Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors

Posted by Larry on October 20, 2003 at 18:46:36 from (216.212.40.193):

In Reply to: a dumb question about LP gas tractors posted by Jonathan on October 20, 2003 at 07:37:57:

I've sure enjoyed reading what you all have wrote.
I'm a hobby farmer and I've got a JD propane.
I've got a "nurse" tank on 4 wheels...like a wagon with only a propane thank on it, I rarely move it, usually I know about how much fuel I need, so I'll pull my tractor up beside it and fuel it.
This is the first propane tractor I've ever even been around, so I'm not speaking from much experince, so take this as such.
Filling it is kind of "different"...scary when you first do it...but once you kind of get over the initial fear of it, its easy (although, you get these blow flies all around while you're fueling--apparently the smell of the gas attracts them)
The guy I bought the tractor from told me how to fuel it (which I don't recommend).
Hook the liquid line up...screw in the fitting for the vapor return line...and let it vent into the atmosphere and then open the bleed valve and let it vent into the atmosphere...and when liquid comes out the vent line...shut off everything, I can vividly remember him telling me, "hell, you won't waste a half a gallon of propane (letting the vapor escape) and its cuts filling time by hugely...
As far as it goes, I don't know if he's right or wrong, I do know this, you need to have a whole lot of respect for propane. I keep a pair of leather gloves in my tool box and a big pair of Channel Lock pliers to unscrew the liquid line.
Tractor economy...I really can't say, I'm just playing at farming and can't really say how economical it is, or isn't...I'll tell you what I do like is that I can go out and start my JD anytime, winter or summer and she just starts up and runs like a top (but, after all its a JD).
This winter propane prices are pretty high around here, supposedly a shortage, so if you ask me again (this time next year), I'll probably say...don't buy one.
But, I really like my mine. She's got over 10,000 hours on her, this spring I put in new pistons and liners and bearnings, and had the head redone (surfacing, guides and springs and new valves), I fired her up and run up and down the road and warmer her up and retorqued the head bolts again and reset the valves, used her all summer and never added a drop of oil, NOT ONE DROP...and she's running like a top!
I'd say this...if you feel like buying a propane tractor...go for it...post back on here if you need any thing, I don't claim to know, but I've got one and I'll give you my honest opinion.

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• Re: Re: a dumb question about LP gas tractors greenbeanman 22:02:54 10/20/03 (0)

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