LP fuled tractors

Mark

Mark

Butan and Propane are all derivatives of natural gas, just different molecular weights- pleaswe don't ask me for specifics. LOL

The last LPG I purchased was 92¢. What is the current price of farm diesel?

Longevity of the engines as others pointed out is another factor when considering a tractor purchase. LPG engine oil will be cleaner after 100 hours of use than a diesel engine will show after 10 hours. You still change it however when it is time.

Many farmers are afraid to tackle injectors and pumps and must hire work done on them. Tune-ups of points, plugs, rotor, condenser, cap, and wires are done more often, but farmer done is still cheaper than what you lay out for a pro on the other.

That old MM G705 had a slow turning, long stroke engine with a large diamer exhaust. Man was that a sweet sounding engine at idle. I think you could count each cylinder firing. There is nothing like it.

By the time diesel and LPG got so close in price in the 1970s I was farming on my own. I purchased a Case 1070 diesel. There can be no doubt that the 108 hp diesel could work circles around the 101 hp LPG tractor, and do so more cheaply per acre.

For winter duty an LPG tractor will typically start easier than a high compression diesel, and you don't need to worry about fuel turning into a gel. HOWEVER, for raw field horsepower---let me have a diesel.

Oh yeah, for smell of fuels--well I'd rather smell LPG any day. I find diesel far more offensive even though I doubt the majority would.

Mark

Then Diesel became popular and the LP's faded from sight. Didn't say why. Next thing he knew the local dealer was out pushing diesel. He said what's wrong with the LP's you sold me? Soon found out..... went to all diesel.

I know Texas used to "mine" the Permean Basin (also in W. Tx.) which was a hugh, oil field. Gas and gas wells were part of that so there was an abundant supply of petroleum and N. Gas out there.

For years Texas had no sales or income taxes as the state was essentially run on oil revenues.

Don't remember which Propane comes from but anyway there was lots and it was cheap. Also had a lot of Butane then. Similar to Propane but I think it had problems in the winter time. I know homes were heated with it; not sure about tractors. Too young at the time and never followed up on it.

Having recently had both personally, a JD 4020LP and currently a 4010D, The only thing I can say about the LP is what was said, and that is clean burning and engines, and oil, last a long time.

Otherwise (for me) fueling was a chore (at both temp extremes) and seemed wasteful venting gas to get liquid into the tank, getting fuel to the field was a chore (used a 300 gal, pull behind the p/u, nurse tank....no springs so about 20 mph was it), engines ran a lot hotter (ok in winter, but hot in the summer....for you and the radiator), got poor fuel/work ratio (both have 40 gallon tank; LP fueled 2x per day, diesel 2 days per fillup) using the same plow on the same farm doing the same job.

On my place today: 6 D, 0 Gas, 0 LP.

My 2c.

Mark

Methane, (C H4 )° Sextane, (C6 H14)°

Ethane, (C2H6 )° Septane, (C7 H16)°

Propane, (C3H8 )° Octane, (C8 H18)°

Quartane, (C4H10)° Nonane, (C9 H20)°

Quintane, (C5H12)° Decane, (C10H22)°

I remember my subscripts and all from my HS chemistry classes (vaguely....remember H2O and H2SO4), but other than Propane, what are you telling us? And how does that relate to tractor fuel?

Thanks,

Mark

So how did propane wind up being called propane instead of tritane? Hm?

Mark

Of course here in West Tn. really cold is like average of 20F for maybe a week at a time.

Haha if the price of diesel keeps going up and LP stays down some w might have to look at buying that 4020LP dad has been looking at and just getting a bigger nurse tank this year while cutting hay! LOL!!!!

Grant you my LP didn't know that it was cold when it was time to start. Now 100 degree summer days was a different story.

Mark