Comparison Gas Tractors

[wsessions1005]

I'm a diesel tractor person but I would like to do a experiment with a gas tractor. I am going to convert it to run on 100% ethanol. I will be growing and producing all of my fuel. My question is what is a good gas tractor to try this on. I want something strong (in the 50hp range) reliable and has parts readily available.

Thanks in advance.

 

[arlen4720]

A John Deere 3020 would be a great. An Allis wd-45 would also be good, but is only 45 hp or so.
Both of them are pretty bulletproof, and would have good parts availability.

 

[flusher]

An International Harvester Farmall 460 gasser would work for your needs.

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listingsdetail/detail.aspx?OHID=5389537

Check the Case/IH website for parts availability.

Good luck.

 

[wsessions1005]

Thanks for the input I did a quick Internet search of both of them. The 3020 seems to be very abundant but the wd45 is easy on the pocketbook. I am going to keep looking.

 

[motownbrowne]

The allis mentioned above will be cheap. So would the international, though not quite so cheap. The Deere will be in a different price range, even as a gasser. I'd be looking at internationals, or a 600, 800, or thousand series Ford. Good luck with your project!

 

[wsessions1005]

I just don't want to spend a lot of money on a tractor I could potentially destroy running 100% ethanol.

 

[The Fred]

I doubt anything with 6-1 compression ratio will be destroyed.

You need to jet the carb up for the thinner fuel. I believe 100% ethanol runs about 9-1 A/F ratio, not 14.7 like real gasoline.

Good luck and with gas now at 2 bucks a gallon have fun, Fred

 

[RKJeepXJ]

Some of the old international or massey gasses can be found pretty cheap and parts should not be a problem.

 

[Opti-Mist]

Ford manufactured them (4000 series) in Brazil starting back in the 1970's. The rubber fuel system components of the day were the most vulnerable to reacting with ethanol and failing. Today's systems don't suffer that fate.

 

[wsessions1005]

I doubt anything with 6-1 compression ratio will be destroyed.

You need to jet the carb up for the thinner fuel. I believe 100% ethanol runs about 9-1 A/F ratio, not 14.7 like real gasoline.

Good luck and with gas now at 2 bucks a gallon have fun, Fred

Fred this experiment is not about saving money. The experiment is to see if I can grow enough corn and produce enough ethanol to be independent and support my primary garden.

 

[CobyRupert]

I just don't want to spend a lot of money on a tractor I could potentially destroy running 100% ethanol.

You could potentially destroy a lot more than a tractor if you're making significant quantities of ethanol.
Familiar with NFPA 30 or NFPA 30A?
Poor ventilation, heat sources and electrical switches are your enemy. Not trying to be the safety police, but be safe.
Actually I've wanted to experiment with alternative fuels also. ( i.e. How much wind/sun does it take to turn water to hydrogen, capture it, store it, regulate it and figure out what modifications are required to get an internal combustion engine to burn it without ending with corroded metal or in a big fireball?)

 

[Btown]

Why not plant a crop u can make biodiesel from and use that in a tractor. The only downfall is in the freezing temperatures it will wax up at 100% bio.

 

[wsessions1005]

Why not plant a crop u can make biodiesel from and use that in a tractor. The only downfall is in the freezing temperatures it will wax up at 100% bio.

To be completely honest I just don't know what crop that would be in my region. Also please correct me if I am wrong but going from crop to biodiesel is a lot harder and longer process.

 

[wsessions1005]

Copaifera langsdorffii - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Did I just read this article correctly. It says that the sap from this tree can be used in a diesel engine without any problems or processing?

 

[Btown]

I think it a loosing proposition. I read an article a while ago and it takes about 1.3 gallons on average of diesel to make one gallon of ethanol. If your tractor is running on ethanol it is less efficient than s gas engine. Which is less efficient than a Diesel engine. The only reason ethanol is cheaper than diesel is from the government subsidies. This was years ago. Not sure how well they have improved the efficiency.

 

[wsessions1005]

I think it a loosing proposition. I read an article a while ago and it takes about 1.3 gallons on average of diesel to make one gallon of ethanol. If your tractor is running on ethanol it is less efficient than s gas engine. Which is less efficient than a Diesel engine. The only reason ethanol is cheaper than diesel is from the government subsidies. This was years ago. Not sure how well they have improved the efficiency.

I was reading a article about the tree I posted the wiki link to. They claim that a 12 year old fully mature tree will produce 40 gal of biodiesel a year. Corn is the absolute worst crop for biofuel. I would not use corn.


Table of biofuel crop yields - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of different crops and the rates of production per acre.

 

[arlen4720]

I think it a loosing proposition. I read an article a while ago and it takes about 1.3 gallons on average of diesel to make one gallon of ethanol. If your tractor is running on ethanol it is less efficient than s gas engine. Which is less efficient than a Diesel engine. The only reason ethanol is cheaper than diesel is from the government subsidies. This was years ago. Not sure how well they have improved the efficiency.

That may be true if you are talking a commercial operation where you are trucking in the raw materials, using fuel oil to fire the still, and trucking out the finished product. I get the impression that the OP would be producing and using the fuel on site, and I would venture a guess that he would use a wood fired still.
As far as what crop... you're kind of at the mercy of what your local conditions and soil will produce.

 

[Btown]

But how efficient is it to extract ethanol. It's a lot of work to prepare soil, grow crop, extract ethanol (several step process) store ethanol without water getting in. I understand that some people want to make their own power, but it all comes with a price. Millions are spent yearly to make extracting ethanol from plant materiel faster and more efficient.

 

[Btown]

The article says its a tropical rainforest tree and does not do well outside of that environment

 

[Soundguy]

I think switchgrass or remnant sugarcane would be better than corn ethanol

If going ethanol, I'd look at a ford 8xx or 9xx that was on propane?
I'd also look at biodiesel closer than ethanol...

I was reading a article about the tree I posted the wiki link to. They claim that a 12 year old fully mature tree will produce 40 gal of biodiesel a year. Corn is the absolute worst crop for biofuel. I would not use corn.


Table of biofuel crop yields - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is a list of different crops and the rates of production per acre.