i just love diesel tractors

raymilosh · #1 06/30/08, 12:17 PM

I have always had gas tractors. We got a diesel so we could run it on the biodiesel we make on the farm. the more i use it, the more i like it. Diesel engines just seem to be better suited to hard work at low rpms

It's all about the low end torque. the diesel, at idle, could drive itself up a tree.

I needed to spread a pile of sand into a beach down by the edge of the farm pond. I tried with the gas tractor and the box blade before and had a hard time of it....slipping the clutch, revving it up, having it bog down and stall, etc. before deciding it was just too difficult and there was too much potential of having the tractor wind up in the pond. Too much stress for the both of us.
I tried again with the diesel on saturday and I was able to chug chug through the process up and down the slope, across the slope, etc with the greatest of ease. when the box blade dug too deep and dragged the tractor to a stop, it wouldn't stall... it'd just start to dig a hole and bury itself..even at idle. I would just lift up on the implement a bit until it started to go.
So easy.
i dunno why i felt the need to write about it.

The beach looks great, by the way. All spread out nicely, painted spool for a table, hammock in the shade, chainsawn cedar bench and all. All ready for the pig pickin, music playing, pond swimming and greased watermelon in the pond games this coming weekend.

crehberg · #2 06/30/08, 02:14 PM

Yep, diesel tractors rule!!!!

Old Vet · #3 06/30/08, 05:41 PM

Diesel tractors work well even at an idle. But you need to run them at full throttle most of the time. That is where they really are supposed to run. At an idle it will build up carbon and make it miss.

Rocky Fields · #4 07/01/08, 07:51 AM

Hey.

It's not whether it is gas or diesel, it's the torque,gearing,hp,etc....you must compare apples to apples.

Biodiesel is great...most farmers in my area are buying diesel fuel and the higher price is cutting into the bottom line.

RF

crehberg · #5 07/01/08, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Old Vet

Diesel tractors work well even at an idle. But you need to run them at full throttle most of the time. That is where they really are supposed to run. At an idle it will build up carbon and make it miss.

Old vet, where are you getting this info from? I've worked around diesels my entire life (yep, 17 whole years

), and I've never heard a word about having to run 'em wide open. In fact, my Dad always tells me to NOT run them wide open, especially our oldest, b/c they seem to have a habit of overheating.

Old Vet · #6 07/01/08, 09:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crehberg

Old vet, where are you getting this info from? I've worked around diesels my entire life (yep, 17 whole years

), and I've never heard a word about having to run 'em wide open. In fact, my Dad always tells me to NOT run them wide open, especially our oldest, b/c they seem to have a habit of overheating.

From farming over 10,000 acres and having to fix the tractors that have trouble. Most tractors have a governor that controls the speed and they are run wide open to make them more cost efect. When you run a diesel at slow speeds and keep it their when you need to run it at higher speeds it won't get their and have the power that it will have if you run it above half way. Idling is when you put the throttle in the slowest position and use it their. Most of the time it won't get hot enough to burn diesel effectually.

vallyfarm · #7 07/01/08, 10:00 PM

Running at a low idle will also increase ring blow-by. Basicly all tractors are meant to run best at 2/3+ throttle. Anything with a governer pretty much falls into this area. Higher RPM increases scavenge/breathing of the engine. Poor/slow exaust speed lets the carbon build up faster. Think of it like runnung the wood stove cranked way down all the time. Mike

Beeman · #8 07/02/08, 08:28 AM

Diesels are great especially for plowing or anything that strains the tractor that you want to do at low speed. Idleing a diesel at low RPM isn't really good for it and older ones really had a problem with it. Wide open isn't where I'd run it, I stay around 1800RPM which seems to be the best power range. If you have an old diesel and live in cold climate you'll come to understand why old farmers kept their gas tractor for feeding and such. I also use old cooking oil in my diesel tractor to cut fuel costs.

crehberg · #9 07/02/08, 11:19 AM

Ok Old Vet, I've got you now. I mis-interpreted the way you originally said it, and that is my fault. My apologies...