Tractor Performance: diesel vs gas

[IslandTractor]

Coming from the medical side, I would submit that statements made by a company with a vested interest are advertising and promotion, not research.

Jay

Yes but in this case the company (JD) is not trying to sell you fuel. There is no reason for them to publish a blatent lie (or marketing hype) to suggest that ULSD is better than it is. If they were stating that green tractors get 10% better mileage than orange, blue or red tractors that would be another matter. I would tend to believe JD engineers who have studied the issue more than local mechanics who are relaying their general perceptions.

From the medical side, pharma companies routinely hype their products but you will not find very many factual errors or demonstrably false claims in what they publish as there are big fines and other penalties when they do that.

 

[IslandTractor]

Well, I don't know what more to tell you then. I'm telling it from real life experience. The problem with "data" is sometimes it is slanted towards whoever is publishing it. And just remember those engineers you mentioned work for a company or corporation, not for you.
I try to keep current on this fuel issue & I read up on it. But when the "facts" that are presented are contrary to my experience, I trust my experience.

In situations where (and I am assuming this) an engineering department of one of the worlds largest diesel engine manufacturers has done scientific research that contradicts one's personal experience, it seems reasonable to me to question one's interpretation of your experience. The general impression of a group of drivers using a new fuel just doesn't match up well to engineers actually measuring fuel consumption in controlled conditions. We all love to discount data that doesn't fit our real life anecdotal experience (Sarah Palin and global warming come immediately to mind) but I think a better approach is to look more closely at the data and to more critically quantify the experience.

 

[ray66v]

I have 2 tractors, 1 Gas, 1 Diesel. If I mow my 4 acres with the gas tractor, I use 2.5 gal of fuel. If I mow the same 4 acres, with the diesel, I use about 3/4 of a gal. of fuel.

Guess which one I use.

 

[Soundguy]

Scientifically measured data done in a test environment rarely = 'raw' data achieved by a farmer.

I've found fuel requirments up significantly on a group of rental machines byt he end of the month.. and it ende dup tracking back to operator actions.. IE.. the operators idled the machines more between use vs turningthem off.. etc. With a group of machines over a month.. that = alot of fuel.. vs what's on the paper.... Paper wasn't wrong... ops weren't specifically wrong either.. just that real world work environment doesn't always match white coat tests.

soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

I have 2 tractors, 1 Gas, 1 Diesel. If I mow my 4 acres with the gas tractor, I use 2.5 gal of fuel. If I mow the same 4 acres, with the diesel, I use about 3/4 of a gal. of fuel.

Guess which one I use.

Might I ask what 2 tractors? age? and hours?

I mow 10ac routinely.. I either use a 15' batwing on a 2000 year model NH 7610s ~95 hp tractor.. or a 10' fixed deck mower on a 1975 year model ford 5000 ~70hp.

Amazingly enough it takes just under 3 hrs with the 10' mower.. and 5g of fuel.... or just under 2 hrs with the 15' mower and 5g of fuel. I have also mowed with the 'new' tractor and the 10' mower.. fuel used and time usage was the same as the 'old' tractor and 10' mower.

Tells me I'm using 70hp or less to mow with as there is no increased fuel consumption on the alrger tractor. ( old tractor runs good with -0- smoke.. though no TC.. new tractor has a TC.. so thus probably runs a tad bit more efficient.... not sure how much that skews the data.. but in any case.. I know I'm using less hp than the old tractor has.. and thus am only using the fuel for that much hp.. no matter which tractor I use. )

Strangely enough I have mowed that pasture many times with a ~32 hp NH 1920 ( 1997 yr ) machine and a 5' mower.. took 4.5-5.5 hrs.. still used 5g of fuel... tells me it takes about 1g of diesel per 2ac of grass to cut....

Hav'nt cut that pasture with a gas tractor to compair..

soundguy

 

[MossRoad]

Could you elucidate on "Peanut Gallery" please?? To the best of my knowledge I have never seen or been in one and am curious?

I think he is insinuating that we are sitting in the cheap seats and heckling the performer.... hey, that sounds like fun!

The seats are cheap, free, in fact.

Peanut gallery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[MossRoad]

Hey, Soundguy...

Back in the mid to late 70s IH made a 2500B tractor. They had gas and diesel engine options, as well as gear and hydro options for the tranny. If we could find any data on those models it would be easy to compare. The 2500B was an industrial version of a farm tractor... but I cannot recall the number of those. Mine had a C200 gas engine, 50 PTO HP and the HST tranny. Pretty strong running machine with plenty of guts.

 

[jaybrad]

From the medical side, pharma companies routinely hype their products but you will not find very many factual errors or demonstrably false claims in what they publish as there are big fines and other penalties when they do that.

I don't want to hijack this thread onto a medical reseach path, and I have no interest in a "bash the drug companies" discussion, but there are lots of studies promoted by drug companies that are based upon questionable methodology.

There are also legitimate studies with one control group that are used to support a position for a different control group, which is misleading at best.

Happy to continue this offline if you'd like to PM me.

In the meantime, it's Howdy Doody time - and I'm heading back to the Peanut Gallery (of which I have fond memories....)

Jay

 

[Todd_C]

ttp://www.blueridgediesel.com/CUMMINS%20TSB_082905[1].pdf

Here is a link about a service bulletin from Cummins about the use of ULSD in their diesel engines. Just more info. to look at.

 

[Soundguy]

I've known a couple guys with those large IH with the hydros. decent machines actually.. they kept putting thicker oil in the hydro the weaker it got till it finally went out.. by then they scrapped the tractor ( unfortunately ).. I hate to see -any- old iron get scrapped.

soundguy

Hey, Soundguy...

Back in the mid to late 70s IH made a 2500B tractor. They had gas and diesel engine options, as well as gear and hydro options for the tranny. If we could find any data on those models it would be easy to compare. The 2500B was an industrial version of a farm tractor... but I cannot recall the number of those. Mine had a C200 gas engine, 50 PTO HP and the HST tranny. Pretty strong running machine with plenty of guts.