What is the Best Tractor Engine?
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- Опубликовано: 15 мар 2023
- Got a viewer letter from Ed stating, "In your opinion and experience , which engine in the 18 to 35hp range is the most reliable and strongest?" The answer is, that I feel the current offering of new tractor engines will last as long as the owners, and all have adequate horsepower for jobs that we do.
Any engine maker can build a lemon. I remember an AGCO-Allis tractor that was sold when I was a factory rep for that company, that slobbered oil out of the exhaust. It even did it after the engine was replaced. That was because the muffler had oil caked up inside from the first engine, and when the exhaust got warm enough, the oil would liquify and spew out the exhaust. A new muffler fixed the problem, and proper break-in of the original engine at the beginning may have prevented it.
I also remember a New Holland TC18 that was used daily on a mini golf course in Branson, Missouri that accumulated over 11,000 hours before needing attention. It was used to haul people around the course and was meticulously maintained, but it shows how long you can expect a diesel engine to last with proper care.
Compact tractor engines usually don't get too many hours on them. Most of my viewers and myself included probably don't use a tractor for over 200 hours a year, and they're not worked extremely hard. The toughest thing my tractor does is brush hog in the summer, and that doesn't wear out an engine.
Most engine makers, to be profitable, must sell a large number of units to spread their cost out. So, the challenge is, to put your engines in everything you can, even, in some cases, your competitor's tractors. And with Tier IV requirements, engine tolerances have to be extremely tight so all of the fuel burns in the cylinders. I'm sure that much of the engine work today is done with robots and is very precise. That's why, in my opinion, unless you experience a very uncommon failure, your new tractor engine today will last as long as you do, with proper care.
In the end, if I was shopping for a tractor, I wouldn't worry about the engine, I think they're all good. Instead, I'd be looking at lift capacity, features, and, how good the local dealer for that brand is. But that's just me. If you disagree, please share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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Okay, I’m going to have to rewatch this video, as I was totally distracted at the 5:30 minute mark when your dog dropped a deuce in the background. Lol 😆 😂
A buddy of mine has been a John Deere heavy equipment salesman for 35 years. He sold a new end loader to a paper mill in northern Wisconsin. 10 years later the paper mill wanted to trade that loader in on a new machine. That loader had 46,000 hours on it without a rebuild. The most hours my buddy has ever seen on a machine.
As an AG tech of 35 years Kubota ,Yanmar & shibaura ( used in older ford /newholland compact tractors)very simmaler to a kubota in design , make the best small diesel tractor engines in my opinion. Many companies make a great engine but these i mentioned I have seen with massive hours and little to no internal problems.
Totally agree
My brother was a master mechanic for New Holland for years, he said the Shibaura made tractors were basically bulletproof, just don’t put a 3 point hitch backhoe on it.
I have had my Kubota L3031 with the 3 cylinder diesel since 2004 and it is still going strong.
I run it full on when snow blowing all winter and that is 3 hours each time at 2 to 3 times a week for 4 months and sometimes more. That is just winter, there is the rest of the year as well. It has never let me down and it is now 23 years old.
The 2 cylinder Shibaura LE892 engine in my 1981 Ford 1700 is rock solid. It’s been through a water pump and set of injectors, plus routine valve adjustment, but that’s it in 40+ years. The only thing I dislike about it is the vibration compared to a 3 cylinder of the same horsepower. However, that 2 cylinder has a unique sound compared to a 3 cylinder engine, and it makes me smile every time I fire it up. My grandfather bought the tractor new in early 1982, so I grew up with it. He passed away last year, and I may never be able to part with that tractor. Lots of memories with it, plus I learned how to operate a tractor from him on that Ford 1700.
Haha. Had to laugh at the dog taking a dump behind you while you’re talking.
Good info. Thanks.
I really like the Kukje (Now Branson/TYM) A-series engine, that was built for Cummins by Kukje Machinery. Still with Tier 4 they use mechanical injection with no common rail ECU, mine is a A2300N4 and a really pleasant engine.
Thanks, Mike, for all your information!!
Hi Mike. Thanks for covering my question in depth. Good information...Michigan
A similar topic for tractor transmissions and types of transmissions would be great too ! Your videos are awesome, I recommend your channel to all the new tractor folks.
Ha! The dog brings new meaning to the term “photobomb!” 😂
Thanks for the info Mike! That was a really neat set up on that train. You should do a whole video on that train and how it works.
I'd agree though i'd add to always keep good tabs on Air Filters and Heat. Don't let them get overheated, these little engines usually don't handle it. ( head damage or worse ), keep the radiator and air filter clean, make sure air cleaner hose never gets any cracks/holes.
3 quickest ways to destroy an engine, Oil, Dirt ingest, overheat.
I think you are spot on on your thoughts.
Liked your comment on the Shibaura engine. I have a 2011 Case cvt 45 with the Shibaura engine. Runs great and start good in the winter!I live in the Black Hills of South Dakota.
Hey Mike, my favorite part of this video is the dog that took a giant poop in the background at 5 minutes 40 seconds in! Thats hilarious!!!
Great talk!!
Awesome video !!
Mike, I’m a weekend farmer like you said. I have a 2020 Massey 2706E 60 HP. I use it for food plots and some maintenance around my farm. I have 115 hours on it so I think your right about having it for a long time. I was told the Shibaura engine was a very reliable Japanese engine. So far so good , but I’m no expert. NO REGEN which is awesome. I don’t know why… my 34 HP Massey did!
I really enjoy your videos ! I am a retired home builder and bought a 4520 JD utility tractor back in 2005 ( 53 hp power reverser, loader ) I now have about 1800 hrs on it and have only put a starter and belt on it since It was bought. I use a 90" woods finish mower on about 15 acres hobby place in northeast Arkansas . I regularly grease and change oil every year. This has be a really good tractor for me while using it to do finish grading around homes built and slab preparation work. I have seen comments on other forums which say that an engine might last 6-8000 hrs but am kinda skeptical about that. I guess it all depends on use and maintenance and care. I have a friend who bought same tractor same time I did and his tractor looks like an antique, beat up, faded, bent, cracked fenders, etc. I always believed in being good stewards of whatever you own and it makes them last and look good for many more years. Anyway really enjoy all your videos. They have really helped me to think about safety and maintencance on my tractor. I have watched many of them several times
I agree with you Mike. I am not a mechanical engineer by any stretch of the imagination but i do believe that with the proper maintenance, most any machine in general will last a long time. I also agree that any manufacturer of any machine, engine or whatever can let a faulty product slip out every now and then. It happens.
I know that my cousin's Case 2870 does not fit your horsepower but that Swedish 300 horsepower engine with 18000+ hours without a rebuild is still running strong. He also maintains every thing
I have a 5310 4WD with 541 Front end Loader. Bought new in 2000. I have plowed, disced, mowed, cleared land, pushed pretty good size trees, dug stock tanks, dug post holes, pushed and carried dirt. Pushed miles of snow during the winter, carried round bells through radiator deep snow to feed my cows. I have kept the oil changed always on schedule. I make sure i use good fuel and change fuel filters regularly. I wash out the radiator always after mowing. Always grease it up when i am going to work it hard all day. Kept good air pressure in the tires. Just tred real hard to take care of it and i have never had a mechanical problem with it. I changed out the belt and radiator hoses at 20 years old. Couldn't be happier with a tractor.
I have a 1988 White Field Boss 37 that still runs strong. The only issue is the injector pump leaks fuel due to failed o-rings. I have had no luck finding parts or someone willing to rebuild to fix issue. Great tractor for my uses.
Thanks, Mike, for the info. I'll be curious as to the longer term reliability and performance of the engine in my tractor. I have a 2018 LS 3 cylinder L3C19, made by LS. Just prior to this model, LS was using Shibaura diesels, which regened every 5 hours. The LS is an unknown entity to me, unlike Yanmar, Kubota, Deutz, Perkins, etc. We'll see. Up till now, 300hrs, it's been flawless!!
I'll always have a soft spot for the old John Deere two cylinders, both for sound and for toughness of the engine.
Shibaura engine in my Newholland boomer 41 . Quietest / smoothest / clean running diesel I have ever seen . 👍
Thank you for the video
We had a Massey Ferguson with a Perkins in it. That tractor really took a beating from day one. 10000 hours change the oil every 2 years weather it needed it or not
We have two generators powered by Perkins engines at our electrical test lab. We work them hard and they just keep chugging. They are loud and the vibrate but they just keep working.
Running a 1999 Volvo wheel loader with Perkins motor on our dairy farm currently 21000 hours on it, overhauled the motor when it had around 11000 hours on it!
Perkins back in the day, 1600 RPM stump pulling torque machine’s with 2000 hours non detergent oil change intervals.
I really love your wisdom on tractors as well as other stuff like implements and such. I appreciate your kind words the other day you gave me when adking about my bx1880nin regards to using the pto for first time with my brand new tiller I just bought. I just wsnt to thank you so much. You along with Neil Messicks, Paul Short, lucas Peek, along with countless other share all their wisdom about tractor use and safety for the first time owners or in my case, 2nd tractor, but still learning. Always something new everytime I or my lil brother use my baby tractor. I am well aware how easy a tractor is to top/flip. This nearly happened to my lil bx with my brother behind the wheel. He under estimated the garden and hit a hole/ditch that was a little derper than we both thought. Lesson learned. Just be careful out there, no matter your experience level. GOD Bless.
Good advice.
In the past I've had a Kubota DT305. I must say that I was impressed with the power & dependability of the Kubota diesel engine. I currently have a John Deere 4600 with a Yanmar diesel engine in it. Yet another diesel compact tractor engine that I've been impressed with. You're right, as the so called "Hobby Farmer" that I am, we don't really put a lot of hours on a tractor each year. After having a compact tractor with a loader on it, I wouldn't want to be without one now days.
I love my Shibaura made New Holland TC29D with 1425 hours. Great engines, still made and sold as Cat C0.5 through C2.2 and the Perkins 400 series. hard to beat them.
My older NH TC-40 had a 4 cylinder Shibaura engine in it.I recently sold it an accuired a NH Workmaster 40 with a LS LC-319 3 cylinder in it,so far no problems.Shibaura makes great engines.
Boy, I really hope I get 11,000 hours out of my engine. If I do, that will last three lifetimes. Thanks Mike.
My 1998 Massey Ferguson 1215 subcompact has an 18hp Iseki engine. Engine still runs great and actually still looks almost new visually, only filter and oil changes.
I can't speak for new equipment but in my experience from the old days two best engines I ever ran was a three cylinder Perkins that was in Ford tractors had a couple of them over the years. The other was the 2/71 GM diesel in a old Alis Chalmers HD 5 dozer . That little engine just screamed with power and toughest engine I have ever encountered in a lifetime of running heavy equipment.
I don't have experience with maintenance or longevity of GM (Detroit) diesels, but from my interest and researching them, they are awesome engines. Their torque fits in a narrow band of RPM, but rev them up, keep them oiled, and adjust the mechanical rack throttle system and it explains why engines made 50-60 years ago are still in operation. The 2-71 is of particular interest because it powered the decommissioned gensets from reefer rail cars, and were resold by a company out of Pocatello, ID for gensets in industry, homesteads, etc. Sadly, the EPA, and diminishing supplies of rebuildable stock makes the 2-71, and other pre-emission GMs, forced into obsolescence. All to "save the planet." Gimme a break. Some of the best, most reliable diesels have GM on them...simple, mechanical, no fancy electronics, exactly what ruins the reliability and ability to DIY today's industrial engines. Sorry, a bit of a soapbox, but we are squeezing out our options for reasons made up.
A shame we cannot buy something like the AGCO Allis 4650 today.
I think you’re probably right for the vast majority if not all current production tractor engines. One thing I would like to add is the fact that engines today are manufactured to much tighter tolerances because of the advent of CNC machines where it’s possible to hold tolerances to a few ten-thousandths of an inch. That certainly keeps them well balanced and vibration free and probably adds greatly to their service life.
There are certain vehicles that advertise a specific break-in routine (Polaris UTV/ATV's come to mind, but that's probably more for belt wear than engine). I made the mistake of driving a brand new 1973 Audi 100LS from Homestead AFB to Atlanta almost non-stop at a constant interstate speed, and that rascal burn oil like a locomotive for its lifetime. However the engines of today, as you alluded to, are designed and manufactured to much higher tolerances. I've owned three new Kubota products, and in each case when I asked about a break-in I was advised to "drive it like you stole it."
When I first got my tractor from the dealer (McCormick) I wanted to baby it so much. But after seeing some of Mikes other videos about needing to work and wear in a new engine, I decided against it. I went right to work bush hogging my field, and then right into winter with moving snow. My tractor sits for a month or so at a time just because between winter and summer, grounds too soft to drive on, and in the fall there is less to do with the tractor. Makes me feel better to know I put a load on it and worked it from the start, I should be in good shape for many years to come.
Dad had a 30 hp gas Wisconsin engine on a grain sweater, ran and started perfectly.
I am concerned about the longevity of computerized common rail injection systems. Love you pooch,,, I mean your videos.
I have seen diesels of every power size that have lived long lives My 1957 Farmall 350 diesel has around 17,000 hours on its 3rd rebuild. I know Rail yards running Kubota RTVs getting 6000 hours, and some Deutz irrigator units going 8000 hours . With good upkeep and parts there is a good chance to keep any engine running . Most people with compact tractors might get 1500 hours over a decent time of years
Just add some variability to the dialog... I have an International 284 that has British, Canadian, US, and Japanese major components. The 28hp +/- Mazda gas engine has been running trouble free for 42+ years. So far, if I go out to start it, no matter the season, it goes. I think you're right Mike, a reasonably operated, well maintained engine will probably out last many of us.😊
I have a very interesting and funny story for you. So, I own a brand new 2022 John Deere 3046R. Get this...I just took it in to get a back hoe installed and they found a leak. Now, it was close to the drive shaft so they said no big deal, lets order the seals and replace those under warranty. Turns out, it was a one in ten-thousand pin hole in the aluminum casting of the engine transmission pan. Now, not a big deal and I am really glad they found it. What the dealer did tell me was there was a popular brand out there, not JG, that had the same issue with their engines...but it turned out to be 1 in 100. There were about 14 of this other brand tractor, in this province alone, where the whole tractor split right in half as the owner was driving it. The funny thing is, yes you're correct they do make incredibly great engines now except nowadays they are also efficient and finding ways to cut costs.
Mike's opinions are good. His dog video-bombing @ 05:33 is priceless 😂
I think your appraisals are spot on .
Todays engines are all good .
Although I think regulators need to look beyond their statistics and understand that agricultural engines are not the main polluters even though they are low tech .
Loose tolerance agri engines
are a good thing .
And we don’t fix what ain’t broke.
My 03 New Holland tc35d with a na yanmar still works great.
Perkins 3 cylinder Diesel
Ty Mike 🙏🙏
I've had 3 tractors all with Yanmar...ran them LOTS of hours...never an issue , It is my opinion, that they make a very good product .
pc
Still beating the crap out of my TC18. Owned since new and man has it been a good tractor. Just wish I had flushed and cleaned the radiator out before it turned 20 years old.
Tractor engines, just like a car, will go a very long time, depending how they’re maintained. Maintenance is the key.
Good video Mike. Don't know if you are aware of it, but your dog photo bombed you... and it was truly a bombing run.
My dad bought a new John Deere 2640 in the 1980. He put a loader on it and we used it as a utility tractor on our dairy farm. General field work, plowing disking cultivating and harvesting. We ground our own feed from the corn and hay we harvested.
It came to the point that the transmission became loose. The clutch could be let out in a gear and there was a pause with engagement. It was the worst out of 4 utility tractors he owned. A 2030, 2750, 2755 and 2940. All purchased new.
Have you heard of this problem before with the 2640. We still
Use the 2750, 2755 and 2940 for hay and general farm maintenance.
Just thought I’d ask.
Thanks.
A good one is one you don’t have a problem with and a good dealer to help you if it does
I had a John Deere 950 started ticking and threw a rod clean through the block just a few seconds after the ticking started fresh oil and up to level it had 2,000 hrs on it ... Neighbor had a John Deere 850 it blew a head gasket at 450 hours I've got a Mitsubishi 1801D what 10,000 hours on it still goin' strong
The dog in the background doesn't care about this video LOL.
Look at the engines used in refrigeration units in rail cars. Small diesels that run continuously to run the cooling units. I think most are Kubota or Yanmar and get crazy high hours. I’m partial to Kubota myself
In my opinion, the hands down winner is a 3 Cyl Canadian Perkins Diesel Engine. They started making them in the 50's and they still make them today. Fuel efficient, good power ratio, easy to service and inexpensive to maintain. They may not be made in Canada anymore but the basic engine design is still making the grade on the world markets.
one of the beat engines ever built was the John Deere tow cylinderGood fuel econmy, excellent torque. and last forever with maintance.
This would be the best, if someone built a Tractor around it: "Gardner straight six", indestructible!
The Perkins 152, used in the MF-35X. There are many more!
1954 Farmall 100 - 17 HP. Runs every time I ask it to. If the battery is dead I push it down a hill and pop the clutch in 2nd gear and it runs! Since 1978 it's never not started when I've asked it to.
I have a Pasquale Tractor. Load as heck but runs well.
I too will never know how long my 2014 will last, but sure I will not care when it stops if it’s after I do🤔
I sold my 53’ Ford four banger and it was still running strong after 67 years when I sold it. It had a cracked block that I repaired before I ran it for 20 years and never dripped a drop.
I live in a JD and Kubota heavy area and I never hear of engine issues from those neighbors. My Mahindra owning brethren on the other hand frequently have breakdowns but they seem more like electrical gremlins than anything.
They’re from India Lol
I'm not knowledgeable enough to say what's the best engine, but I had a Kubota B2150 that ran like a top for 25 years. Needed a larger machine and traded up to a B2650. Add to that a 25 year old T1600 lawn tractor, which got traded into a Kubota zero-turn, which ran just as well.
I worked on a golf cart that had the same problem (oil coming out muffler). Replaced engine. New engine smoked profusely after it warmed up. Had to replace the muffler.
I’m a Kansas wheat farmer and I personally know many outfits that run big 200hp+ tractors with over 10,000 hours on them.
In older engines, it’s hard to beat the AD3.152 out of the 135 massey Ferguson or the old air cooled deutz engines out of the 62xx series deutz tractors.
For newer stuff, I’m pretty partial to the kubotas. The small engines in the compact tractors and the ones in the skid steers will last a long time with out right abuse
My little 790 JD has a Yanmar, it's 30 hp.....i bought it new in 2001.....ain't had a prollum yet. They use Yanmar engines in those high dollar yachts. Now the loader on my tractor is a different story, i've rebuilt every hydralic cylinder on it an had new lines built.
Talking about different engines but my semi has over 36,000 hours and the valve cover has never been off, take care of it and it should treat you fine
My situation is different, maybe not implicitly related.
When I sold my truck 07 KW C 15 Acert engine it had 1,128,000 miles on it and we’d never been inside the engine. Maintenance is key.
My pick up now, the plan is for my heirs to sell it
I don't think you will find a better diesel engine than Perkins, believe they've been around since 1932 and still producing engines on 4 continents.
One potentially disturbing (to me) trend is to combine small engines with turbochargers in order to achieve higher performance numbers. Based on my experiences (and stories told to me by others) with car engines (both gas and diesel), the weaker link is almost always the turbo system. That is the reason I opted to buy a a tractor with a somewhat larger normally-aspirated engine than one with a smaller engine whose output is artificially goosed by a turbocharger. Obviously, this is purely subjective opinion on my part, but IMO is one factor to take into account in the evaluation process when considering overall reliability.
There are 18 wheelers with millions of miles on them using turbos. Not arguing your point, but having a turbo doesn’t mean imminent failure. It just means better maintenance practices and understanding them to make them last.
Some equipment models are different just based on hp alone, Turbo or N/A. Of course you can over do it, lots of times you get a cleaner running engine w/turbo. 10-15 hp, you should be fine, like everything though, some types don't like it.
@@barryrhoads2206 Agree that a turbo doesn't necessarily mean imminent failure, but it adds just one more (unnecessary, IMO) link into any potential failure scenario.
The problem most typical of turbo car engines is the fact that they're tuned incorrectly. Kids are finding that they can slap a turbo on an engine that wasn't built for it, or crank up boost on an engine that was built for mild boost. Most of the tractors in the compact range are very low boost, and many don't even have intercoolers.
@@javabean215 this point can’t be stressed enough. If the turbo is stock, there really isn’t that much to worry about. It’s not like bigger pistons don’t weigh more and stress the rotating assembly more. It’s a trade off, no matter what.
I agree that they are all pretty good nowadays. There is that 1 in a thousand that can happen to any of them, kind of like that AGCO you mentioned.
I had a '98 Dodge Cummins that dropped a piston cooler at 105,000 miles and burn up number 6 cylinder that cost me $6,000 to replace. Now most people get at least 300,000 miles on these engines without major trouble, but it was just one of those freak things that can happen to any mechanical device.
Kubota,Yanmar,Iseki.Thats why most small compact heavy equipment run one of the three.All Japanese design.Proven design for decades.
Have a Yanmar 3 cylinder diesel on my JD compact. Flawless after 10 years of hard labor.
Have the same on my 850 John Deere. 20 years of Bush hogging ,mowing and planting food plots on my12 acres.
My 1952 Ford 8N has the original flat head 4 cylinder engine in it.
Air and oil cooled, sounds good....
No antifreeze
I vote for kutje motors. They to this day have the simplest, most reliable motors.
The reliability issues with modern Diesel engines nowadays are more related with control emissions systems. So it's worse to the engine not to run it hard. Know plenty of cases that the most reliable Diesel engines with DPF systems, are the ones being used hard.
That’s the reason I went with the L2501 kubota, just a simple tractor that can idle all day if needed. No dpf! 😊
Mike, I've owned 3 Kubota's and had absolutely no problem with any of them. I've bought another piece of property and I've heard nothing but bad things about the local Kubota dealership. There is a Mahindra / LS tractor dealership in the area. The dealership said they liked the LS tractors more than the Mahindra. I have no experience with LS tractors, barely even hear of them. They are very reasonably priced. There is a John Deere dealership very close, but as you know they are proud of their equipment. Would you consider an LS tractor? I don't want to buy a problem. Thanks.
The Kubota D1703.
Hi Mike, I bought a used Agco-Allis 4650 MFWD from S&H in (I think) Lockwood, Mo in
about 2003. I have often wondered if I bought it from you personally? It has been an outstanding tractor that I still
own and has required zero drivetrain or engine repairs the past 20 years. Have to check the air tunnel for mice nests every spring though… lol.
JP, no, it wasn't me, I was at the S & H Springfield store at that time, but I'm sure I knew the guy you bought it from. I probably was involved with the sale when it was sold new, but was out of the picture by 2003.
@@TractorMike
They make two tractor motors. John Deere and Kubota. Only ones I see around here in my neck of the woods. Only other tractors that I’ve heard of are ones you have mentioned. I’ve never heard of a lemon in Deere or Kubota around here.
Ok thanks for the reply
Perkins,yanmar,kubota.
Three cylinder Perkins.
do you have any expenses with soft caps for tc35d tractors good ones or ones to stay away from
My 1 series John deere is 8 years old with 145 hours. I change the oil because I feel bad it sitting in the garage. Warm it up than snow push 6 of the neighbors, it's biggest job.
YOU SIR ARE ABSOLUTELY CORRECT, and 29 years & running fine on 2 Shiburu? Fords.
Ty Mike 🏆 😳🐕🚜
Photo bomb at 5 min 🤣
I have a 1995 Ford 1720 with about 1200 hours. Shibaro engine runs like new. Never had a problem.
Spelled it wrong 😂
I’ve seen Kunitz and Yanmar engines on refers go over 25k hrs.
I was a JD field service guy and seen many JD with 20000+ hours on them and a few didn’t make 100 hours.
Looks like your dog just had lunch.
Continental Z-134. It has kept the Massey Harris 50 running since the mid 50’s.
Mike, good answer to the ? The engines today are built with better technology, and the lubricants are being improved continuously.
That being said the enemies of engine life remain the same. Keep the air, oil and fuel clean and don’t overheat it. These little diesels are not very forgiving to an overheat. Older engines would fail a head gasket, where many of these will crack a head!
My tym has a Yanmar, i hope its as good as people say it is
Engines are good ,it's the Hydrostatic Transmissions that are an issue