Anyone know what some of the years lp tractors were around? I know JD had some. Today I was at the toro dealer and we saw a lp z mower, I worked at a dealer that had a lp forklift, now I see a lp mower. Guy said it would run 10 hours intermittently, mow a lawn go to next job ect. He said $25 to fill the tank, which is bigger than gas grill tank that costs $20. ????? Anyway he claimed its the first one the got in, and the wave of the future, asked if I wanted to buy it, I said nope, 2 things I will never buy again, 1st a kohler engine on a mower and second a toro! I'd get a diesel on a exmark. But the whole thing got me thinking about pic I've seen of tractors with the lp tank on them! Lol
- Thread starter JayinNY
- Start date
Wheat Farmer
Well-known Member
Worked for a guy in 1962 that had a LP JI Case. The tractor was some what old then.
Well. LPG is hardly new technology. Worked for a pickle company in the late '60s. They had LP forklifts. Worked fine. I wouldn't be afraid of an LP mower with an decent name engine.. Lots of home generator systems are setup on LP, hear it's the cat's meow due to fuel supply readily available, long as you have fuel in home tank. Think LP would be fairly price competitive for a small use like mower. Refills available at many refill stations.
Lol! But if woods is built as good as exmark it should last you a long time. My 2 exmarks with 27 hp kohlers have over 3700 hours apice on them but on there 3rd kohler engines. That's 3 engines per mower, at $1800 a pop! . Lol, diesel would have been a better choice.
Factory LP ZA MM. I think a 1952. I had a 63- 4010 JD on LP. Neighbor had a 4020 LP. Didn't have a consol. I drove a L750 Ford LP delivery truck on LP. POS. Now practically all LP delivery trucks are diesel. Swans Ice-cream trucks were LP. All new ones are diesel. LP now is 1/2 price of gasoline. So you can save money, if can put up with cold weather starting. Have to plug them in. I have a Liquid withdrawal valve and hose on my 500 gal LP tank. You can fill bottles and vehicles at home. Less than 100 dollars for valve and hose. In fact your supplier may provide them. Mine did.
I was very enthused about LP tractors and trucks, until they started dropping manifolds, valves, pistons, overheating etc. At first I thought it was just because they were not properly converted. The gas companies were pushing them really hard around here in the early 60's.
Then we sold a few new trucks and tractors with LP fueled engines. Same problems. Supposed to run so much longer than gasoline engines but they just did not hang together.
One of the biggest problems is that the engines lugged really well and you could pull the snot out of them and they didn't miss a beat, until something went poof. They never ping like a gasoline engine, but they do detonate, just can't seem to hear it. Burn the edges off piston etc. Just my experience.
Then we sold a few new trucks and tractors with LP fueled engines. Same problems. Supposed to run so much longer than gasoline engines but they just did not hang together.
One of the biggest problems is that the engines lugged really well and you could pull the snot out of them and they didn't miss a beat, until something went poof. They never ping like a gasoline engine, but they do detonate, just can't seem to hear it. Burn the edges off piston etc. Just my experience.
Old weldor
Member
Here in Iowa I recall seeing more minneapolis moline on lp than any other brand. Mostly in the 60s and early 70s.
The reason for LP on z mowers is 2 fold.
1. The gas is cheaper.
This is good and bad. These engines will burn more LP than regular gasoline. So you save at the pump,but are there more often. Also, the lp conversion kit is an additional cost over the base machine. About $900-$1200 depending on the machine and is size.
2. By running LP, you have a machine considered by the government to be a "green" machine. This is very helpful for commercial mowing companies. And, a tax break for a "green" fleet.
So, does the good out weight the bad? Well it could. As long as you have properly trained people to keep the equipment in top running order. Not everyone knows the tricks to LP.
Tim
1. The gas is cheaper.
This is good and bad. These engines will burn more LP than regular gasoline. So you save at the pump,but are there more often. Also, the lp conversion kit is an additional cost over the base machine. About $900-$1200 depending on the machine and is size.
2. By running LP, you have a machine considered by the government to be a "green" machine. This is very helpful for commercial mowing companies. And, a tax break for a "green" fleet.
So, does the good out weight the bad? Well it could. As long as you have properly trained people to keep the equipment in top running order. Not everyone knows the tricks to LP.
Tim
Tubacase47
Member
All of the companies built LP tractors in the 1950"s and up into the late 60"s. I know that Case had LP units in the D, LA, 600, 700, 800, 900, 730, 830, and 930 series.
Owen Aaland
Well-known Member
I serviced some local Schwan's for about 25 years that were converted to LP. One of the key things when doing a conversion is to limit the mechanical advance in the distributor to about 20° BTDC. More than that and you will see the piston problems you describe. If the air/fuel ration gets either too rich or too lean the burn time will increase and take out the valves and manifolds, pistons too in extreme cases. The fuel burn needs to be complete by about 10° ATDC. If the mixers got too much wear in them, even with computer control they would go rich at idle. If the sat and idled more than a minute or two with that rich mixture the exhaust system would start to glow red all the way from the cylinder heads to the convertor. The switch to liquid LP injection in 2000 cured most of the engine problems. It did take a few years to get the fuel system problems worked out.
MM made the first propane Model U in 41 or 42.All mfgers offered propane.A lot of tractors were 'retro fitted' for propane through the years.I know IH offered propane up to '70 as Ive seen propane 856.My only experience in driveing a propane tractor was a JD 3010.Gutless.My Super M had more power...
Texasmark1
Well-known Member
I had a JD 4020, about 90 hp, '69 year model best I can remember. Didn't like it at all. Diesel are the only tractors on my farm.
Mark
Mark
I have three restored.
Grew up with l.p.'s in the 50's and 60's.
Very popular on M.'s SM's, MM, Case and p.u.'s . M's on cotton pickers were very popular.
They were more temperamental to keep tuned up but engines ran very clean.
My dad had S.m. on cotton picker . ,M.M. U., Ford 800, 1953 Chev. P.U. on Butane.
I have SMTA ,M.M.U, and L.A. Case restored on propane . Love them! Don't have to worry about fuel setting and going bad.
Tony
Tx Jim
Well-known Member
- Location
- Coyote Flats, Texas
730-LP
Your JD list needs to be extended to cover 3020/4020's through the late models('72)
twostepn2001
Well-known Member
LP tractors of all makes and models were popular here in west Texas up till the late 60's.
Not a good pic but this is the earliest LP Farmall I've seen.
I have a Cockshutt 30 propane. It's an aftermarket set up. Great raking tractor, wagon tractor, etc. Get into heavy work like plowing or running a baler or haybine and it just sucks the fuel up. I don't know how much worse it is than gas, not having a gas 30, but it's impressive. That wouldn't be so bad, but the support system for LP invovles either wet lines, a pump or a propane dealer willing to run to your place on demand. I have none of those. I'm saving for a couple or 3 forklift tanks that I can get filled in town.
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