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Is there a diesel engine that you feel is better then all others?

12K views 31 replies 20 participants last post by  Misterbear 
#1 ·
I know this is a loaded question and is going to vary by opinion but I am curious to which garden tractor size engine you would prefer and why?

I remember someone mentioned a long time ago that Caterpillar was making a small diesel engine but I haven't really dug up anymore information on it. If they do and it is possibly affordable or comparable in price to others then that would be my favorite. Reason being I have and always will be a Cat guy. It is a shame they don't make the big truck engines anymore but the EPA had their way with that.

I would say my next favorite diesel engine would be a Yanmar. That is what was in my John Deere CUT I had a couple years ago. I know Yanmar makes smaller diesels that would work in garden tractors but I think they might be on the pricier side but I could be wrong there.
 
#3 ·
olcowhand said:
As with most things, the best engine may not be the best choice. Parts availability is very important. As tough as most diesels are, they still can need a part now & then.
I think Dan has a real point there. China probably has over 50 companies building diesel engines for the small engine market, and that is a very conservative estimate. If you look at gas engines today, you see Kohler, Tecumseh,Wisconsin
and briggs as the dominant few.
even Onan who arguably built a very good engine did not come out on top. For my part, in the diesel line, I would tend to stay in the Hatz, Deutz, Lister Petter area because of the reasons Dan pointed out. Not only did they hold up good, but repair parts were not that hard to get. Now bear in mind I have not messed with small diesels in the last 15 years so things could have changed a lot. I think the China engines have to get a few years of running behind them before I buy in.

Just my opinion, George
 
#4 ·
that Caterpillar was making a small diesel engine
My understanding is that Cat purchased Perkins. I have a CAT / Perkins 3 cylinder 28 HP diesel engine in my Cub Cadet 6284 CUT - a sweet little engine. It is designed to run at a higher RPM range than some other diesels and the tach shows the green (operating) range at 3 - 4,000 RPM. It is balky to start in extreme cold weather until you learn to cycle the glow plugs twice and crank through until the engine totally catches, but overall I love it.

JN
 
#5 ·
Boss 448 said:
My understanding is that Cat purchased Perkins. I have a CAT / Perkins 3 cylinder 28 HP diesel engine in my Cub Cadet 6284 CUT - a sweet little engine. It is designed to run at a higher RPM range than some other diesels and the tach shows the green (operating) range at 3 - 4,000 RPM. It is balky to start in extreme cold weather until you learn to cycle the glow plugs twice and crank through until the engine totally catches, but overall I love it.

JN
Aren't some of those engines nick named Perkapillars or something like that ?It runs in my mind that I remember someone calling those by that name.
 
#9 ·
I find the 3 cylinder yanmars quite rattley at low revvs
Mjay,

That rattle is part of the diesel mystique. It takes a little getting used to (the same sound coming from a gas engine would evoke terror in the heart of any GT lover). But, imagine pulling your tractor out of the garage to show your tractor friends with that diesel rattle emanating from under the hood. The expression of envy on the faces of all your 'gasser' friends will be priceless! I think the sound of diesel rattle can be to GT fans like the sound of a Harley is to cycle fans. GO FOR THE RATTLE!:rocker:

JN
 
#11 ·
MF10.

Tell us more about your Lister. Is it air cooled or one that utilizes the hopper water cooled design? If it is the hopper design am I correct that it is not pressurized or circulated? How many RPM is your engine designed to run at and how many HP is it? How about pictures when you get the chance? I am very interested in learning more about your set up.

JN
 
#12 · (Edited by Moderator)
It is an AC1, 1 cylinder air cooled, OHV, Bosch direct injected, 3600 RPM. It is military surplus, It'll roll coal over the house like a freight train if its really working hard. This conversion has worked well for me, it was forced into service early and has performed well. These were taken when I was working on the swap. It's a tight fit. The gas tank in the pics is no longer, replaced by a stock steel tank modified with a return fitting.









I would like to get my hands on a 3-4 cylinder for a little fun with a turbo, some EDM'd injectors, and pump mods.
 
#13 ·
I haven't seen those pictures of that MF10 in a while,I like that conversion.
 
#16 ·
Pa Plow Day said:
i'm going with the duramax on this one....ohhh wait, a tractor engine, i like my yanmar :)
I have never really been a Chevy fan but they have done a good job on the newer Duramax engines.

I still love the Cummins for a pickup size diesel, shame it is in a Dodge though. My favorite diesel is a Caterpillar but that definitely isn't fitting in a garden tractor LOL
 
#17 ·
CUMMINS POWER! in Pick-ups.. I'd buy a studebaker if it had a cummins! er.. 6v-71 2 cycle Screamin' Detroits are next.. rebuildable with a sledge hammer and a pipe wrench..

on to GT's.. lets see.. well Yanmar makes 8, 10, 15, and 20hp the 15s and 20s are liquid cooled with their own small rad and fan.

We are in the process of collecting parts for next winters project a 20 horse yanmar with a turbo big injectors and water injection for competition gt pulling against the alcohol boys here in Canada in a 782 red cub cadet.
 
#20 ·
Everybody thinks that Kubotas are good diesels, even my JD salesman admits that.LOL! I think the Yanmars are close though. Yanmars are used a lot in marine applications and that makes me think they are very reliable. Parts should be easy to get for Yanmar and Kubota. Another brand that I've heard were good is the Iseki that were imported under the Bolens name in the 80's up here. They had compact tractors up to 29hp and they still demand good money. I've heard that parts can be hard to get for some of the other small japanese diesels used by MF and Ford.
 
#21 · (Edited by Moderator)
After spending many years working on golf course where many of the mowers have the 3 and 4 cylinder diesel engines from 16 60 horsepower my pick would be #1 Kubota, #2 Perkins. and #3 Yanmars in the JD tractors. Worst of the bunch were the Mitsubishi in the 1990s Toro mowers had several rod caps come loose and valve adjustment needed to be done weekly or they would wear out the rocker arms in a hundred hours.

I have seen the Kubotas run over 8000 hours with nothing more than valve adjustment during the off season and oil/filter changes..
 
#26 ·
For me it's Kubota all the way. I think for initial cost versus longevity they are the most cost effective to operate. Anyone ever see one of those Super Stock Diesel garden tractor pulls? Them JD's with the Yanmars in them are IMPRESSIVE to say the least!
 
#28 ·
I only have owned Yanmars. Have two right now. They work all day on a little fuel. So far I have had no issues getting parts or help on repairing them. There is a forum with Yanmar guys on it and they have been able to helpe on the few issues I have had. The one thing both of my Yanmars do is use a little antifreeze over a period of time. Not worth fixing since both run fine....just interesting to me that they both do it.
 
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