Hi,
Just wondering if there is much difference between petrol and diesel in this business. I suppose the machines will run pretty similarly but there could be things I haven’t thought of with regard to logistics. I’ve never driven or used anything diesel before so I don’t have much of an understanding. There must be a few pros and cons?
Thanks
Pros: Diesels run cooler. They have more low end torque. They don’t rev as high.
Cons: They suck…
I could end it there but…
Higher fuel costs,higher initial cost, seemingly endless maintenance(water in the fuel, injectors, glow plugs, fuel leaks, etc…) they hate starting in cold weather, they’re dirty,they stink, their fuel stinks,don’t ever run it out of fuel unless you want to invent numerous new cuss words, etc.
I have never owned a small diesel engine, but I grew up on a farm and we had 60/40 mix of diesel and gas powered equipment.
And I put over 600,000 miles (over 24 years) on a diesel truck at my real job before they would finally let it die and get me a new gasser.
I am obviously biased.
Maybe someone else can help you out on the small engine aspect.
I prefer diesel engines. They last longer.
If you ever had a Diesel you would never want gas again.
Burn half the fuel
Typically last 20000 hour not 2000
No carb issues
No spark issues.
Built like actually engines not cheap crap
Quieter with correct muffler
Diesels get more efficient under load not less
There are only two draw backs to Diesel
Cost and weight. That’s it they do everything else better.
All the things you listed stem from poor maintenance.
Water in fuel -change the filter
Bad injector- because you didn’t change the filter
Fuel leaks- also caused by water in the fuel because the filter wasn’t changed
Glow plugs rarely go bad
99 percent of all Diesel engines have either a lift pump or primer pump in the case you run it out of fuel not really a big deal .
The farm you worked on either had some very old diesels or very poor maintenance.
Water in fuel= humidity, underground fuel tanks, not filter.
Injectors= probably bad filter, still a headache you don’t have with gas
Fuel leaks= older diesels had high pressure fuel rails=prone to fuel leaks
Glow plugs go bad A LOT= Your name is Florida, not northern INDIANA. You probably have no use for glow plugs. We use them A LOT. -20 in the winter is not unheard of here.(Don’t get me started on the fuel gelling up)
Out of fuel= Air in the system, you can tug on that primer handle til you are blue in the face and run the battery dead, still won’t start.(Hence the inventing new cuss words)
The farm I worked on was a family farm, I drove tractors that my Grandpa bought new(when he was younger than I am right now). We maintained well, they weren’t on any schedule or anything, but we maintained.
It seems the original poster was asking for opinions.
You have your opinion and are more than welcome to it. I have mine.
I agree with most of everything you posted, but I still hate diesels.
You still haven’t changed my mind.
I grew up on a farm and you are right. Most farmers are so busy with some many different things they just say “if it aint broke dont fix it”
I converted everything to diesels a long time ago . When I built my newest rig i tried to save money and bought gas engines I have hated it since day one.
There OK for residential work. A few hours at a time . But they do not hold up to 6 or 7 hours straight. Nothing but problems after problems.
Coils/ head gaskets/ carb issues/ govener issues/cooling issues/ stuck valves/ it’s just never ending. There just not built for commercial use or longevity under rated load.
Last month i ordered 2 kubota d1105 engines 26hp
And 1 d602 12hp. I will never own another gas pressure washer again.
My other truck has a 25hp kohler it drives around doing house washes and driveways all day like most rigs doesn’t give me much issues.
Thanks, you helped him out with the small engine aspect.
I’ve had gas motors run for 8-10 hours at a time with no problem (augers unloading grain from a bin)
Very seldom do I have any of the problems you’ve mentioned.
For some reason, I have always had a knack for small gas motors. I know all of their problems and it doesn’t bother me to fix them. When I was young (7-8), my dad bought a mini-bike frame and a junk 3 1/2 hp. Clinton (rope pull, magneto coil…old). He told me that if I could get the junk Clinton running he would mount it on that frame and I could ride it. I worked for hours and hours on that piece of crap.I never did get that piece of junk to run, but I learned small engines. My buddies bring all of their small engine stuff for me to work on and for some reason I have a knack for it.(they think I am a magician)
But man, I just hated those freaking diesels.It seemed like they were out of my realm and they hated me. None of my gas engine magic works on those evil beasts. They have schooled me more than once. They hand my me ■■■ in a basket, and I hate that.
It seems you hate gas as bad as I hate diesels. I’m glad they are working out for you though.
I stop water getting in my diesel engines by installing water separating filters on everything because it is inevitable that you will get bad fuel sometimes.
They still need checking at pre start along with other things eg oil level.
Glow plugs do wear out eventually, 400k on my Toyota and they still good. 3000hr on iseki tractor and still good. 1300hr on 1992 Volvo penta inboard and still good and list goes on …But I’m in a warm climate so I dont glow for long.
If I accidentally run out of fuel because I’m not paying attention I refuel then refill my fuel filter and leave the out line off while I prime then I put it back on and pump it thru- no big drama if you know what you’re doing.
I drive my 80series diesel landcruiser through water over its bonnet and it doesn’t miss a beat , it has a snorkel and lifted breathers.
Here’s a comparison
My other landcruiser is a petrol 80 series I got cheap for a beach basha and it lasted 3 weeks because it hated water getting on electrics in engine bay and it was gutless - no torque compared to turbo diesel.
Market value of turbo diesel 1992 Toyota =25k
Market value of 1993 Petrol toyota= 10k
Only difference is engine.
All that talking I did yesterday about proper service and fuel filters . Today my big truck went into limp mode going across tye skyway bridge the biggest bridge in Florida . 15 mph the whole way up. Line of traffic a mile long behind me.
The fuel filter was clogged 
Surprised we didn’t see you on the news for causing a backup like that on the Skyway 
people drive like hooligans on that bridge
Yah they sure do and I’m usually one of the guys struggling to maintain 55 on the way up. Basically I’m one of the people pissing every body off.
Congratulations ! you’ve went above and beyond today. Remember consistency is the key.
Sorry to hear that. That sucks. Hopefully you got it back on the road soon and were able to finish your day.
Once a buddy of mine and me were hauling a load of animals (in a brand new 1993 Ford dually with a 7.3) to San Angelo TX for a sale. Pouring down rain, just passed a truck stop and the dash board lit up light a Christmas tree. We limped a long for a bit until we saw a median cut through (for emergency vehicles only) tried to turn it around to head back to the truck stop and… done(1200 miles from home). Hung it up to the axles in good old Texas mud.
Had to pay the fine for the turn around, had to pay for the tow truck, had to pay to repair the truck,had to pay for 4 days in a motel room,had to pay for boarding the animals because we missed the sale date…
Anyway, it turned into an expensive trip for two 20 some year old, budding young Hoosier entrepreneurs, who were out to strike it rich playing the commodities market.
It wasn’t the first time a diesel let me down.
Hopefully yours works better for you in the future.
It’s all good now . I think it took me longer to get over the bridge than it did to fix the truck. I keep extra filters on my trucks just Incase I get a batch of bad fuel. It happens more often than people think.
