Gasoline Tractors are they coming Back ?

[jyoutz]

I don't know, I'd probably go for a new gas tractor. I know allot of farmers that are pretty hard of hearing....I'd like to see it for the lesser noise. Not everyone has a need for a big Kubota or Deere with a soundproof cab. Overall I don't see diesel as being substantially cheaper as it once was?

It really is cheaper because it provides more hours of run time per gallon of fuel.

 

[rontaki]

Maybe it's time for electric tractors - don't most of us have $10-15K just hanging around to buy new batteries?

 

[slingworks]

It really is cheaper because it provides more hours of run time per gallon of fuel.

Yeah I'm familiar with how it works. More hours of run time, but more per gallon at the same time.

Kinda reminds me of the same concept in cars.

I used to drive only VW's...And had a few diesels. My Golf TDI could get about 45mpg on the highway. I have a 2015 Chevy Cruze that is gasoline and gets about 35 plus mpg on the highway.

They both do the same thing, albeit I think the Chevy has more power.

doing the math:
Chevy/Gas 2.80/35 8 cents a mile
VW/Diesel 3.73/45 8.2 cents a mile.

Not as much of a difference compared to the olden days. Tractors would be somewhat similar. Most diesels do seem to have more low end torque, but I think turbocharging a tractor's gasoline engine would make it catch up quite a bit. Would be more refilling of a gas tractor in an 8hr workday.

 

[Hay Dude]

One of my old bosses had a gas Ford tractor. It was about 40 HP utility tractor with a loader and 3pt hitch.
I don’t say this to disparage Ford or New Holland, but because that tractor had a gas engine, it was the weakest POS I ever operated. I mean you had to feather the clutch and ease it into gear just to pull a 8’ york rake and not stall out.

 

[slingworks]

One of my old bosses had a gas Ford tractor. It was about 40 HP utility tractor with a loader and 3pt hitch.
I don’t say this to disparage Ford or New Holland, but because that tractor had a gas engine, it was the weakest POS I ever operated. I mean you had to feather the clutch and ease it into gear just to pull a 8’ york rake and not stall out.

I wonder what model? There were lots of good and bad gas tractors over the years.

 

[jyoutz]

Yeah I'm familiar with how it works. More hours of run time, but more per gallon at the same time.

Kinda reminds me of the same concept in cars.

I used to drive only VW's...And had a few diesels. My Golf TDI could get about 45mpg on the highway. I have a 2015 Chevy Cruze that is gasoline and gets about 35 plus mpg on the highway.

They both do the same thing, albeit I think the Chevy has more power.

doing the math:
Chevy/Gas 2.80/35 8 cents a mile
VW/Diesel 3.73/45 8.2 cents a mile.

Not as much of a difference compared to the olden days. Tractors would be somewhat similar. Most diesels do seem to have more low end torque, but I think turbocharging a tractor's gasoline engine would make it catch up quite a bit.

You are also discounting the fact that diesel engines will give many multiples greater service hours/miles than a gasser engine and therefore hold more residual value. For example a diesel truck that is in general good condition still holds good value at 250K+ miles, but most gas engine trucks are either junkyard bound or worth very little after 250K miles.

 

[slingworks]

You are also discounting the fact that diesel engines will give many multiples greater service hours/miles than a gasser engine and therefore hold more residual value. For example a diesel truck that is in general good condition still holds good value at 250K+ miles, but most gas engine trucks are either junkyard bound or worth very little after 250K miles.

I'm not really discounting it. Sometimes it's a perception/state of mind thing. For example I have a brother with a 99 Dodge Truck with a Cummins Diesel. He's dumped an endless amount of money in it (the motor) maintenance wise just because it's a Cummins Diesel...Had it been a V-8 he would have lost interest in it 10 years ago and probably scrapped it like you point out. And yeah, he'd probably want 10k for it if he sold it right now, just because it's a "Cummins"

A diesel pickup also costs more upfront than a gasoline one generally. Maybe what, 10k more today? So yeah it's not unreasonable they'd sell for a little more 20 years down the line.

My VW diesels were much more problematic and required a great deal more maintenance than either my Chevy Cruze (Not the world's best car) and way more problematic than any of my Dodge/Jeep gasoline vehicles. The VW TDI's didn't last any longer. And no longer than the same model VW's in gasoline either.

But you know what? A diesel VW sells for more than a gas version. Sometimes ALLOT more. Just because it's a "Diesel".

Of course that's a specific model of something, not a benchmark. Had they been powered by a sweet ISUZU diesel of some sort, who knows, maybe I would still be wrenching on them! LOL

A modern gasoline tractor engine would be just as durable as a diesel, or nearly so. Look at how many old gas tractors are still running.

Probably another factor everyone is overlooking is that diesel was CHEAPER than Gasoline in most places up to around 20 years ago. IF diesel was significantly cheaper today it would definitely be a win/win. (Or maybe a win/win/win)?? LOL I wonder had Diesel been quite a bit higher per gallon than gasoline since lets say, 1930...I bet we'd have seen allot fewer diesel anything around-Including tractors.

But you know, I don't buy a tractor based on what the resale value might be in 20-30 years... I doubt too many others would care either?

I'm just saying it probably won't be a negative thing if a new gas tractor in a good hp class hit the market. Besides that, who knows what the future will hold in 20 years. Diesel may be 3x the price of gasoline, or not available at all!

 

[arrow]

Maybe it's time for electric tractors - don't most of us have $10-15K just hanging around to buy new batteries?

So at the dealership I work at, a salesman came around with a Solaris or something to that effect.
I tried it and for mild applications, it can be a fit.
What kills them is the effects of cold and hard work like skidding or plowing.
The platforms for a compact are really too small to substantiate a workhorse battery such as in some bulldozers.
It would take a total redesign of what we consider a compact tractor or battery for one to do the work of the small diesel engined tractor.
Im not sure it would ever be a fit with present technologies.

 

[deserteagle71]

Sometimes it's a perception/state of mind thing. For example I have a brother with a 99 Dodge Truck with a Cummins Diesel. He's dumped an endless amount of money in it (the motor) maintenance wise just because it's a Cummins Diesel..

Probably another factor everyone is overlooking is that diesel was CHEAPER than Gasoline in most places up to around 20 years ago.

What's your brother doing to that Cummins to have to dump an endless amount of money in it? Is it all modified (tuner, etc) for more power than it was designed for? I have a 2004 Dodge/Cummins, so 21 years old, totally stock, and so far I've "dumped" the cost of one water pump in it. About $60 if memory serves correctly. Most guys that don't modify their Cummins and don't abuse it have them last 400 and 500,000 miles before major work needs to be done. That's why, out here where vehicles don't rust, a 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation (pre-emissions) Dodge Cummins sells for nearly what it sold for as new. Same with a pre-emissions Powerstroke.

And it sucks that in so many areas of the country the oil companies are putting the screws to diesel owners. In northern Nevada until last year diesel was running the same as or a few cents a gallon less than regular gas. As of today diesel is about 20 cents a gallon more than regular. Towing heavy the diesel gets about 5 mpg better than my gas V10 so it is cheaper by far to use it. With my tractors I use off-highway (non-taxed) diesel so that take around 60 cents a gallon off the price and makes it cheaper than regular gas.

 

[jyoutz]

What's your brother doing to that Cummins to have to dump an endless amount of money in it? Is it all modified (tuner, etc) for more power than it was designed for? I have a 2004 Dodge/Cummins, so 21 years old, totally stock, and so far I've "dumped" the cost of one water pump in it. About $60 if memory serves correctly. Most guys that don't modify their Cummins and don't abuse it have them last 400 and 500,000 miles before major work needs to be done. That's why, out here where vehicles don't rust, a 1st, 2nd or 3rd generation (pre-emissions) Dodge Cummins sells for nearly what it sold for as new. Same with a pre-emissions Powerstroke.

And it sucks that in so many areas of the country the oil companies are putting the screws to diesel owners. In northern Nevada until last year diesel was running the same as or a few cents a gallon less than regular gas. As of today diesel is about 20 cents a gallon more than regular. Towing heavy the diesel gets about 5 mpg better than my gas V10 so it is cheaper by far to use it. With my tractors I use off-highway (non-taxed) diesel so that take around 60 cents a gallon off the price and makes it cheaper than regular gas.

Yeah my experience is the same as yours. I have owned a 99 24 valve 5.9 Cummins and my current 2007 5.9 common rail Cummins. Lots of miles and I’ve not had to do anything to the engines except replace the batteries. But neither of mine are modified. Any the performance cannot be compared to a large V8 gasser. The Cummins will out haul and out tow any gasser and do it at 2500 RPMs on the highway. MPGs also don’t change much at all empty, hauling, or towing. No gasser will do that.