Gasoline Tractors are they coming Back ?

[Hay Dude]

I didn't know I had to elaborate on a simple post to such detail.

Well you certainly pointed out mine, so….

Do you own any 30-50hp tractors? Maybe an old Ferguson or 8n you scrape around the barnyard with?

I have (2) Kubota ZD1211-s and just sold my ZD331 and my F-3680. (I have pictures if you want proof).

I've owned diesels for 30 years myself.

That makes 2 of us. But tell me, how many Ag tractors or serious sized diesel trucks do you have? Tell me your experiences and I will share mine. I have 20+ years of AG tractor farming, 20+ years of commercial diesel zero turn mowing and over 1 million miles of commercial trucking with my CDL.
Once you establish your diesel use experience, then we can see who’s got the “coconuts” in this discussion.

I don't think that smaller utility tractors are made in gas for a few reasons...first perception. Everyone wants a "diesel"

No. 1st is durability. 2nd is ability to do all the work at 2000RPM or less as compared to 4000RPM in a gas engine, which is why it consumes more fuel. Other reasons include diesel fuel being less volatile around work environments like farms and customer’s properties.

2nd is probably more along the lines that up until 20 years ago diesel was cheaper and most engineering was thrown that direction (why wouldn't they?) thirdly, the EPA. At this point in time I think allot of your engine builders are Leary of the future of emissions and internal combustion engines. Might not make sense to develop new industrial gasoline engines at this point.

You really have it backwards, cous.
Cummins just developed a 6 cylinder gas engine that is very capable and should finally bury it’s gas guzzling V-8 competitors. The EPA is making it harder to own diesels and making gas engines more attractive.

 

[Hay Dude]

They're considerably better than in the past that's a fact. Maybe we should bet a dollar to a doughnut as a wager and see who is the younger of the 2 of us? LOL Anyway, off to work for the day.

Never said who’s is younger. I said your thinking is the thinking of the past. lol

 

[dodge man]

There is no reason they couldn’t make a gas engine that would work in small to very large tractors. There is nothing special or something unique to a diesel to make it more durable than a gas engine, so a gas engine could be made just as durable.

So why don’t they? I’m not 100% sure of the answer but I would say it’s fuel efficiency. In a small car or light truck not carrying a load it’s not a big deal to go gas engine. Take a semi or large ag tractor and put it to work hard I’m guessing the difference would be huge in terms of fuel used.

 

[Torvy]

^I'm not an engineer, but I made one.

My understanding is that part of the durability has to do with heat and how the two fuels burn differently.

It's a bit like saying you can build something strong made out of iron, just like with steel. Maybe, but cost, size and durability will suffer. For a job that requires lightness and strength, steel will always be a better choice.

For a product that requires durability and power, diesel will always make more sense than gas.

For farm applications, gas engines are possible, but will never be as good as an equivalent diesel.

Diesel is cheaper to refine. It only costs more because of the ULSD forced by the EPA.

For my uses, gas and diesel are about the same price here, effectively 20 cents more for diesel. If I had a 55 HP gasser, it would burn more than 20 cents a gallon in inefficiency.

 

[MossRoad]

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?

I had a mid 70s IH2500b gas powered tractor loader for about 15 years. It was NOT quieter than a diesel equivalent.

 

[MossRoad]

It was also not as fuel efficient as a diesel equivalent.

But it WAS just as powerful as the diesel equivalent. And it had a smaller displacement motor. It had over 4000 hours on it when I got it and the hour meter was broken, so who knows how long it ran?

Anyhow, it served its purpose and functioned well. It was too big for our needs once the big jobs were done, and we sold it for a smaller machine, which is also gas powered.

 

[deezler]

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

Diesel not only has superior engine thermal efficiency under load vs gasoline, but at the same time each gallon of diesel has a lot more energy in it vs a gallon of gasoline (138k BTU/gal vs 125k BTU). Combine these two factors and you get a lot more effective run-time out of a 5 gallon jug of diesel vs a 5-gallon jug of gas. So you are re-filling the tank a lot less to do the same work.

 

[MossRoad]

Diesel not only has superior engine thermal efficiency under load vs gasoline, but at the same time each gallon of diesel has a lot more energy in it vs a gallon of gasoline (138k BTU/gal vs 125k BTU). Combine these two factors and you get a lot more effective run-time out of a 5 gallon jug of diesel vs a 5-gallon jug of gas. So you are re-filling the tank a lot less to do the same work.

But which one is more fun to pour on a lit fire?

 

[tradosaurus]

Trucks that "work" such as pulling large loads are best with a diesel engine. Do they make gas semi's?
Tractors in general do "work" almost all the time.
No way would I buy a gas tractor

 

[careyo63]

My small diesel is really fuel efficient. Much more so than the gas ford. 2cyl. and 24 Hp. My ford 4 cyl. Gas 48Hp.. It's quiet running and smooth. But I can go through a couple Gallons of Gas easy to where a couple gallons of Diesel lasts days. It bangs and clangs but been doing it for decades. It was the Diesel's smoke from the exhaust I found out. After running it with all the Maint. complete it quit and will only smoke starting it or under a load. The muffler ended up being the last problem. After seeing all the carbon showing up on the lid, I cleaned it "soaked it in Gas " It was hard to believe just how much Dirt and Debris came out of it!!, 012 on the Tach. when I bought it and 980 Hrs. now. It might use 1/2 Qt. of oil a Yr. if that. Always been a favorite.