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Farmer's Myth ... or Fact???

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Bob (Aust)

01-07-2008 16:59:26




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I ran into an old cow cocky a week or so ago here in the Aussie Outback, who has had a TEA20 on his cattle property for over fifty years. The tractor gets used for various tasks, including fencing, feed hauling etc. At just under 100,000 acres he thinks the property is too small for a larger general purpose tractor. (Many cattle and sheep properties out here are measured in hundreds of square miles.)

When unleaded fuel came in and leaded fuel was no longer available, he started putting a handful of large lead shot balls (around ¼ to ½ inch diameter) in his fuel tank.
He claims they:

• Rumble out any rust in the tank;

• Put an anti rust lead coating on the inside of the tank; and

• Dissolve small amounts of lead back into the fuel.

Claims he’s never had a fuel problem with the tractor.

Got me thinking, sounds plausible but – farmer’s myth … or fact???

Bob in Oz!!

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Aaron Ford

01-14-2008 16:24:56




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
This kinda sounds like farmers putting iron pipes in with the hogs so that they would not have an iron deficiency. Ferrous oxide has no positive dietary effect. Elemental or alloyed lead (most is alloyed for some hardness) has no effect on seat wear. The stuff that was in gasoline was tetraethyl lead. Might keep the tank clean though.

The fact that he has yet to see a problem may be similar to the little known fact that "nearly all violent crime is committed within 4 hours of consuming some form of bread"

I am currently selling elephant repellant, however... It is quite effective!

Aaron

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wayne1

01-10-2008 12:42:15




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
Mark have you really tried it. no vampire problems. Wayne



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Toora Stephen

01-09-2008 14:17:12




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
Unfortunately, last time I went to "the outback" I noticed that the kangaroo population has significantly declined and the camel population has significantly increased.

Camels do far more damage to the natural grasses and waterholes than any other animal (including cows).

- TS



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Bob (Aust)

01-09-2008 13:34:07




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
Cattle country along the Diamantine Highway, west of Longreach, around 1,000 miles inland from the east coast. Note the six lane sealed highway and peak hour traffic:

third party image

The traffic problem out west is passing cattle Road Trains, big Mack or Kenworth prime mover and three semi trailers, 150 foot long, 50 wheels, 145 tons/300,000 pound, all at 70 MPH on unsealed, cambered roads. Too far back and you can't see for dust, too close and you gets showered with the ... er ... "output" of a herd of cattle!

A very small one of those 60 million hairy grass hoppers snacking on the neighbor's front grass:

third party image

Sorry again for the thread drift - but I hope this gives some idea of Fergy Country Downunder, where I live.

Bob in Oz!

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Bob (Aust)

01-09-2008 03:13:32




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
I used my TEA20 for twenty years on only five acres! But the land in the Aussie Outback is very dry and would certainly never need "bush-hogging". Stock holding out west could be less than one head of cattle per five to ten acres, even less in the last decade of drought. A small tractor like the Fergie is used for the odd jobs only, fence tensioning, feed hauling etc - cattle properties have no real need for a large tractor.

In the arid center of Australia, where soil is poor or desert, cattle properties are measured in hundreds of square miles, unfenced and cattle mustered once per year by helicopter and fixed wing aircraft.

Closer to the coast, in the grain belt where rain fall is more predictable, farmers have smaller properties and all the big shiny John Deer eight wheelers and Cat tracked tractors, mostly GPS or laser guided.

Few realise Australia is almost as large as mainland USA and of our 20 million population only, 12 million live in four cities and over 80% of the population live along the eastern coastal strip.

There are 100 million sheep (80% Merino) and 30 million cattle (10% dairy cattle) in Australia, farmed by less than 5% of the population.
There are also 60 million kangaroos also competing for the same sparse feed! :x

Sorry for the thread drift! :D

Bob in Oz!

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Jeff-oh

01-09-2008 05:14:05




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-09-2008 03:13:32  
This is really interesting. Getting the local flavor is one of the great things about this board.

We certainly do not get any of this info in school or our news sources.

Particularly after a bumper to bumper drive to work the thought of only dealing with 7 of every 100 people is appealing. (Few realise Australia is almost as large as mainland USA and only 20 million population vs. 300M+)



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Gregg/Ohio

01-08-2008 20:17:38




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
Quote:("At just under 100,000 acres he thinks the property is too small for a larger general purpose tractor.") You made feel bad here: Ive got a TO-35 for ONLY 17 Acres! Am I wastefull? Gregg/Ohio



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Bob (Aust)

01-08-2008 11:02:22




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
No screen in the fuel line on a TEA20. Only the fuel bowl at the tank valve, which should trap any sediment.
I have not see the tractor. But it is an interesting theory and I wondered if it would actually work.

John (UK) advised me the TEA20 with Standard Motor Company engine will run OK on unleaded fuel without any valve damage, although I still use Lead Replacement Upper Cylinder Fluid in both my 1953 TEA20 and my 1966 Jaguar XKE (E Type).

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Jeff-oh

01-08-2008 13:59:58




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-08-2008 11:02:22  
On the inside of the tank there still is a pipette that sticks up so you are not sucking fuel off the bottom. That would ge knocked around a bit. Though I cant see that a ball yould delever that hard of a hit.

Fatigue concern mainly... perhaps.



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Jeff-oh

01-08-2008 05:00:45




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
Yep it sure eork for me. The shot probally does keep the tank cleen. The bouncing around would "polish" the tank surface. I could even imagine some surface coating depositing on the tank due to scuffing or wear on the shot.

My question...with .50 caliber bullets rolling around in the tank... What does his fuel intake screen/valve look like. It can't be pretty.

Jeff



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Bob (Aust)

01-08-2008 02:35:42




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
"...the outback where he lives is relatively dry.."

You have to believe that. Normal year he would get up to 20 inches of rain. We've had ten years of drought, probably around 8 inches per annum, although this year is looking good - so far!!
Lead won't "dissolve" in gasoline, but I'm sure microscopic particles would end up in suspension. Whether that would benefit the engine is another question.

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Jerry/MT

01-07-2008 20:22:01




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Bob (Aust), 01-07-2008 16:59:26  
I think that the lead shot does "rumble out any rust in the tank", but I doubt that the other claims are valid. I don"t believe that elemental lead(Pb)is soluble in gasoline and that it will coat the tank to prevent rust. he probably has nt had any fuel system problems because the outback where he lives is relatively dry and he uses the tractor regularly. thesre less chance for water to condense in the tank to cause much rust or to play hob with the carb.

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mark

01-07-2008 22:09:04




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 Re: Farmer's Myth ... or Fact??? in reply to Jerry/MT, 01-07-2008 20:22:01  
Oh...I"m sure it works....just like tying a clove of garlic around your neck wards off vampires....LOL!



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