Gasoline vs. Diesel

[DrRod]

Greetings,

I am looking at buying a used tractor and found one that is gas powered. This has great appeal to me because it simplifies my fuel inventory. Are there any disadvantages to a gas powered tractor that I should be aware of?

Thanks

 

[Dargo]

Actually, yes, there are quite a few disadvantages. However, in general, a gas powered tractor should be able to be had for a real bargain price.

 

[Soundguy]

It's a pay me now or pay me later issue.

Gas tractors tend to eat you up in the short term with ignition tune up items every year, etc. Plugs, wires, cap , rotor, points, etc. Carb cleaning or rebuild.

Diesel just sails along for 5-10-20 years and then the injector pump dies and you spend 1200 bucks /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

In general.. I think diesels are a tad 'better' made. not uncommon to see big diesels in the 5+ thousand hour range. That said.. a good old gas tractor willput out for years too. My old fords still kick and they must have thousands of hours on them.

Gas is 'easier' for the average user who is used to a lawnmower to 'doctor' on. If it won't start.. you can dink with it to a point.. If your diesel doesn't start... probably one of those 1200$ trips to the greasy handed 'doctor'.

Lots of farms fed this country with gas tractors from the 30's and up... Lots of diesels do it now.

Soundguy

 

[DrRod]

It only has 840 hours on it and the dealer appears to have given it a good going over -- new belts, and filters are easy to see. They also repainted the engine and frame area which always makes me wonder what they might be hiding. But he's a long-standing reputable dealer and the tractor obviously sat outside for a good part of its life, so a little paint was surely justified.

 

[Bob_Young]

You don't say where you are, DrRod, nor do you say what you plan to do with the tractor, how big it is or how old.

There's one advantage to gas tractors that I value: Old, well maintained gas tractors are much easier to start in cold weather than old diesel tractors. The new diesels generally start like a charm, but temperatures down around zero, without a block heater made the old standbys from the 60's and 70's almost impossible to start without ether. Of course, if you live in Florida this is no advantage.

One gas tractor disadvantage, that's particularly acute these days, is that the larger ones (say 45HP on up) were gas hogs. They sucked fuel like there was no tomorrow. They'd do this whether they were being worked hard or not. In contrast a 50 to 60HP diesel is miserly on fuel consumption unless its being worked hard.

However, some of the smaller, more modern gas engines were easy on gas. The 3 cylinder Ford 2000s (about 35HP) from the 70's were in this category. They'd do alot of work on a gallon of gas. The little 2-cylinder JD40s from the 50's were good in this regard also. Probably if your gas tractor's engine displacement is in the neighborhood of 150 cu. in. or less gas consumption won't be too bad. If much bigger, watch out! I don't think you could afford to work a JD60 or JD-A these days...they're strictly show tractors now.

FWIW
Bob

 

[RalphVa]

I love diesels because they always start instantly. My JD does this (after glowing 1-5 seconds, depending on the temperature). My 1983 Benz does this. My 1973 did this, too, even after sitting for 9 months while I worked in Singapore and even in -20 mornings in Vermont.

Any gas engine usually requires considerable cranking after it has sat for a while, especially ones with carburetors which is virtually all tractor engines. My Gravely is this way. Any carburetored engined ones are this way. Worst are things like chain saws and grass whip engines that sit around a lot.

Change filters and fluids on a diesel, and it goes on forever and always starts first turn of the crankshaft.

Ralph

 

[KiotiJohn]

I believe you can also use a lesser HP diesel engine and do more work than with gas. If you let the gas engine sit around for a while after having left gasoline in it, you may have to clean out the carb before you're going to get it going again.

It's not just me, but a lot of people just don't want to rely on gas tractors any more. Most of the ones I'm familiar with are more work on, than do work.

John

 

[Green4Me]

I had a late 50's JD520 (37.5 @pto) and loved it. In a moment of weakness I sold it, sad to say. It would go through six or seven gallons of gasoline per hour. Contrast to my Zetor diesel (@56pto) that uses only two-three gallons/hour, and will do four times the work. On the other hand, valuation wise, in ten years the old iron(520) will be worth more than the Z. One other thing I have noted, and I am no expert. In looking at the Nebraska tractor tests,I find that for instance, a 60hp diesel when run a @ 25hp output uses very little more fuel than a 25hp tractor. I have no idea why other than it's the way diesels put out power.

 

[SkyPup]

Old gas tractors are simply great for fantasitc flameouts when the rusting gasoline tank leaks down onto the exhaust manifold.

My nieghbor's 1951 Ford 8N self destructed in a gigantic explosion of fire that took the county fire rescue department over four hours to put out, not to mention the time he spent in the hospital for the burns, fortunately no skin grafts were required though.....

 

[Bob_Young]

Yeah, and if RPGs are common in your neighborhood, the diesel will be safer /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif.

 

[SkyPup]

I guess it could have been much worse, like if he'd parked the gas 8N in his barn and then it blew up, taking out his home too.... /forums/images/graemlins/smirk.gif

 

[Keith_B_]

Diesel has a lot of advantages. Less trouble on average than gas, as there are no points, plugs, wires, distributor caps, etc., to worry with. Fuel costs for operation will be much cheaper.

Gasoline engines will be easier to work on only in that the ignition repairs are easily taken care of by the average shade tree mechanic. However, the diesels do not have these ignition problems so that really isn't much of an advantage.

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Any gas engine usually requires considerable cranking after it has sat for a while, especially ones with carburetors )</font>

I'd say that is more related to the level of maintenance they receive, and the condition of the engine.

If your level of maintenance is: "I put gas in it when it needs to work".

Then yes.. I'd agree.. it will probably be a hard starter.

The majority of my antiques are still 6v.. Only one has been rebuilt that I know of, and that was 15 years ago.. the rest are setting on 50 year old engines or older.

Even after setting for as long as 6 months, I can turn the gas on, wait a few seconds for the carb bowl to fill, set throttle at 1/3 to 1/2 turn on the ignition, hit the starter button, and as the first rev is going, give a pull on the choke. By the end of the second rev, she starts. That's the startup ritual on my 6v ford 8n, 6v ford 660, and my 6v allis chalmers G. The 8n and 660 have been hard workers.

Soundguy

 

[Soundguy]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Old gas tractors are simply great for fantasitc flameouts when the rusting gasoline tank leaks down onto the exhaust manifold. )</font>

Leaky diesel burns fine too. At the local tractor auction, the back row is for non runners, parts machines, and burn jobs. There are usually more old diesels setting back their burned, than old gas jobs.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( My nieghbor's 1951 Ford 8N self destructed in a gigantic explosion of fire that took the county fire rescue department over four hours to put out, not to mention the time he spent in the hospital for the burns, fortunately no skin grafts were required though..... )</font>

Sounds like poor maintenance. if the owner had a leaky gas tank.. or a rusty one.. he should have corrected it.

Owning an old tractor implies reasonable inspection prior to putting it to work. Besides.. you assume all gas tractors have tanks situated over the exhaust manifold...not all are situated that way... in any case.. that's a maintenance problem.. not a design flaw...

Soundguy