706 806 gas vs diesel- cheap horsepower?

how much does a 706 weigh?

thanks!!!

I considered converting a gas tractor to propane because propane is even cheaper than gas or diesel, though they tend to burn more gallons. I also considerfed converting it to a fuel injection system (a throttle body EFI system) to increase efficiency by 5-10 perrcent by most estimations. In theory, you could convert a gas tractor to run on E85 fuel, which is 85 percent ethanol (burn what you grow!).

For the small farmer that runs few hours per year, a gasser makes more sense. On average a gas engine will use 30 percent more fuel than a diesel. Let's say you use the tractor 50 hours per year. A diesel using 4 GPH for 50 hour would use 200 gallons. The average price around here is $2.55/gallon, so that's $510.

An equivalent power gas tractor would use about 5.5 GPH, so that's 275 gallons. Right now the average proice for gas is $2.20 a gallon so that's $605. a year, an increase of $95.

Lets say the average price of the diesel tractor you want is $6500 for a decent but high hours unit. Looking around you can find find similar HP gassers for about $4500, usually in better shape and with lower hours, a difference of $2000.

How many years at a savings of $95 a year will it take to pay off the higher cost of the diesel by fuel economy alone? My calculator says 21 years for the 50 hour a year farmer.

FWIW, these are the numbers I played with when I made up my mind that I would accept a gasser.I had been looking at diesel tractors and in the HP I wanted, they were in the $6-7000 range for a decent unit locally. In the search, I found a pristine 90hp (green) 4020 gasser with 2500 hours for $4500 (at a dealer no less) and if one of their sales guys hadn't been a total bozo, I'd be runnning it now. A week later, I was driving my very tired 826. It was pretty cheap and it's very economical even by diesel standards, but I've also had to put a fair bit of money and time into it. Objectively, that 2500 hour unit was the better tractor mechanically and it probably wouldn't have had as many (or any)
problems. 'Course I wouldn't have met all you wunnerful red tractors guys either!! And how can you put a price on that!

You may not need to pay that much for diesel. You should be able to buy it for ag use without the highway tax, which puts the price at about the same as gas at the pump. I paid $2.19 for some diesel this morning at a station where gas was about the same. And if you can"t find anyone to sell you the ag fuel, you can probably get a tax rebate when you do your income taxes.

I will however agree with you on low hour tractors, the gasser will come out ahead in the long run. Diesel needs to be worked, and it takes a lot of work to justify the investment. In fact I'm starting to wonder if we can justify any low hour tractor. These little offsets I have are running just as high repair bills as when I worked them 10 times as much as I do now. I guess it's inflation, least that is what I tell my good better half.

Through the 70s, 80s, and 90s the diesels were the ones that took the hammering, pulling heavy loads for long hours. Not saying you wont find a good diesel, but I'm betting you'll find a lot more gassers with 5,000 hours or less. If you've watched Allan's experience, and I single out Allan as he has taken several 6 cylinder Farmalls and restored them A1 mechanically. You never hear him crying about power train noise from his gassers.

Fuel use; I have pulled wagon, disk, chores and such and the higher cost of diesel evens things out but...I have not put a plow on yet, that might be different.

Power; the D will lug on, the gasser likes to get mad about it, hence the plow disclaimer, but I can"t say for sure yet. But is the power there, yep!

Cheaper to fix yes but the D will go about twice the hours (at least) before overhaul so you could say the gas is just spreading it out. I can"t complain about the 263 but I have no experience with the other.

Price; For a gas that need nothing, not talking about a muffler, front tires or a tear in the seat, but I am talking rear tires, T/A etc, $3,500-$4,500. Diesels seem to bring 2-3k more.

Weight is probably 11,000lbs.

I like mine and I am glad I bought it, it does equal amonts of different work and fits my need fine. If you will be doing mostly tillage go diesel. Another thing, it is an outdoor dog and needs space, if a guy had just a couple acres and used it a lot around the house in the country, the yard at the house in the country would look like a armored school training site.

(German diesels love a steady diet of hard work, they are not a chore tractor!)

Good luck

Erik in WI

Erik in WI

I've got two gassers under loaders that really work great. Also, in the hay fields, ya just can't beat 'em.

Never owned an 06 model, but IH is IH as they say.

Allan

steveormary