How much gas

does your 8N burn when it is working really hard?

(quoted from post at 12:22:03 03/29/20) does your 8N burn when it is working really hard?

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Nebraska test # 443 determined that they will burn around 2.3 gallons per hour at maximum load, around 1.75 GPA at rated load.



https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1148&context=tractormuseumlit

Have a look for yourself!

Hi Bob

I am aware of the Nebraska tests

I am looking for real life numbers.

It was a gallon and half a hour if I remember? I haven't used our 8n in over a year. It's the most fuel efficient tractor we have. Just not enough HP.

(quoted from post at 14:15:54 03/29/20) Hi Bob

I am aware of the Nebraska tests

I am looking for real life numbers.

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Do you have some reason to disagree with the Nebraska test numbers?

The tests cover a variety of loads, why would you expect actual owner experiences to deviate much from the results?

In my experience, I've found them to be realistic with a WIDE variety of tractors I've owned and operated.

"YAMMV"(Your actual mileage must vary)?

Back in the 50's my father would send me to the field with our 1950 8N carrying a lunch and a 5 gallon can of gas to plow or disc all day. After lunch I topped off with the 5 gallons then finished the day and drove home. I would say the 1 to 1-1/2 gallon range was it.

(quoted from post at 16:20:55 03/29/20) Back in the 50's my father would send me to the field with our 1950 8N carrying a lunch and a 5 gallon can of gas to plow or disc all day. After lunch I topped off with the 5 gallons then finished the day and drove home. I would say the 1 to 1-1/2 gallon range was it.

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hat pretty much fits with my experience

If gas was $10 a gallon it would be cheap labor.Fill that N up and go to work pay no attention to the amount of money it cost.

Those and other #s are some engineers #s that make engineers feel good when they made their student loan payment for the time they spent in learning engineering stuff that they were told to forget what they learned in engineer school as now they were in the real world of trial and error. You answer will be found by putting a gallon of gas in the tank and see how far you get, it will tell you more then any other test that can be performed by somebody in Nebraska. Remember Nebraska's slogan--------- Nebraska Its Not For Everyone

(quoted from post at 18:40:27 03/29/20) Those and other #s are some engineers #s that make engineers feel good when they made their student loan payment for the time they spent in learning engineering stuff that they were told to forget what they learned in engineer school as now they were in the real world of trial and error. You answer will be found by putting a gallon of gas in the tank and see how far you get, it will tell you more then any other test that can be performed by somebody in Nebraska. Remember Nebraska's slogan--------- Nebraska Its Not For Everyone

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ery helpful......not!

(quoted from post at 15:40:27 03/29/20) Those and other #s are some engineers #s that make engineers feel good when they made their student loan payment for the time they spent in learning engineering stuff that they were told to forget what they learned in engineer school as now they were in the real world of trial and error. You answer will be found by putting a gallon of gas in the tank and see how far you get, it will tell you more then any other test that can be performed by somebody in Nebraska. Remember Nebraska's slogan--------- Nebraska Its Not For Everyone

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http://www.tractordata.com/farm-tractors/000/2/2/223-ford-8n-tests.html

[b:693ba5e1b4]"Test Date: September 8 - 19, 1947"[/b:693ba5e1b4]


Did student loans exist in 1947?

I'm going to go with the Univ of Nebraska engineers.
Can't see what they had to gain by fudging the numbers.

Used a 52 8N for 18 years in the 50's and into the 70's. It would use 1 gallon per hour pulling a double plow or disk in 2nd gear.

I?ve gotten results almost exactly consistent with the Nebraska numbers, see no reason to doubt their accuracy or the validity of the source.

In years past, I would use about 1.5 gallons per hour when mowing heavy cover with a 5' rough cut mower in Sherman UD.

Usually had a little power left but not always and usually not much.

Dean

(quoted from post at 08:08:34 03/30/20) In years past, I would use about 1.5 gallons per hour when mowing heavy cover with a 5' rough cut mower in Sherman UD.

Usually had a little power left but not always and usually not much.

Dean

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You've already said what you think of the Nebraska test, but just for giggles... (These were tests "on the belt".)

1.53 gallons per hour = 12.21 horsepower, making 7.98 horsepower hours per gallon.

Loaded to 25.49 HP, it burned 2.28 gallons per hour, but fuel efficiency INCREASED to 11.18 horsepower hours per gallon. DARNED good for a low compression gasoline engine!

Agreed, Bob.

Dean

Thanks to everyone who has responded to my query. The numbers I am seeing of 1 to 1-1/2 gallons per hour are consistent with what I have been told by a couple of old farmers who used to make a living farming with these things as well as a few of the local retirees and younger folks who use them to maintain their small "ranchettes" of 2-10 acres. This is also consistent with my own experience prior to overhauling the engine. Since the overhaul I have been getting fuel consumption consistent with the numbers from the Nebraska tests.

I have a friend down the road a couple of miles that has a 1948 8N his dad and uncle bought new when the 8N first came out. They farmed 300 acres with it up until the early to mid 1970s when his uncle died and his dad gave up farming and just used the tractor on the garden and to maintain the property around the farmstead. The rest of his 150 acres was leased out. That tractor has had the engine overhauled twice, once by the Ford dealership in 1958 or 1959, and again by a local mechanic in 1969 or 1970. My friend says that it takes 100 hours for the engine to fully "break in" after an overhaul, and that after I reach 100 hours I can expect my fuel consumption to return to "normal". I have overhauled/rebuilt a few engines in my time, Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Volvo, Farmall, and some others. None that were mine showed an increase in fuel consumption after overhaul, in fact there were a couple of cases where the engine was in very poor condition and showed an improvement in gas mileage immediately afterward. Those that were not mine no one ever complained their gas mileage had dropped off, so I have no way of knowing.

I guess time will tell, however even though it may cost less to operate a newer similar sized diesel tractor fuel wise, as far as total cost per hour to own, maintain, and operate an old N series is hard to beat. Provided you are not paying someone else to work on it for you

As far as the Nebraska tests: I would expect that the tests were done with new tractors and not some old worn out one out of a farmers field. Also they were used in my consideration of what to buy when I was looking for a tractor to maintain the farm after my sister decided that there would be no more tenants, and my nephew put it under "wildlife conservation/habitat restoration" which requires fire lanes to be maintained around the perimeters and a fire break every so many feet (one down the center longways on our place).

Anyway, thanks again folks

Nebraska tests were supposedly an unbiased comparison equally applied to all tractor mfgrs tractors. The mfgrs did get a little strong on themselves at times so these tests were helpful in leveling the playing field and tractor builders then knew someone was watching them. Most of these tests were full load tests on a dynamometer and many did not reflect much of normal in field operations. Ford Tractor specified 1750 RPM for plowing, discing and other heavy work with the 8N. 1750 worked fine in second gear pulling 2-14" or a 6" disc, couldn't ask for better combo. Ford Tractor also speced 2000 RPM for heavy belt or PTO loads simply because applications ofted required 2000 RPM. N Ford tractors rarely worked at full throttle, it simply was not needed.