There's a lot of discussion of the fact that diesels are generally more efficient than gas engines, but not much about why this is the case. Diesels derive their high efficiency from their high compression ratios. If you could run a spark ignition engine at 14:1 compression, it would be pretty efficient. Which is one reason why automakers are starting to make direct-injection gas engines: they can achieve much higher compression ratios than earlier fuel-injection designs. Most gasoline tractors have modest compression ratios; typically less than 9:1, making equivalent diesel tractors much more efficient.
Diesels also derive a small efficiency gain because they don't have to throttle their intake air, eliminating throttling losses.
jdemaris mentioned the fact that when you compare fuel consumption by weight rather than volume, gas engines don't look so bad. But for much of the history of diesel farm tractors, gasoline was more expensive than diesel fuel. Farmers couldn't care less about the Btu content of their fuel, but they definitely care what it costs.
So efficiency was the main thing that killed gas tractors. But maintenance played a role, too. Most diesel engines go to major overhaul with little or no maintenance other than oil and filter changes.
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Today's Featured Article - The 8N and the Fox - by Zane Sherman. Dec. 13 1998, Renfroe, Alabama. Last niht I dreamed about the day that I plowed the field of about 10 acres over on what Jimmy and Dandy called the Ledbetter field. I was driving the 1948 8N Ford tractor that Jimmy bought in 48 new This was prebably in about 1951 and maybe even befor the house was built. This would have made me to be about16 years old and I drove the tractor for nothing and would have paid to drive it if I had had any money which I didn't, but neit
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