Fuel conservation the easy way

[Dan-IA]

I was always taught with a diesel you run it at a slow speed until it warms up, run it slow when it's idling (it uses practically no fuel at idle), but otherwise keep that engine wound up to 2800RPM, it has plenty of torque and you won't lug it or bend a crank or anything like that. And those tractor transmissions act like an ratcheting impact wrench on the final drives at too slow a speed, so run it fast to prevent damaging the bull gears.

Well, today I was in the field with a 4-150 pulling a tandem disk just deep enough to break up the topsoil and cut stalks (not more than 4 inches.) I was told to run it in 3rd wide open, but I got to thinking that 4th at about half throttle was plenty fast. It took virtually no power to pull that disk this way, and that big Cat 3208 engine was a lot quieter, so I could actually hear the radio for a change.

Does that sound reasonable, or was I abusing my equipment?

While I'm thinking about it, is there any hard and fast rule about what implements you're supposed to lift out of the ground to turn and which ones you can just drag around? I was taught to lift a disc, but the soil was loose enough on top today it didn't seem to hurt when I wasn't overly quick on the lift lever.

 

[Anonymous-0]

The thing to watch for with transmissions and final drives is shock loading, that's what's gonna mess them up.
3208 is a V-8, do NOT lug it, they need the revs. Different story with different engines. If an implement is wide enough that the inside end is very slow or stationary when turning, you are turning too tight. Do not let the inside end of a ground engaging tool get dragged backwards. Raise it, make your turn and drop it again, preferably fairly slowly so (AHA) you are not shock loading the transmission and lugging the engine.

 

[buickanddeere]

Engines, diesel in particular are most efficient when operated at the rpm where peak torque is measured. And when the engine is fully loaded BUT NOT LUGGING.

 

[Anonymous-0]

First you need an Operator Manual for your tractor, and need to read it. Look to see what speed the rated torque is. Next see what speed yields 540 PTO RPM. Most medium size tractors can be run at the 540 PTO RPM speed to achieve good torgue, very little lugging, not over-reving, and decent fuel usage. I would never run my tractor by pulling the throttle wide open, as it goes way beyond the rated RPMs and the "540 PTO RPMs. I also would not load my tractor up pulling an implement and run it at half throttle in a higher gear with the expectations of saving anything. Remember it is not only how much fuel it burns, but how long between overhauls, maintenance, etc that makes up total cost to operate. Also, I say run the RPMs up to 2000, then start off and watch the RPMs. A drop of about a few percentage points under load is to be expected. But if my plow pulls the RPMs down to below 1800, then I am on the draft control changing the setting a bit. I really like to see it pull down from 2000 without load to about 1875 when pulling a full load. Pulling it lower is lugging it, and not pulling the speed down to that level is wasting power and fuel. Tom

 

[IaGary]

My MX200 top Rpm is 2150.

Best torque at 1850 rpm.

Depends on the motor.

If your not lugging the engine you can run at any RPM and not hurt it.

Gary

 

[Goose]

In a class I took on diesel injection systems at our local community college, the instructor pointed out, and we proved on a test bench, that a diesel engine uses fuel according to how hard it's working.

The instructor's point was a diesel engine running easily at, say, 2800 rpm in 3rd gear will not consume as much fuel as an engine lugging at 2000 rpm in 4th gear.

One indicator is so simple it's a no-brainer. Is the exhaust clear, or is it throwing out black smoke, even a little bit?

 

[Anonymous-0]

I had this same discovery a few years ago with my 4-150 White. When I bought it the dealer said they are pretty good runners but keep it revved up and don't lug it. After a couple years of doing the 3rd gear direct drive wide open gig I did the same thing as you. I was only pulling a cultimulcher though and I was actually able to pull that in 4th overdrive and throttle it way back. Like you said, it was very easy on fuel, vibrations were reduced a lot and the radio did sound a lot better. I have a 11 tooth pull type chisel plow though and that works the crap out of it. You have to give it the fuel to pull that. My disk is a white 271 that is 25 ft wide and very heavy. It pulls pretty hard too. That motor really seems to make a lot of torque and will pull very good even if its down to 1500 rpms. It has incredible power burst when you throttle it up too. You just hit the stick and it's there. No waiting on power. I plow with 6-16's and that is about right for the mixture of soils we have. Some very hard clay but also some sandier soils. Its a 6-16 IH 710 that is a perfect combo with this white. I run super sized singles with no duals. I really like the singles too. They do everything very well for me. I plowed some very heavy cornstalks this fall and it did a great job. They are fun tractors to operate when they are working well. I know I am much less concerned about slightly wet areas to keep working with this tractor than when I am operating a 2wd tractor. Mine burns about 6.5 gallons of fuel per hour plowing.

 

[super99]

30 years ago, I was told by a mechanic , when pulling a light load, shift up and throttle back. As long as the RPM's pick up immediately when you advance the throttle, you won't hurt the engine. My 1850 diesel with turbo, 3rd is 4 1/2 mph and 4th is 7 mph. All my old junk works best between 5 and 6 mph. I run in 4th at 1800 to 2000 RPM's to get 5 1/2 to 6 mph. Touch the throttle and engine picks up speed right now. It may be right or it may be wrong, but that's how I do it. Chris

 

[Steven f/AZ]

Don't pull with the Over/Under in Overdrive - it will overheat the oil and burn it up in short order. Father-in-law burned up 3 of them before someone told him...


As far as shift up and throttle down - as long as you aren't lugging the engine and are over 1500 rpm for a diesel you should be fine. When you open the throttle it should speed up quick - if it doesn't, you're pulling too hard.

v-8 diesels do not like to be lugged at all, quick way to destroy them. 3208 is a good engine, but lugging will destroy it in short order. Father-in-law has always run his 2-180 White wide open, got 16,000 hours before the first overhaul and has around another 10,000 on it now.