Gasoline Tractors are they coming Back ?

[bsekf]

What happened to the discussion and threads about Nuclear Fusion produced electricity?

In heavy ag application diesel wins but in <50 hp tractors I think there is a place for gasoline engines. We are using no ethanol gasoline in all our small and/or old gas engines and it is more expensive than diesel here in NYS. You guys using "red" diesel had better watch out, the tax man frowns on it.

 

[dodge man]

I’ve noticed these small tool cats, skid steers and excavators are selling around here now, most with gas engines. Most less then $5k and the “good” ones closer to $10k. All gas powered. Not because it’s better but because they are cheaper.

Weight of the engine. I’m sure everybody knows in cars and half ton trucks weight is critical. Diesels weigh more no way around it. In a semi moving 80,000 pounds a little extra weight is less critical. In a tractor more weight is often considered beneficial.

Let’s face it if gas engines were better then diesels in all these applications someone would be doing it by now.

 

[can do]

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

I didn't think a 3 year old thread would still be a topic of conversation I'm using both of my diesel, & gasoline tractors on my wee bit of property, & neither are doing any farm work.They are used for logging road work , & property. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas, & a Happy New Year.

maintenance as well as my small dump truck which is gasoline as well.

 

[deserteagle71]

The new “gasser excuse” is:
“Yeah but diesels cost 10 grand more up front than a gas engine”.
That’s misleading.
A diesel engine might cost 10 grand more than the base gas engine, but as anyone with experience in trucks knows, there’s usually at least 2 gas engines offered in any given year and the bigger gas engine is now a couple thousand dollar upgrade. For example, the Ford 7.3L gas engine option is $2,045.
And the 7.3L still can’t hang with a diesel and it’s B life would fall far short of a diesel, too.

This chart says it all. Its for a Powerstroke but I'm sure the numbers are about the same for any of the diesel pickups.

We all know that torque does the work when hauling or working heavy. So 1000 lb-ft of torque at 1600 rpm for the diesel, versus 475 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm for the 7.3 gas. I don't want to run an engine for extended periods at 4000 rpm! And the bottom line in the chart shows the stark difference in towing ability - nearly twice as much. Checking on line the differences are even more stark with the Ram - diesel 3500 rated to tow 37,000 lb, gas 3500 rated to tow 18,000 lb.

Actually, that chart is out of date. The new Powerstroke is now 1200 lb-ft of torque.

 

[careyo63]

01 F-250 5.4 373 limited slip. 8800# GVWR PKG. Elec. 4 Spd. auto. I lock it out of OD towing. But the truck is super fast. I've seen 140mph. Never done it but will it ?. It's a HO. Father was ford credit dealer Rep.. Good story behind how it came about.

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[MossRoad]

This chart says it all. Its for a Powerstroke but I'm sure the numbers are about the same for any of the diesel pickups.

View attachment 4483997

We all know that torque does the work when hauling or working heavy. So 1000 lb-ft of torque at 1600 rpm for the diesel, versus 475 lb-ft of torque at 4000 rpm for the 7.3 gas. I don't want to run an engine for extended periods at 4000 rpm! And the bottom line in the chart shows the stark difference in towing ability - nearly twice as much. Checking on line the differences are even more stark with the Ram - diesel 3500 rated to tow 37,000 lb, gas 3500 rated to tow 18,000 lb.

Actually, that chart is out of date. The new Powerstroke is now 1200 lb-ft of torque.

Yes, however, that's trucks hauling loads down the road.

Look at compact utility tractors. The vast majority of them are HST. And 50hp is 50hp and the HST doesn't know what's turning the pump. It can't tell. A properly sized gas engine, like what was in my IH2500b, did about the same as the diesel offering at about the same RPMs. That's because it was built for torque at lower RPMS. About the only difference would be fuel consumption, with the diesel using about half as much as the gas.

That's the main reason gas tractors faded away... fuel efficiency. If you're making your living using a machine, and fuel costs are a big part of your operating costs, it makes sense to use the most efficient source of power.

My little gas machine only uses about a gallon per hour. My friend's little diesel machine uses about half that. However, both of us are only putting about 50 hours a year on them at best. So I'm spending $150 a year on gas and he's spending $90. No big deal. Ramp that up to 500 hours per year, and I'm spending $1500 and he's spending $900. Spread that out over 20 years and I'm spending $30,000 and he's spending $18,000. My engine is ready for a rebuild and he's sipping coffee.

All of the local golf courses and universities use diesel powered equipment for groundskeeping, with the exception of hand held tools.

I just don't see gas engines being very popular in high usage machines. Yard machines, small estates, low hours, sure. But not commercial work.

 

[slingworks]

^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.

Sounds like the price difference for Texans isn't a big thing. Around here it's about a dollar (90cents to 1.20) more for diesel. That more or less makes fuel cost on parity and even on rare occasions more expensive.

So I get nobody else other than myself and a few stragglers would consider a smaller gasoline utility tractor....No problem. Things I like rarely come around anyway. (I'm still dreaming of being able to buy a new Willy's MB Jeep).

So I guess this thread for me is beat to death.. I think I'll just go outside and fire up one of my Diesel Tractors and do some snow plowing.......

 

[slingworks]

I just don't see gas engines being very popular in high usage machines. Yard machines, small estates, low hours, sure. But not commercial work.

Bingo. That's exactly what makes me think a smaller gas tractor could be a decent option that could maybe be offered at a lesser price? We're not talking about commercial work as in 8hrs a day. I'd gamble most of the members on this forum (51% or more) have a smaller Kubuta type or vintage Ford/Ferguson or what not as a tractor. Rarely seeing more than a couple hundred hours a year?

Had the UPS driver ask me last week if I knew of a good Ford 3000 for sale. hes' got 3 acres.

Probably little to no incentive for any manufacturer though, unless gas is suddenly 88cents/gal.

Anyway, never happen I guess.

 

[MossRoad]

This is my current machine. It's a 2001 model and has a Kohler 25hp gas engine. It's completely hydraulically powered. 4 wheel motors. A main PTO pump that powers mowers and brush cutters, tiller, stuff like that. A smaller PTO pump that powers the steering, FEL arms, power angle for snow plow, grapple, etc.. A tram pump that supplies the wheel motors. It's on the smaller end of their models. The larger models were all diesel up until recently. The next model up is now also gas powered. All the larger ones past that are still diesel.

For what it's designed to do, the gas is fine.

 

[deezler]

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

The more volatileone, obviously! Although to be fair, diesel generally works much better for getting a damp bonfire pile going.