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Best Tractor Engine Ever Produced

L

LJS30

Member
Okay guys in cars and trucks you have the venerable Chevy 350 which some consider the best engine ever produced. What's motor is the equivalent in tractors? Which engine is commonly known as the best all around motor in agricultural tractors?
 
I think there's better engines than the 350 Chev. but for a tractor, Perkins AD3-152 diesel hands down! Also the most popular engine ever put in a tractor. Held the fuel economy record for years and was used in dozens of models of tractors. The Perkins AD6-354 and AD4-236 would be right up there as well. Dave
 
John deere 404.....that was a good motor! and any of those 2 cyl. would run for a long time after being worn out.
 
A time, place and purpose. Ag tractors range from the big steam engines my great grandfather ran around the turn of the last century, to the Big Bud 747 to tractors smaller than a Farmall Cub. I don't know if they are the best all around but the ones that made me the most money are the 855 Cummings and 3406 Cat. I have 350 Chevys in a C50 and C65 trucks. If I continue farming the tractors will be replaced with a tractor with a N something Cummings, I am keeping the trucks forever.
 
I am not a big john deere fan, but the Deere 466 engine would probably be the best i have heard of. Several 40 and 50 series tractors in the area with over 10,000 hours and never openend up. There are also several 1st series magnums with the cummins that are well over 10,000 and also not opened up around our area. I would also vote for the 855 cummins in big tractors, that seems to be as reliable as they come.
 
I'm going to have to give another nod to the AD3-152 Perkins,
cheap, simple, reliable, and good power. Sam
 
Hands down ETD 333 . That thing would run on any available fuel ,be it gas , LP,electric wood ,or coal . Unreal horsepower and great economy. I remember Grandpa saying he could plow all day only using a gallon of gas and two or three sticks of wood .
 
Should be some good responses on this question.

The 70 series Case engines are good starters with very good torque. Its very common for IH and Deere engines to go over 10,000 hrs with no major repairs. I've got a Ford 5000 with countless hours on it that has plenty of blowby and keeps on going, needed a head gasket about 22 years ago is the only repair other than some injection work a few years back.

Did a rebuild on a Perkins a while back and was not impressed with it.
 
Pete you were close with the ih dt 316 407 but really the improved dt 466 ih engine has to be ONE ov the best ever produced as for hrs of life.
 
Always thought Deere's best designed engine was/is the 329/359 type diesel engine.
 
we seem to think alike warped!!!!!!! getting old is reality growing up is optional. Did you happen to catch my fictious post about 2 years ago on inherting land and needed a tractor to mow crp with. Salesman sold me on the essex!!! some saw it as humor however a few really ripped me!!!
 

Well I just used Chevy because you have to admit that the 350 was a very versatile motor. I guess the same argument can be made for the 302 or 351 Ford also.
 
I read about a Chevy guy bragging about his "built" motor with long rods, forged crank, shaft mounted rockers, etc. and the other guy told him how that was all stock on his old Mopar motor!!!

Nothing "wrong" with a 350, just such a generic thing to have. Now the newer engines from external_linkmotors have some huge and easy power potential as tested in the magazines.
 
(quoted from post at 18:43:29 09/04/10) I read about a Chevy guy bragging about his "built" motor with long rods, forged crank, shaft mounted rockers, etc. and the other guy told him how that was all stock on his old Mopar motor!!!

Nothing "wrong" with a 350, just such a generic thing to have. Now the newer engines from external_linkmotors have some huge and easy power potential as tested in the magazines.
Click to expand...

Good point because as a Mopar guy I definitely believe the 318 and 360 are much more durable then the 350. However the one good thing about the 350 is you can find parts for them anywhere and they are good right out of the box.
 
Nah, the replacement for the ETD 333 was much better, it made its own fuel. Start with half a tank and by the end of the day you had to drain off at least half a tank. I think it was the "ETD 333 to the 3rd power". Ya know now we have to put on our reflective house wraps so as THEY don't find us. Happens every time the ETD is mentioned!
 
IHC 436 was a great engine for the fellow who took care of the coolong system in such a way to keep the sleeves from being damaged. For those who did not maintain it was a costly beast to fix when water got into the oil. For gasoline engines (small) I would say the Continental Z134. The poorest small gasoline was the one used in the n series ford.
 
WOW! Not one mention of the Big Cam Cummins, 3406 Cats, or the CDC engines! Probably the only engine that could compete with the CDC engines would be the DT466. Granted the DT466 is a great engine and widely used I would think the 5.9L CDC is probably as widely used if not more and the life is just as good at the least. The 8.3L CDC engines seem to last quite awhile. How many first and second generation Magnums have not gone 10k before needing a rebuild?
It is pretty hard to argue that the 350 isn't the most widely used, economic, and potentially powerful engine in the auto industry.
 
Amen on the Ford 5000 diesel engine. God knows how many hours on it, hourmeter quit long ago.

The 5000 is getting a little cold blooded, needs a shot of starting fluid if below about 38 degrees or so. Glow plugs have not worked in years.

Really easy on fuel.

For an engine that will run forever if you keep good antifreeze and additives in it my vote is for the IH 414 series engines. No plug in or "ether" needed down to about 20 degrees.

But, they do have a drinking problem with the fuel compared to the Ford, at least my 1066 does. DOUG
 
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