X730 Fuel consumption?

tjr9183 · May 19, 2015

I just bought a new Deere X730. I'm not sure if I'm getting the right fuel consumption out of it. I read the reviews on it and everyone says great fuel consumption. That's why I have to question with mine. I use a full tank in 2.4 hours. That's half a tank everytime I mow. I could mow with quarter tank with my 425. The dealer doesn't know if that's good or bad, so I'm looking for a answer from someone who has one.

beenthere · May 19, 2015

I have a 425 and had a 445 (Electronic fuel injection) and also now have the X485 with EFI.

Both the EFI's suck up more fuel than the 425 IMO doing the same work (54" mower decks).

One big reason I enjoy the 455 diesel.. goes forever on a tank of fuel.

Now you just need to interpret what "great" fuel consumption means... those selling fuel think it is "great".

:welcome: to TBN

Mach One · May 19, 2015

tjr9183 said:
I just bought a new Deere X730. I'm not sure if I'm getting the right fuel consumption out of it. I read the reviews on it and everyone says great fuel consumption. That's why I have to question with mine. I use a full tank in 2.4 hours. That's half a tank everytime I mow. I could mow with quarter tank with my 425. The dealer doesn't know if that's good or bad, so I'm looking for a answer from someone who has one.

I have an X720 which is essentially the same thing. Love the Kawi motor, but they drink the gas. It's normal.

Eric102 · May 20, 2015

Yep, my X739 is about the same. Cost of doing business with the big X7's.

CinderSchnauzer · May 20, 2015

If I use the X739 it takes about 2.5 hours to fully mow property of approx 2 acres. Not quite a full tank, but certainly getting near the red. Tank is listed as 5.2G. Seems close to your experience.
Empirically, the JD seems to use more fuel than previous Craftsman (25 HP B&S).
In my case I wanted the AWD / AWS and the X749 was not available anymore & didn't find any good used ones. Unless used in a commercial setting it seems to me except for bragging rights, the extra cost for diesel ($1,200) would never be recovered in fuel cost savings.

fadzaev2 · Jun 25, 2015

I have an X734, and it replaced a 425 AWS.......same results for me.....the X definitely uses more gas, but I went from 18 HP to 25 HP, and from 54" deck, to a 60" deck......love my X734!!!! Fadz

IH3444 · Jun 26, 2015

Got a 2013 X750 with 60" HC deck. It comes standard with the 40amp alternator. A $500 option on the X730 gas mower. It also states on the top of the engine's valve cover 19Kw, which equal out to 25.5hp approximately. Don't know if this is a misprint, or I got one of the last 19Kw engines by happenstance. I use Mobil 1 full synthetic in the engine, Amsoil severe gear 85-90w in the deck gear box, changed twice already, and grease deck with full synthetic on the deck spindles. The last diesel fuel I bought for it was $2.39 off road. Now that it has about 136 hours on it, the fuel consumption has improved greatly, almost astonishingly. I always run at WOT for mowing. Put about 50 hours a year on it. So the additional $500 for diesel for me was a no brainer. Plus it is a 3 cylinder engine, diesels are good for about 120 degrees power output of rotation on the power stroke, verse 90 degrees on a gas motor. Three cylinders means that it almost always have a power stroke pushing torque to the drive trains, both motion for the machine, and deck drive. The thing is a tank of a machine for mowing. I went over to my neighbors to test if John Deere was truthful with their advertisment. I mower through heavy thick grass over 18 inches tall, and mostly about 2 foot tall. The mower maybe dropped about 50rpm. It is an absolute beast, and turns on a dime. I let one of my boys mow with it, asked him how he like it. He said it drove better than his car and wanted to drive it home to his house. I have also changed the low-vis fluid and filter with JD low-vis as recommended. You can smell the EP additive, and smells like some of the fully synthetic trans fluids I have used in the past. I suspect it is a full synthetic from JD, maybe a 0-20w. I understand it may be made by Chevron for JD. I got it from the dealer for about $70 5 gal pail.

Deere Dude · Jun 26, 2015

I have a X740 diesel w/62" deck and uses between 3-4 gallons for 7.5 acres running wide open at 5.5 hours or so. I got a JD 3750 w/ 84" deck so I can minimize the time. My wife drives the 740 and I drive the bigger tractor and even though fuel consumption went way up mowing that way I don't bother checking it anymore.

Eric102 · Jun 26, 2015

Yep, that's normal for my X739 also. A small price to pay though for not having to breath in diesel fumes

coobie · Jun 26, 2015

Eric102 said:
Yep, that's normal for my X739 also. A small price to pay though for not having to breath in diesel fumes

Love them diesel fumes from my X740

beenthere · Jun 26, 2015

I have the 455 diesel and don't smell anything but for a brief time on start-up. Having the better fuel efficiency and more power, plus the quieter 3 cyl over the 2-cyl is a real bonus, IMO.

Deadman · Jul 10, 2018

My X734 sucks fuel like crazy. I just moved for 2.9 hrs and it took 6 gallons of fuel. At 1.8 hrs, the low fuel light was flashing.

beenthere · Jul 11, 2018

Deadman
I have the x485, and find the same thing.. goes through gas quickly. The 455 diesel does most of the mowing. It goes hours on 5 gal of diesel. Guestimate would be twice as long but do not have real figures to back it up.

IH3444 · Jul 11, 2018

The X750, 60HC deck can use off road diesel, so at approximately 3/4 gallon an hour mowing WOT, times 70 cents a gallon saving with off road diesel, it can begin to add up over time. That 3 cylinder 993cc Yanmar can mow some grass per hour. Never, and I mean never boggs down. Full synthetic lube, and sharp blades.....mowing machine.

DJGTWO · Jul 12, 2018

I find that my X739 will burn just under 5 gallons during a 4.5 hour cut. Our property is up and down hills, so the tractor is always working. I did have a Toro Zero Turn Diesel before the X739, and it did use half the fuel. But, on the hills and slopes, it was hard to maintain control.

dstig1 · Jul 13, 2018

I have a new X738 gas with about 4 hrs on it now. Yes it sucks gas! And how! I have very steep hills, so I get the fuel warning light flashing before i am done with our ~1ac worth of lawn if i am on a slope, within 1.25-1.5 hrs. I tried an X590 first and it just didn't have enough traction, even with the diff lock for my slopes. I still need the diff lock in a few spots even with 4wd on the the X738 now. I have a lot of wasted time with tight turns and having to back up and realign the mower a lot, so that may be part of it. I have to say I was amazed at how much gas it uses. but at least i can finally mow this place without killing myself. I used to do it with a push mower for a few years...

IH3444 · Jul 13, 2018

I still have the John Deere built Scotts 2554, and it in itself is a great mowing machine based on the JD GT 275 frame, with the down graded Tufftorq K66 from the JD Gt275 K70 hydrostatic transmission, but with a twin cylinder engine, along with the 54" JD stamped steel 11 gauge deck. It has the Kohler Command 25hp twin cylinder engine, yes it also came with the delayed leaking cylinder head gasket problem, which I fixed with the upgrade kits. It burned about almost a gallon an hour. I would run high test gasoline 93 octane in it due to the high compression it has. I think it's 9.5 to 1. I tried to used regular, and then also the mid range gasoline, but it would sometimes "diesel" on shut down. I was concerned that it may be damaging the engine during running and I can't hear it due to the noise. An air cooled engine is noisier that your Kawasaki water cooled, EFI 27hp engine. The water jackets help dampen the noise, as well as provide a cooler and more even cylinder head temperature envoirnment where preignition occur. I also wear hearing protection, as well as a quality dusk mask when mowing. It looks as tho the Kohler 25hp engine, and the Kawasaki 27hp engine use about the same amount of fuel. I do use the Mobil 1 15w-50 engine oil in the Kohler for added protection. The M1 15w-50 has the added zinc for camshaft to lifter protection, and the full synthetic flows as well as a 10w-30 on start up. Remember flow, and pump temperatures are different. Pump oil is about 20 degrees higher that flow. You kinda get the double whammy with gas mowers, you pay road tax, don't get the off road fuel break, and have a bit less torque. There is more advantage to a 3 cylinder diesel 120 degree power stroke delivery, verse the twin cylinder 90 degree power stroke delivery. Don't think I don't like my twin cylinder Scotts 2554, it was a vast improvement over the older 15hp single I mowed with for years. People have commented on how sharp the X750 turns when they have driven it. I have never driven the all wheel steer JD units, so my experience with those are nil.