# Tractor fuel consumption



## jr in va (Apr 15, 2015)

Please don't start a color war.

Do any brands seem more fuel efficient than others to you? My Ford tractors seem to do real well when comparing to what I hear others say about theirs.My 77 hp 6640 will run feeding on less than a gallon per hour.Will use up to 1.8 in heavier baling with a 5X6.Mostly less.

I am basically referring to the mid size 40-100 hp range.


----------



## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Fords were never terribly efficient in Nebraska test results. Those tests will be your most color blind comparison.


----------



## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

My observation is that as I have upgraded to newer models over the last 15 years the fuel efficiency has steadily gone down. All green here but nothing can run with a JD720 2 banger, especially if it is a diesel. Of course, it does not have a cab with ac....


----------



## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Depends on the pig you're driving. Last I checked it's the motor (and the driver). Turbos are more efficient than a naturally aspirated. Higher elevations cause a NA to guzzle more fuel. Proper throttle and ground speed dictate fuel use. 4 cylinders use less than 6 cylinders and are not necessarily completely gutless. Weight plays a role too, the heavier the tractor the more fuel used if the engine does not complement the size. Dirty injectors and oil will help burn more fuel. Lots of variables but paint ain't one. Big Bud is even touted as being more efficient than the biggest CaseIH or JD.


----------



## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Oliver 1600 seems to be the most efficient on the farm. My White 2-110's do alright as well with the 354.4 Perkins in em but those are over 100hp. Our Cat 3208's in our White articulated's also do alright but those are all over 210hp.


----------



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

There are fuel efficient models in most makes....some more older and some more recent. As suggested earlier, just research the models you like on Tractordata.com and get the results TD posts from the Nebraska tests.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

jr in va said:


> Please don't start a color war.
> 
> Do any brands seem more fuel efficient than others to you? My Ford tractors seem to do real well when comparing to what I hear others say about theirs.My 77 hp 6640 will run feeding on less than a gallon per hour.Will use up to 1.8 in heavier baling with a 5X6.Mostly less.
> 
> I am basically referring to the mid size 40-100 hp range.


According to Nebraska test # 1657 your tractor is operating on less than 1/2 the GPH fuel consumption than what the test showed at pto speed. I'll suggest you keep that tractor until you retire from farming.


----------



## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

My JD 4255 uses 3.2 GPH & my Kubota M7040 uses 2.5 GPH pulling my JD 467 rd baler making 4X5.5 bales @ 5-6 MPH


----------



## StxPecans (Mar 3, 2018)

Not sure what this means but here i go.
Mowing with our batwing 15 foot modern ag raptor. 5100e JD in 540e in moderately heavy grass mowing at about 5mph few time pto speed would drop 50rpm due to load. Mowed 30 acres on 3/4 tank of fuel. 
Next day clipped the top of a grazed pasture with same mower on a kubota m8540 at 5pm 30 acres took 1.5 tanks. Much much lighter cutting. According to tractor data the deere holds 2 gallons more fuel. Deere was much more efficent also newer. M8540 has 1700hrs in good working shape 5100e had at thr time maybe 150hrs.

Spraying pecans with pto air blast sprayers. Same manufacture of sprayer just one is 500gallon fan takes 75pto hp other is 1000 gallon and requires 130 pto hp.
75pto hp sprayer pulled with kubota m8540 130hp sprayer pulled with case ih 7110.
Spraying at the same speed covering same area only difference is 130hp sprayer is spraying twice as high and putting out twice the water so time between fill ups pretty much same. 
7110 burns 1 gallon an acre
M8540 burns .9 gallon an acre

Throw a wrench into things 250hp sprayer that has its own engine that takes about 225hp to run the fan has what everyone says is the most uneffecient engine (2 stroke detroit diesel that is working its butt off) burns .75 gallon an acre. So go figure...

All sprayers traveling at same speed.

Just some fuel efficiency stuff i have noticed.


----------



## jr in va (Apr 15, 2015)

Tx Jim said:


> According to Nebraska test # 1657 your tractor is operating on less than 1/2 the GPH fuel consumption than what the test showed at pto speed. I'll suggest you keep that tractor until you retire from farming.


I plan on it still being operational when I'm not any longer.My 5000 runs the Haybine on 1-1.25 gph,the 4600 about the same.Daddy always said the old 861 gas tractor used 3gph when plowing with two 14" plows.

Used one of my cousins' 65hp and 5X4 baler once.Seemed to take 2 gph.Another brand we had once was 52 hp and burned more than the 500 at 67.


----------



## Tx Jim (Jun 30, 2014)

I've not checked my Ford 6700 with cab/ac but I think it uses more than 1-1.25 GPH pulling my H&S Hi-cap 14 wheel rake.


----------



## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Varies greatly on my Kubota m7040 depending on how hard I work it. Iirc, when brand new i plowed pulling 3-14's and was slightly over 2 gph. Chisel plowing this spring working it to the max I was between 3 and 4 gph.


----------



## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I'm no help.....when it's close to empty I fill it up. I have no idea, but the 4cyl engines are better than the 6cyl.


----------



## cjsr8595 (Jul 7, 2014)

I recently baled 30 acres, 4x5 bales, on 7.5 gallons in my M9540. It seems to do pretty well on fuel. I also have a MF253, its a small 3 cyl turbo Perkins, uses about .75 gallon per hour raking or tedding.


----------



## woodland (May 23, 2016)

StxPecans said:


> Not sure what this means but here i go.
> Mowing with our batwing 15 foot modern ag raptor. 5100e JD in 540e in moderately heavy grass mowing at about 5mph few time pto speed would drop 50rpm due to load. Mowed 30 acres on 3/4 tank of fuel.
> Next day clipped the top of a grazed pasture with same mower on a kubota m8540 at 5pm 30 acres took 1.5 tanks. Much much lighter cutting. According to tractor data the deere holds 2 gallons more fuel. Deere was much more efficent also newer. M8540 has 1700hrs in good working shape 5100e had at thr time maybe 150hrs.
> 
> ...


Those old Detroit 2 strokes are awesome in my eyes. We've had a few over the years and they run no matter what and are economical doing so. Dad had the oil pan lose the plug on a 8v71 in our old Louisville and he didn't notice the gauge till it died at a stop sign????

Thumbed a ride home and found another plug and dumped a pail of oil in her, waited 20 minutes, hit the key and she fired right up????. Had a problem with blow by after that but ran for ten years till it burnt up from a welding mishap.

Still have a 671 turbo in a grain truck that I used today actually. Just have a good pair of earmuffs and you're good to go.

We used to keep track of fuel consumption till the meter on the bulk tank pump died. Now I could care less as there's not much you can do about it unless you trade it off. Here usually equipment comes to retire so that's not going to happen.


----------

