[Farmall] Farmall M LP

Larry L Hardesty hardestyll at unk.edu
Thu Feb 24 11:06:19 PST 2005


Tommy,  I had a Farmall 400 with propane for about 8 years.  The Farmall 
propane tested a little higher horsepower at the Nebraska tests than the 
400 with other fuels.  I did not use it a lot (like everyday for eight 
hours), but I could use it all summer for odd jobs (had a post hole 
digger, bush hog, etc.) and the oil would look like it was changed 
yesterday.

There are some downsides.   If you run out of propane in the middle of the 
field, hard to take a can of propane out there (it can be done..that is a 
five gallon bottle of propane...but pretty slow).   Best one has a propane 
tank (and I had one since I used propane to heat my shop).  The wet line 
is $100 give or take---the line from the propane tank to the tractor to 
fill the tractor.  I don't think propane is inherently more dangerous than 
gasoline (both are dangerous), but letting the pressure propane out of the 
wet line after filling the tractor can be a bit of a thrill....and just 
imagining what a spark might do at that moment.  Also filling the tractor 
with propane is more of a task than filling it with gas or task.  Gotta 
get the wet line out, attach it to the propane tank, attach it to the 
tractor, wait for the tractor to fill and then reverse the process. 

I think because of the hassles of propane those tractors may generally 
sell for less than gas or diesel tractors, but other may correct me that 
point.  All in all, the tractor served my needs and I sold it only because 
I was moving.

I had the owner of the local propane dealership in Sherman, Texas said 
they had modified some of their trucks to run on propane.  When I asked 
how long had they lasted compared to regular fueled vehicles, he replied, 
"He did not know because they were yet to wear one out yet."  And I think 
they had several hundred thousand miles on them.  Of course, he was a 
seller of propane, but my 1956 Farmall 400 was still running strong after 
almost 50 years.  The sheet metal looked like it had been abused, but the 
engine did fine.

Oh yes,  I have been told  it is easier to stick the engine of a propane 
tractor by letting it set for awhile since it burns to much cleaner.  I 
had to unstick mine when I first bought it and it had sat outside just a 
few months. 

Hope this helpful. 

Larry Hardesty
Kearney, Nebraska 68849-2240
308-865-8535
308-865-8722 fax
hardestyll at unk.edu



Tommy <twilson17 at comcast.net> 
Sent by: farmall-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com
02/23/2005 06:51 PM
Please respond to
Farmall/IHC mailing list <farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com>


To
farmall at lists.antique-tractor.com
cc

Subject
[Farmall] Farmall M LP






Having no experience with an LP tractor, I need some help. I have an 
opportunity to buy an M that is on LP fuel. What are your thoughts on LP 
tractors versus gasoline? Advantages/disadvantages? How much more/less 
would you be willing to spend on an LP and why? I can't remember seeing 
any 
numbers on the amount of LP tractors that were built. Thanks.....TW

Tommy Wilson
Hattiesburg, MS
1950 IH H
1951 JD B
1952 IH SC


_______________________________________________
Farmall mailing list
http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/farmall




More information about the AT mailing list