DK40SE Fuel Efficiency & Consumption

[k0ua]

I almost hate to post my unscientific results for my Dk35se hydro. (yes I know different engine than DK40se), but I will, and you can take them for what they are worth. When delivered the tractor had 4 hours, It now has 23. So 19 hours used, almost all at low RPM's setting stones on a wall, diging up rocks, hauling mulch around the yard..Just a little mowing for 1/2 an hour. (even then not at full 540 speed) I had about 1/2 of a gallon or less in the fuel can, and I dumped that in when I got the tractor. I then got another exactly 5 gallons and dumped that in. The guage is exactly where it was again as when it was delivered. So you can do the math, but lets say the gauge is off a little, still in the neighborhood of .3 gallons per hour. I know that does not seem like much, but it has been mostly puttering around, and not mowing a big wad of grass at 540 speed. In my experience that eats up fuel quick, and most any loader work is pretty easy on fuel. (especially toting around mulch)
Ok I lied. I do remember putting the second 5 gallons now. so something less than .6 gallons per hour. Sorry

James K0UA

 

[CJONE]

I am averaging about a gallon a hour depending on what I am doing. Loader work, backfilling and digging uses the most so far. Well see when the snowblower gets used, I'd bet almost 2 a hour. This thing sips fuel compared to the D3, I could use 30 gallons a day easy. CJ

 

[gkh7890]

I would think that air temp, elevation, etc. would have some impact on fuel consumption too??

But then again, w/out metering equipment, all our observations are purely subjective......just say'n.

 

[ritcheyvs]

If you look at the charts provided earlier, you'll see that you burn about 190 grams/hour/HP. So that's about 0.43 lb/hr/hp and a gallon of diesel is about 7 lb so this is about 0.06 gal/hr/HP. So if you are making 10 HP, you should burn 0.6 gal/hr. Don't forget about the hydraulic pumps and other parasitic loads (fan, oil pump, etc.) that consume power too.

Everything else is a second-order effect. The main driver is how much HP are you producing. HP can be all over the place except when you do something steady, like mowing. So 1-2 gal/hr is certainly in the ballpark for 15-30 HP total load on the engine.