Facebook

[Frank Sorbello]

Power Trac is now on Facebook. They have put up a few cool pictures and an old TV spot. Check them out.

 

[tmarks11]

I guess the internet finally made it to Tazewell....

 

[woodlandfarms]

Someones kid needed a school project for extra credit.

 

[RegL]

Power Trac is now on Facebook. They have put up a few cool pictures and an old TV spot. Check them out.

Nice but they don't want me posting anything on there right now

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

 

[MossRoad]

Nice but they don't want me posting anything on there right now

Sent from my iPhone using TractorByNet

A long long time ago, they contacted me because of my webpage regarding out Power Trac. They asked if they could use me as a testimonial. I said sure, but if someone contacts me I'm going to tell them what I like about the unit and what I don't like about the unit..... they never contacted me again.

 

[MossRoad]

I take it this isn't them?
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Powertrac-Tractors/1475925365958698

 

[MossRoad]

Ahh... here they are...
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Power-Trac/1610354179184560

 

[MossRoad]

AAAHHHHH!!!!!
There's a picture of a 1989 PT430 with a Kubota Diesel!!!! :banghead:

 

[Patric Sr]

Hey everyone just joined after months of reading I will be posting about my 1425 and installing a tank heating element soon. I choose that rather than the external glue on.

 

[MossRoad]

Welcome to TBN! Not too many 1425s here. Looking forward to your experiences. :thumbsup:

 

[tmarks11]

AAAHHHHH!!!!!
There's a picture of a 1989 PT430 with a Kubota Diesel!!!! :banghead:

Just identified your next upgrade?

I think you can shoe-horn a D1105 in there... just have to find room for the radiator and the fuel tank.

...OK, so maybe it is a little bit too long (by about 6")... and height might be a problem too...

but it would be totally worth it.

 

[MossRoad]

Hey, just extend the back a foot, extend the hood a foot, raise the hood a foot, and adapt the pump shaft to the motor somehow and off you go. However, owners of older machines, like myself, don't have piggybacked pumps, so I'd have to adapt two pumps to it or buy new pumps.

If I was going to build one from scratch, I'd consider the kubota route, but I'd most likely go with a Chevy 3.0L (181ci) Vortec 4 cylinder gas engine. At 3600 PRM its right at its torque peak. And you can put a clutch on it! NO MORE STARTING UNDER LOAD!!!

 

[MossRoad]

Can't save the image for some reason, so here's a link to an article...
http://www.curbsideclassic.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/GM-Vortec-3000-specs.png

 

[tmarks11]

And you can put a clutch on it! NO MORE STARTING UNDER LOAD!!!

Clutch would be a must-have. You could put one on the Kubota too, they make some bell-housings designed for it.

 

[jfischer]

I am going to bring this back up. Did anyone ever see one of these, or have one, and why was it so short lived?

AAAHHHHH!!!!!
There's a picture of a 1989 PT430 with a Kubota Diesel!!!! :banghead:
View attachment 411382

 

[MossRoad]

My guess would be the same reason they don't put Kohler's in them anymore.... they had to become a Kohler dealer, so maybe they had to become a Kubota dealer? Just a guess.

 

[jfischer]

Moss, I am beginning to think after being down there and looking at things when I bought my machine that they just don't want to try to meet any of todays standards on things, or try to cut in on profit. I know I would have spent the extra money in a minute to have a machine the size of my 425 with a diesel in it, as the 1430 is just too large for the small acreage that I have, and could not get it into many places. I wanted to keep things small, but would like to have the low end grunt of a diesel.

My guess would be the same reason they don't put Kohler's in them anymore.... they had to become a Kohler dealer, so maybe they had to become a Kubota dealer? Just a guess.

 

[murphy1244]

My guess would be the same reason they don't put Kohler's in them anymore.... they had to become a Kohler dealer, so maybe they had to become a Kubota dealer? Just a guess.

My Ventrac has a Kubota Diesel. Not a Kubota dealer either.

 

[MossRoad]

My Ventrac has a Kubota Diesel. Not a Kubota dealer either.

Do they service the Kubota engine?

 

[murphy1244]

Do they service the Kubota engine?

Yes they do. It would be weird if they didn't. They also service Kohler's.

 

[MossRoad]

Yes they do. It would be weird if they didn't. They also service Kohler's.

And you have ventrac dealers all over the country that service that kubota, right?

 

[murphy1244]

And you have ventrac dealers all over the country that service that kubota, right?

Have one less than 10 miles from me. Why you such a know it all?

 

[MossRoad]

Have one less than 10 miles from me. Why you such a know it all?

Not trying to be a know it all. Power Tracs are factory direct, no dealers anywhere. They used to install Kohler engines, and now they don't. The reason they don't is because (as someone else asked them at the factory and reported here a while back) Kohler told them they have to become a Kohler dealer to resell their engines in their tractors. So they stopped using Kohler engines. The original poster asked why there was once a Kubota engined Power Trac, and there aren't any more? I suggested maybe it was a similar deal to what happened with Kohler. You mentioned that

My Ventrac has a Kubota Diesel. Not a Kubota dealer either.

So I asked if they service Kubota diesels at their dealerships. My point being, Ventrac probably has some sort of business arrangement with Kubota in order to install and service their engines in their equipment and still be able to honor Kubota warranty work. Power Trac apparently had no such agreement with Kohler, as when they were installing Kohler engines in their equipment, the owner had to get warranty work done through Kohler, not Power Trac. And shortly after 2002 (I'm not sure of the exact year), they stopped offering Kohler engines. And we've only seen that one Kubota in a Power Trac. JJ has a Ford industrial engine in his Power Trac, but as far as we know, that's the only one anyone's ever seen. All the rest are Robbin Subaru or Deutz, with the possible exception of the Briggs powered PT418s.

 

[SpringHollow]

The Deutz diesels are very reliable engines. I remember someone saying they are not rated for mobile field equipment. They are used a lot in Genie Lifts and to power things like generators and farm irrigation pumps.

Ken

 

[AKDirtGrubber]

Been talking to some old fishermen lately, they have been running Deutz diesels in their boats for some 20+ years. They say if you take care of them they will last and last. I have yet to run across across someone that was negative on the Deutz, seems like its always positive.

 

[woodlandfarms]

Only negtive is parts prices. Deutz is like Porsche / Audi / VW. Crazy high prices but you seldom need parts.

 

[ernemats]

I find my 1845 with a deutz engine does not like to start in real cold weather. Do others have hard starting in the really cold with their power trac's?

 

[SpringHollow]

Yes, I wish they had the capability for real glow plugs. The intake manifold heaters that I installed really help though. I see them on Ebay for $39 each - you can install 2 on the 60 HP deutz, not sure about the 45 HP.

My install is shown here: USA Discount Generators - Standby and Portable Gillette Generators

Ken

 

[joshlee]

Has anyone ever checked out one of these Kohler Diesel engines? I didn't take any measurements or anything, but I'm always looking for what to swap the Subaru out with when its at the end of its life. Are the Hydro pumps in the PT 425 designed to work well while turning at a lower RPM?
Kohler Engines: KD625-2: Kohler Diesel Air-Cooled: Product Detail: Engines

 

[MossRoad]

I'd think you'd get considerably less gallons per minute with a slower RPM engine. With that said, I can't see anywhere a listing for the RPMs on that motor you linked to.

 

[jfischer]

Josh, why don't you start a new message with "Diesel for 425" and see if you get any answers to some that work with them all the time. I looked at that engine, and think it is too wide, and seems the length on the Subaru is short also. They kind of have you by the short ones here as to what will fit in there.

Has anyone ever checked out one of these Kohler Diesel engines? I didn't take any measurements or anything, but I'm always looking for what to swap the Subaru out with when its at the end of its life. Are the Hydro pumps in the PT 425 designed to work well while turning at a lower RPM?
Kohler Engines: KD625-2: Kohler Diesel Air-Cooled: Product Detail: Engines

 

[tmarks11]

Are the Hydro pumps in the PT 425 designed to work well while turning at a lower RPM?

No

You put an 1800 rpm engine in there, and the hydraulic pump will only be putting out 50% ( or slightly more) of the current flow rate (depending on where the governor is set on the current engine, it is either 3300 or 3600 rpm, IIRC).. If you are using a brush hog, snowblower, or lawn mower, that just won't cut it. Not to mention you will be moving real slow.

You want an 1800 rpm engine, then you either need to do an indirect (belt) drive to get the pumps back to speed, or buy new pumps... which will cost you as much as the new engine.

 

[joshlee]

Yeah, I see. It just wouldn't be worth it. Right now I'm looking at these Hatz engines that do run up at 3600 rpms.091E

No

You put an 1800 rpm engine in there, and the hydraulic pump will only be putting out 50% ( or slightly more) of the current flow rate (depending on where the governor is set on the current engine, it is either 3300 or 3600 rpm, IIRC).. If you are using a brush hog, snowblower, or lawn mower, that just won't cut it. Not to mention you will be moving real slow.

You want an 1800 rpm engine, then you either need to do an indirect (belt) drive to get the pumps back to speed, or buy new pumps... which will cost you as much as the new engine.

 

[MossRoad]

Something else to consider... if you have a PT425 and intend to drop in a 22hp engine, you may notice a difference if you intend to power a 60" mower. When I was considering a PT back in 2001, Terry at Power Trac highly recommended NOT using a 60" mower on the 22hp unit. He said 48" would be the max. He also said you'd notice a considerable difference with broom, tiller, brush cutter, etc.... between the 22 and 25 hp units.

I'd like to see the torque curves on that diesel and the robbin and kohler 25hp motors.

 

[tmarks11]

He also said you'd notice a considerable difference with broom, tiller, brush cutter, etc.... between the 22 and 25 hp units.

yes, when I am brush cutting with my PT-422, I have the choice... cut brush or drive fast. Not both. I would like a few extra hp, if anyone has some to spare?

 

[MossRoad]

I've been getting a little more sleep lately, so I've got some HP to spare. Kinda fun, really. I've been dragging for half a year.