Simple tips for saving diesel in tractors

Know your tractor Your manual will tell you everything you need to know about the maintenance and operation of your tractor. Research shows that a badly maintained tractor wastes up to 25 % of precious diesel. Remember When it doubt, check with a reputed garage or your dealer.

Stop diesel leaks Check your tractor daily. A leak of one drop per second can cost you 2000 liters of diesel per year. Remember Inspect joints in Fuel tank, Fuel pump, Fuel injector and Fuel lines.

Turn your engine off, when you stop An idling tractor wastes more than 1 liter of diesel every hour. Remember Keep your battery, alternator and self-starter in top running condition. If they are faulty they can force you to idle.

Drive in the correct gear-always If your tractor struggles to pull a load with the throttle at maximum, shift to a lower gear. If it accelerates, shift to a higher gear. Wrong gear selection can increase fuel consumption by 30% and reduce field output by 50%. Remember Smoke from a tractor indicates overloading.

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Does your tractor smoke, too? A tractor that smokes excessively wastes precious diesel. Oversized implements or using the wrong gear, cause tractor smoke. If your tractor continues to smoke, have it overhauled at a reputable garage. Test nozzles and recalibrate the fuel injection pump. Faulty fuel injection can increase fuel consumption by 25 %. Remember Never use oversized implements. Service the engine regularly.

Dirt-your engine’s worst enemy Good air filtration is important since tractors often operate in dusty condition. Research has proved that unfiltered air wears out cylinder bores 45 times faster and piston rings 115 times faster than normal. Good fuel filtration is important. Dirty fuel will endanger the engine. Use quality fuel filters and replace them as recommended. Remember Replace both fuel filters simultaneously. Clean air filters regularly.

Wheels that slip waste diesel Keep tractor wheels from slipping by adding water ballast's and/or cast iron weights. Add just the right amount of weight to keep wheel slippage to the minimum.

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Worn out tyres reduce pulling power Replug your tyres on time. While refitting tyres, make sure the ‘V’ treads point downwards when viewed from the front. Remember Different tyre pressures are recommended for road and field work. Check your manual or ask a dealer.

Match hauling capacity with load Choose implement size and tractor operating speed to match your engine’s full horsepower Run in the highest gear possible at which your tractor doesn’t smoke. If your tractor on full throttle accelerates even in the top gear, your implement is too small. A bigger implement or a multiple arrangement of implements may help you get the maximum benefit out of the tractor power and avoid diesel waste. You may consume up to 30% more fuel if you use undersized implements or operator at low speeds. Remember Consult an expert when selecting implements.

Plan your field run Plough according to a planned layout that reduces idle running, backtracking and awkward turn. You will save diesel if you plough long furrows instead of short ones. Remember Your first openings must be straight and parallel. Side lands and headlands should be ploughed around the field continuously without reploughing the field.

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