801 diesels any good?

Tiger Joe

Member
I've seen a few of the diesels pop up for sale lately, mainly 801s and 1 901 so all with the larger engine. Are these diesels any good? Don't see many of them around here, so I'm not overly familiar with them.

So let's say same tractor specs- an 861. Which engine is better gas or diesel?
 
The 172 motors in the 801 and 901 are really a gas motor converted over to diesel.
So it is not built like a normal diesel motor.

The post 1964 three cylinder motors are a diesel converted over to run on gas.

So when someone tells you gas to 1964 and diesel after that what they are really saying is they like a diesel tractor but do not like the dependability of the pre 1964 diesel.

For me.....

Diesel is the only way to go in a tractor. There is a reason most if not all tractors built today have diesel motors.

In 50 years I kind of feel most of the weak diesels in the 801 and 901 have been weeded out.

With that said I own a 1959 861 diesel. Been a very good tractor for what I paid for it.
Considering parts availability; cost of some NLA parts; and better education of the overall tractor; If I had to do it all over again I would really consider buying a 1965+ 3000 diesel.
The 1965+ x000 series is a upgrade and upgrade usually translates to extra $$ so it is hard for us to recommend if you should buy a 801 or the 1965+ x000 not knowing your bottom line.
 
I like the 1965 and newer Fords. Give me a 3000, 4000, 3600, 4600 and I'll know how to fix one and will know how to use it and will be happy.
I don't have the same affinity for the pre 65 Fords.
However, If I did have one it would definately be an 861 or 4 cyl 4000 Diesel.
Those same tractors in a gasser were fuel hogs but the diesel used way less fuel.
Besides their efficiency, they are way more reliable than a darned gas job with all their darned spark and carb issues.
They just run and run and run.
And they lasted longer.
My pal Kenny has had a couple of those diesels and they just chug along and make good power.
Smooth. And compred to a noisy 3 cylinder diesel they are Quiet.
He has a beautiful 841D that we put PS on a couple of years ago and I recently found him a 5 speed with LPTO. We're going to swap it out one day here soon.
Make him a 861D
That to me would be the ultimate tractor in the pre 65 series of Fords
 
I already have an 860 gas that I bought about 5 months ago. There is an 861 diesel that popped up local to us. Had power steering which would be a benefit over the 860.

If I can pick the diesel up cheap enough might grab it and sell the 860
 
Yup.

I love them gassers.. but that hits a wall at 1964. :)

I don't like the holley carbs of the 65+

I don't like the diesel setup of the pre 65.

Which reminds me. I need to get a new battery for my 4600 and then chase a leaky power steering line.

chores never done. ;)
 

I have a '57 960 a '59 971D and a 1961 961. I use the diesel way more than the two gassers. Let me emphasize that the XX1s use more gas than the XX0s, painfully more gas. If you are going to put a 150 hours a year on one as I was with my 901 it costs a lot to run. I really like my diesel, and I will offer that the key to it is what is the oil pressure and how good is the injection pump. The pump can be difficult to test, but try to test how well it will start when hot. A good pump will fire right up when hot a worn one will have trouble, and they are expensive to rebuild.
 
I didn't even end up going to look at this tractor.

First off, I found out its at a dealer, so red flag there.

Second, they are asking $4200 and they are firm on that price based on my few emails back and forth with them.

I don't see this tractor bringing that much. I paid half that for my gasser 860. which actually looks better than the diesel.
 

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