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FREEDGUY 
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Joined: 15 Apr 2017
Location: South West Mich
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 Topic: Lp Gas Tractor Engine ??
Posted: 21 May 2020 at 6:17pm |
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To those that ran/run the lp engines, aside from the re-filling issues (if any), were the acres/hours/ re filling intervals worth the effort ? Did combines ever offer lp fuel ?
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Joe(TX)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Weatherford. TX
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Posted: 21 May 2020 at 6:51pm |
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The main reason for running LPG was the fact it was a lot cheaper than gasoline. It was cleaner burning but required higher compression to get the same HP. They used more fuel but it was a lot cheaper. There were a lot of farmers who used LPG in my area in the 50's and 60's. Like you mentioned, filling was not to easy. You had to bring it back to the house or have a portable tank.
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1970 190XT, 1973 200, 1962 D-19 Diesel, 1979 7010, 1957 WD45, 1950 WD, 1961 D17, Speed Patrol, D14, All crop 66 big bin, 180 diesel, 1970 170 diesel, FP80 forklift. Gleaner A
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SteveM C/IL
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Joined: 12 Sep 2009
Location: Shelbyville IL
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Posted: 21 May 2020 at 8:57pm |
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i was thinking my A2 was offered with LP. I know diesel was an option. Sold the manual with the combine so can't look. Partsbooks would tell the tale.
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JoeO(CMO)
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Joined: 11 Sep 2009
Location: Cent Missouri
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 7:00am |
As mentioned during the 50s and mid 60s, LP was a popular alternative fuel. It was a slower burning fuel and with a higher compression ratio was a big plus resulting in more lugging power. Gas was cheap, but, evaporation rate was high and LP was a big plus in the south. Then diesel rose as the cheap fuel, at that time, and the diesel engine had the better lugging. That's my clifs note understanding. Today's gas is a mess, LP is high, diesel is high, walking is tiring! 
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Michael V (NM)
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Location: NM
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 7:39am |
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Combines were available with LP fuel, we had an , a C2 and my brother has a G that are LP
We didn't/ haven't had any refueling problems' and I really didn't seem to notice that it was more than the other tractors...
There was more involved in fueling, but we were always cautious, if you had doubts, go get help..Dad or Grandad were usually close by
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Dusty MI
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Joined: 13 Sep 2009
Location: Charlotte, Mi
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 9:14am |
It's a lot cleaner burning fuel. Engine oil will most always look like fresh.
I've serviced home heating furnaces, here in MI, for many, many years. When I started out almost all rural homes used fuel oil. Then during the first oil crunch, most changed to LP. Was in Main a few years ago, and see that most homes there were still using fuel oil. Anyone know why ?
Dusty
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917 H, '48 G, '65 D-10 series III "Allis Express"
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SteveM C/IL
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 12:17pm |
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Iv'e heard there are no pipelines going to the northeast so gas heat not available. Seems silly in this day and age. Think politics plays a role? Some people don't like nasty pipelines.
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Clay
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Location: Udall, Kansas
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 12:40pm |
My CII combine runs on propane. Works great. Will be using it to cut wheat in a few weeks.
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DaveKamp
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Location: LeClaire, Ia
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Posted: 22 May 2020 at 11:05pm |
Iv'e heard there are no pipelines going to the northeast so gas heat not
available. Seems silly in this day and age. Think politics plays a
role? Some people don't like nasty pipelines.
The answer hides in history.
There was a time when lighting all over this country that lighting in the home was accomplished by candles. Later, it went to whale oil lamps, and then, when petroleum came on the scene, 'lamp oil'.
There was a gentleman named Rockefeller who had a company whose major market was lamp oil... and when there was an opportunity for many of the East Coast cities to install pipelines for gas lights, the offer of inexpensive lamp oil contracts made it 'more economical' for those cities to NOT install municipal gas lines.
That being the case, those cities didn't get the infrastructure installed to provide streetlighting, and also, easements and connection franchise for gas lighting in homes.
Of course, this meant that homeowners would have to buy... lamp oil.
When Thomas Edison offered to illuminate the city streets with ELECTRICITY... guess what gentleman fought viciously to prevent it?
Many politicians were 'well financed' as a result of the lack of gas lighting. ;-)
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Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest.
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Dusty MI
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Location: Charlotte, Mi
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 8:13am |
Yes but, with L.P. you have a tank and a line only from that tank to your home. And LP is transported by truck.
I didn't even see LP in use when I was there.
Dusty
Edited by Dusty MI - 23 May 2020 at 8:14am
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917 H, '48 G, '65 D-10 series III "Allis Express"
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FREEDGUY
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Joined: 15 Apr 2017
Location: South West Mich
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 5:00pm |
I have a friend that transferred to southern Pennsylvania driving an LP truck. He claims that the "newer" subdivisions ( BIG $$$) are built around HUGE buried LP tanks with a manifold system feeding individual homes/mansions 
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FREEDGUY
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 5:22pm |
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In a "pinch", could a 20# gas grill tank be used as a "reserve" tank ??
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Michael V (NM)
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 7:17pm |
 FREEDGUY wrote:
In a "pinch", could a 20# gas grill tank be used as a "reserve" tank ?? |
Yea,sure can, jus need a way to strap it on, and a hose to reach the converter/regulator.... I have even hooked a hose to the tractor tank, turned the bbq bottle upside down and put some in the tractor tank...
Edited by Michael V (NM) - 23 May 2020 at 7:19pm
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DaveKamp
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 10:07pm |
Dusty MI wrote:
Yes but, with L.P. you have a tank and a line only from that tank to your home. And LP is transported by truck. I didn't even see LP in use when I was there |
Yes, that is correct.
Once you have a home with an oil furnace, and you have oil delivery, why would one convert to LP?
Place the same question in an alternative modern context:
You could run your car on propane. Why don't you? There's stations to fill up your car...
It is because gasoline is the most prolific.
The long-term ramification of the Rockefeller oil scenario still exists, long after his industry was overrun by electricity... much so that even municipal building codes are bent towards oil, rather than gas. Why was his greatest competition Thomas Edison?
Because he didn't have to worry about gaseous fuel energy.
You can use a 20lb tank to 'get home', but if it has an OPD system, inverting it will usually cut off fuel flow... so use an old tank, or use it upright. You'll need to go really easy on the throttle, because it will not evaporate fast enough in that small a chamber, to maintain outlet pressure without warming the tank.
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Ten Amendments, Ten Commandments, and one Golden Rule solve most every problem. Citrus hand-cleaner with Pumice does the rest.
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Dave(inMA)
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Posted: 23 May 2020 at 10:33pm |
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Actually, there are a lot of propane tanks in New England - especially in Maine where (for this part of the country) the population is pretty well spread out. But oil was and is a big energy source for heating here. Economics (as DaveKamp said) is a huge factor: for a long time, heating oil was cheap. Then came the energy shortage...not so cheap anymore. However, another factor is the cost of switching to a propane-fired furnace - not trivial, especially if you want to upgrade its efficiency. As noted, a lot of propane tanks are buried, behind the house (or barn, in my case) and not too visible from the road.
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WC, CA, D14, WD45
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