2013 - Volume #37, Issue #3, Page #39
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How To Make White Tractors More Fuel Efficient
Ed Welters of Welters Farm Supply, Verona, Mo., recently contacted FARM SHOW about a couple of modifications he makes to older White diesel tractors to improve fuel economy. Welters is a White farm equipment dealer who services equipment throughout North America.
“One modification is to add about 4 ft. of soft copper tubing along the engine to pre-heat fuel,” says Welters. “We cut the fuel line and run the new copper line along the bottom of the engine, then up to the manifold and back down. It warms up the fuel between the fuel tank and the diesel pump by up to 20 degrees.”
The other idea is to replace the tractor’s original pto unit with one from a bigger tractor. The replacement pto gearcases are geared much slower, which allows the engine to run at a slower speed.
“We recently made both modifications to a 1976 White 2-105 tractor. Many farmers still use these tractors to operate hay equipment that’s designed to run at 540 pto rpm’s,” says Welters. “We replaced the tractor’s original pto gearcase with one out of a White 4-150 4-WD articulated tractor. The 2-105’s engine normally runs at 2,200 rpm’s when using the pto, but by replacing the pto gearcase we can run the engine at only 1,500 rpm’s and burn less fuel.
“We used the tractor to operate a round baler or a Gehl 9 1/2-ft. discbine equipped with rubber rolls. Fuel consumption went from 2 or 3 gal. per hour down to 1 1/2 gal. or less, and the tractor still has plenty of power. Since this tractor has 15 speeds below 10 mph, it’s easy to shift up or down and get the right speed for the job.”
Welters says the pto replacement generally costs $800 to $1,000. He says the pto gearcases on White tractors are designed to be interchangeable, but the idea won’t work with many other tractor brands because they don’t have the variation in pto gearcase speeds.
“Call to find out which tractors will properly change pto,” he says.
The company also offers update kits for fuel injection pumps and turbos, too. “On Deere tractors with 140 hp and up we’ve seen fuel improvement of up to 2 gal. per hour,” says Welters.
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Welters Farm Supply, 14307 Lawrence 2190, Verona, Mo. 65769 (ph 417 498-6496).
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