Engine Life

[BotaCrazy]

It's been quite some time since I posted, I have been traveling alot but still find seat time with my BX23. I recently had a conversation with a friend about how many hours can you expect on the BX23 engine with all service procedures followed by the book. Please share any info. In my job I purchase all Forklifts needed. As a rule a forklift with 10,000 hrs. = a car with 100,000 miles. Is this a apples to apples comparison?

Thanks

 

[MOPAULY]

I would be curious to know. My BX24 needs to last about another 30 years for me

 

[Taiser]

From what I've read 5000 hours is what they are DESIGNED to last before an overhaul, I'm pretty sure they can last a lot longer than that with care. Don't think anybody has that many on a BX yet. Everybody chime in...what are your hours at for BX engines!!!

 

[Dusty]

Longevity is a direct result of maintenance and care. I have seen engines that have been over heated and the result of the event isn't evident until 30 or 40 thousand miles later, when the engine needs a rebuild due to wear. I have heard of engines that have gone hundreds of thousands of miles without major repairs when the operators follow a stringent maintenance procedure. Engines of today, are built to tighter standards and tolerances, and as a result, they are much better quality than those of 20 years ago. RPM's also have an effect on the longevity of the engine. Engines that are run at lower RPM's have less wear than those that are run at WOT all the time. I did see one BX22 that had 2500 hours on the hour meter, and that tractor looked like it was totally trashed. It smoked upon start up, but it did run smoothly once it was off idle. The dealer wanted 10K for it, and said that he wasn't afraid to guarantee the tractor 100% for 1 year or 250 hours. Based on this, I have to believe that the engines on the BX are quite durable and will probably outlast any of the present owners. I know that mine will outlast me, but that is a direct result of my being old....... really old... My BX22 has under 300 hours in 5 years! I even take the loader and backhoe off when I mow, because I know that mowing with this extra weight on the tractor isn't the best for the tractor or the lawns.

 

[BotaCrazy]

Thanks for the feedback! I have a BX23, 2005 with 195 hrs. I enjoy operating it so much that I guess I was wondering when will all this fun come to an end! I do alot of Charity type work with it(no charge! church etc.) I am a Maintenance Supervisor at a World leader in its product field. So The BX23 is run hard but it receives extra special attention. Thanks again.

 

[rpraymond]

I'm the second owner of a nice little B6100 that has 2400 hrs. and was well cared for. It runs just fine with no excess smoking or any other signs that it is worn at all. I change the oil once a year even though I don't put that many hours on it. Common sense and proper maintenence will make any machine last a long time.

 

[Bob_Young]

A diesel tech once posted here that most well maintained diesels are good for one billion revolutions before needing an overhaul. Of course this was before ULSD...and whatever they think of next.

Anyway, for an engine rated at 2600 RPM, that comes out to be 6410 hours on the hour meter (one hour at rated RPM puts one hour on the hour meter). Of course your hour meter 'hours' will rack up more slowly if you run at lower RPMs.

So, at 100 hours per year, this says you're good for 64 years. Doesn't seem realistic does it?

I would guess that the greatest longevity enemies our tractor engines face would be lack of use for long periods and 'abuse' because we tend to baby them too much.
Bob

 

[art]

Using lower grade oils as well as lack of maintence will help to lower an engines life. I've seen several Kubota engines that have been untouched past 10,000 hours and many past the 6500 hour mark with no oil consumption as well as excellent cold weather start ability(below -20) with normal maintence.

 

[rdsaustintx]

I posted a link in here a couple of years ago to an EPA study on diesel engine life. The thread was a debate with CT Tree John. I can't find it now and CT appears to be gone (he was having serious health problems). I hope he is OK.

Anyway, best I can remember the study tabulated ALL kinds of machines and estimated life for both "residential" and "commercial" use. For both categories light tractors were 10-12 years. But they also estimated hours and the expected commercial hours were 10x the residential hours, maybe more. The residential hours were truly pitiful.

My guess is that some parts of the engine are age-dependent, most notably polymeric seals. This is even more of an issue with hydrostatic machines, there are a zillion critical O-rings in there.

There have also been lots of debates in here about effects of thermal cycling, diffusion bonding, oil life, spring creep, etc. etc. I have become convinced the worst thing you can do to a machine of this complexity is let it sit.

So yeah, get out there and OPERATE the thing!

Russell in Texas

 

[RobertN]

As a data point, my B8200HST is an 1986. I have only about 1050 hours on it so far, 700 of those mine. No issues, except some paint fade from it being stored outside before I got it(I keep it in a shed).

The only thought that I would offer, is by the time my B8200 gets to be aged like my 1941 Farmall-A, I would not expect to find parts for it(I can for the Farmall), nor would I expect to see people collect a 60 year old Kubota B8200 as a classic.

It's been quite some time since I posted, I have been traveling alot but still find seat time with my BX23. I recently had a conversation with a friend about how many hours can you expect on the BX23 engine with all service procedures followed by the book. Please share any info. In my job I purchase all Forklifts needed. As a rule a forklift with 10,000 hrs. = a car with 100,000 miles. Is this a apples to apples comparison?

Thanks

 

[Egon]

Robert, I'd kike to give some advice but when that kubota is as old as the farmall is now I really don't think it will matter!

 

[art]

We have a bx 2200 which when I saw it two years ago it had just over 3500 hours on it.

 

[CDsdad]

I was curious about engine life when I was looking to buy, so I asked a local dealer about overhauls. He told me the average rebuild in their shop had 4000 hours on it. This included ag tractors for farming that do hard work, as well as compacts that lead a more sheltered life.

So I figured accounting for the occasional lemon, the abused, the sheltered, and the well maintained, as well as the fact there were no compacts in his shop, I could reasonably expect 5000 hours out of my tractor. I've had it a year with 125 hours on it. So, I guess in 40 years I can get another tractor or rebuild this one. If I only get 4000 hours, I'll still be happy.

 

[N80]

The only thought that I would offer, is by the time my B8200 gets to be aged like my 1941 Farmall-A, I would not expect to find parts for it(I can for the Farmall), nor would I expect to see people collect a 60 year old Kubota B8200 as a classic.

I'd be willing to bet that in 1941 no one thought any one would care about a Farmall-A in 2007 either. In fact, I'd guess in 1941 no one would expect anyone to 'collect' tractors at all.

You just never know what will be considered valuable in the future. In 30 years the kids in my kids generation will be nostalgic about those old Kubota's 'like my Dad use to have' or that old Kubota that 'I learned to drive a tractor on'. So they'll buy them and fix them up. I don't know about parts, but Kubota makes a lot of diesel engines of all sorts. They also use variations of standard engines across model lines.

 

[czechsonofagun]

I bought my tractor with 1100 hours on it in the fall of 2005, it runs like new, no smoke, excellent power.

I am sure it will last me forever, since I add like 20 hours a year.

 

[cp1969]

A diesel tech once posted here that most well maintained diesels are good for one billion revolutions before needing an overhaul. Of course this was before ULSD...and whatever they think of next.

Anyway, for an engine rated at 2600 RPM, that comes out to be 6410 hours on the hour meter (one hour at rated RPM puts one hour on the hour meter). Of course your hour meter 'hours' will rack up more slowly if you run at lower RPMs.

So, at 100 hours per year, this says you're good for 64 years. Doesn't seem realistic does it?

I would guess that the greatest longevity enemies our tractor engines face would be lack of use for long periods and 'abuse' because we tend to baby them too much.
Bob

Probably a better predictor of engine life is the amount of fuel consumed between overhauls. That takes into account hard work vs. easy, etc. An engine working very hard will need overhaul sooner than one that is loafing, but both will have consumed about the same amount of fuel and done the same amount of work between overhauls.

Time also enters into the equation. You can't expect an engine that runs one hour per year to last 10,000 years.