrate my tractor because of fuel economy. Even when I did consider the economy I wasn't unhappy with what I got. I was more curious than anything else about how that fit in with what everyone else was doing.

 

[dummy]

<font color="blue">I'd say that your "2+ tanks in seven hours" comment is not only without any basis in fact </font> Very true. The only assumption I used was that most people kept their fuel tanks topped off when they put them away and filled them when they added fuel. /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Didn't realize that was where the sore spot was. Sorry

 

[cowboydoc]

You guys need to run some of the big tractors and you'll forget all about that 10 gallons. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif My bigger tractors are 40 plus gallons to fill and it doesn't last as long as your little tractors do. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

 

[zuiko]

The fuel economy on CUTs is pretty amazing when you think about how much gasoline you burn up in one cylinder lawn tractors or push mowers. Seems like a great value to me. /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

The fuel usage wasn't a sore spot. As I noted above somewhere, I never even gave it a thought until you brought it up. The 'sore spot' was created with the negative remark about Deere equipment based on erroneous assumptions.

As to most folks topping off their equipment at the end of the day, I would think you'd have to qualify that by limiting it to people who have that as a convenient option. I would love to be in a position to do that but I don't have fuel on site and only own a single five gallon container.

As much as I'd like to have something on site I'm not sure the cost would be justified by the convenience. Granted, I could save maybe forty cents per gallon by buying off-road fuel but by the time I figure the cost of a tank, pump, hose and nozzle I imagine I'm looking at something around $400 minimum. That conservative number would put me around 1,000 gallons to reach my 'break even' point.

All of a sudden stopping at that truck stop I have to pass every time I come or go doesn't seem nearly as inconvenient. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Egon]

Some people try and keep the fuel tank full to limit condensation and water in the fuel problems.

Egon

 

[pruntyc]

I have two 5 gal containers Gary and fill them up at a station that has off road, at one time. It is about 12 miles to it, but for the difference in price when I buy two I think it pays. And I believe the off road is better for a tractor. I think they say it has more sulfur in it, and that is a lube I'm told that helps it. I really don't know, I put power service in it anyway so may not need it.