Is it time for a gasoline engine tractor?

[daugen]

If you want lots of power in a small package, you use a turbocharger.
Look at the amazing things Ford has done with its Ecoboost line.
But even their smallest boosted engine is way more powerful, well over 100hp, than our typical 50 hp CUT or even a 75hp Utility tractor.
Now if they de-rated their three cylinder Ecoboost engine, I propose that engine with three changes needed: slower operation, engine mapped for earliest torque and cooling system designed for 50% more hp.
Can you see a nice new Ford tractor, finally..., with an Ecoboost engine?

 

[buickanddeere]

Aluminum has a heat conductivity of 215 Wm/K. Cast grey iron has only 47 to 80Wm/K.

 

[daugen]

Aluminum has a heat conductivity of 215 Wm/K. Cast grey iron has only 47 to 80Wm/K.

so iron was used strictly for low cost? They just used more of it I guess.

 

[4570Man]

It sure takes a lot of heat to weld aluminum. I'm thinking it would be fine.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I'm curious if any current gas engines are being made with a heavy iron blocks like diesels?

Kubota makes one and Grasshopper offers it in their mowers... I hear it's a good engine, but compared to their diesels, it's waaay too thirsty!

SR

 

[truckdiagnostics]

I wonder if on the new electronic controlled tractor engines if you can really produce full power when in stationary PTO mode? On a truck engine I can de-rate the engine, for the various PTO applications. So, when the engine goes into PTO it automatically de-rates. The engine ecm allows this. There is no reason why a new electronically controlled tractor engine could not do the same. I a speaking theoretically, I do not know for sure, it should however just be about the engineers programming the ECM in the tractor. Just a thought.

 

[RaydaKub]

I wonder if on the new electronic controlled tractor engines if you can really produce full power when in stationary PTO mode? On a truck engine I can de-rate the engine, for the various PTO applications. So, when the engine goes into PTO it automatically de-rates. The engine ecm allows this. There is no reason why a new electronically controlled tractor engine could not do the same. I a speaking theoretically, I do not know for sure, it should however just be about the engineers programming the ECM in the tractor. Just a thought.

I'm sure they could. I know the top of the line Deere combine comes with about 525 hp engine. When they extend the auger to dump the tank into a truck while on the go, the computer cranks up the fuel pump (and whatever else they do) by 125 hp to top off at 650hp.

 

[daugen]

I'm sure they could. I know the top of the line Deere combine comes with about 525 hp engine. When they extend the auger to dump the tank into a truck while on the go, the computer cranks up the fuel pump (and whatever else they do) by 125 hp to top off at 650hp.

How long does it take to dump the grain tank? Curious to know for how long JD allows that engine to be "flat out". Seems like the overboost function on high performance cars, but for a longer time. Unless they just crank the revs up a couple hundred rpm and open up the fuel injector pump. That's a 20% increase; could be boosting the turbo? Do they do that in tractor engines?

Somehow I don't think Farmer John is going to dump a Hellcat engine in his combine to get that much hp. It would be interesting though to stick one in there and just see how long it lasted.

 

[Soundguy]

Sure you can run them "continuous" at pto speed, what you "can't" do is pull "full power" out of the pto on a continuous basis...

Well you can, but it will drastically shorten the engine life...

SR

If your tractor won't make rated pto HP from fill up to dry tank, and keep doing it as soon as you add fuel.. you need a different tractor!

Any machine that runs wears... no getting around that. I would say that any brand that says continous running at rated pto hp is drastically shortening its life, is telling you to shop another brand! and run away.. fast!

 

[Soundguy]

Take away the "if's", we are talking about tractors here, as we buy them, NOT something designed a specific way for a specific purpose.

I've read it right in tractor manuals, to NOT pull more than 80% full rated power out of the tractors pto for more than 30 minutes continuous. That's another way of saying "duty cycle" for the tractor...

This is in reference to running pto powered tools, like grinders, generators and the such.

I always de-rate the pto power on my tractors by 20% or so, when I'm running anything off the pto that pulls BIG power out, for a length of time...

SR

Um.. so your manual tells you to only pull 80% of the RATED pto HP, and only do it for 30 minutes?

I'd never be able to mow! Many of us mow till the tanks empty, then add fuel and keep mowing.

Post where your manual says that... If It does.. I'd like to know the brand / model... so I can avoid that toy / fake tractor.