brewcrew Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 I have a 656 gas Hydro with a 291 engine out of a 666. It uses a lot of gas like on an 8 inch auger moving 2500 bushels of corn will use a full tank of gas, raking or tedding hay will also use a tank of gas in about six hours. I know it takes a little more fuel to run the Hydro, but it seems excessive to me. Could the carburetor be in need of service causing such an issue? This tractor has a nearly perfect Hydro so I would love to re-power it with a diesel, but I think it should do better with the gas engine that it has. It’s an absolute pleasure to run this tractor and my boys are using it to learn to drive tractor raking hay. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IHCfarmer Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Don’t get a 706 gas! I think that series of engines is just thirsty! But it takes Fuel to make power! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedar farm Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 It's the nature of the beast. I have a 656H with the C263 and I am always putting gas in it. I have a D282 sitting around that would fit nicely in it. Years ago I pulled a bad C263 out of a 706 for a guy and put in a C301 out of a combine. The guy loved the power. Hated how much more gas it took than the 263. With your 656 the hydro part doesn't help any. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
axial_al Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Back in the day my dad’s 706 with an m&w 291 would burn 6 gallons an hour. It dyno’d 94 horsepower though. You gotta feed those horses! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drysleeves Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Fuel consumption precipitated many 806G's getting traded for a diesel. After that experience it's hard to believe IH still offered an 856 gas when they were introduced in 1967. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sparky Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, IHCfarmer said: Don’t get a 706 gas! I think that series of engines is just thirsty! But it takes Fuel to make power! I'd trade on 706 for ten 656's....same engine, bigger, better, easier to work on. Travis 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drysleeves Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 We had two 756 gassers. Good tractors but thirsty when pulling them. First one was a '67 with tilt wheel and hydraulic seat (IH Position Comfort Package) and the Charlie 291 needed an overhaul at just over 4000 hours. Mechanic who did the work was a Paratrooper who survived the Battle of the Bulge. He said to dump an orange juice can of diesel fuel into the tank with the gas when refilling to add lubricity to the dishwater fuel. We kept an empty orange juice can by the gas barrel just for that purpose until 1980 when the 7 departed in favor of the 186 Hydro that's still here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gearclash Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 3 hours ago, brewcrew said: tank of gas in about six hours. How many gallons is a full tank? 25gallons in 6 hours would be a little above 4gal/hr and that wouldn’t surprise me. We had a Case wheel loader with the 377 gas in it and it would burn 5 gal/hr pushing silage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drysleeves Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 756 held 33 gallons of fuel while an 856 was 42 unless you had a Custom which held 36 but pretty sure all Customs were diesels. 544 gasser held 23 gallons while a diesel version was only 15. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 According to the info I have, the 656 has a 33 gallon tank. You say that it uses one tank in approximately six hours, which works out to 5.5 gal/hour. My info also states that during the Nebraska test of the 656 Hydro, it used 5.6 gal/hr. Going by that, your fuel consumption is right on the money. As long as it isn't blowing a lot of black smoke when you throttle up your carb is probably fine. Mac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cedar farm Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 He said it now has a C291. Nebraska test on a 86 Hydro shows 7.17 GPH average. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dirt_Floor_Poor Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Back when gas engines were common in farm equipment, it was normal to refuel two or three times a day under heavy use. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Kirsch Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 Right. Unless it's blowing black smoke it's set about right. For sure you don't want to lean these tractors out and cause them to burn any hotter than they already do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-C-IL Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 There was a reason the old overhead gas tank was somewhere in the line between the field entrance and the house. At noon, you pulled in and went in to eat. Then you came out, filled up, checked the oil, and headed back out! One of the most extreme examples of the gas vs diesel I ever heard was the old 410 Massey combines. The gassers would use 2-3 tanks a day - the Perkins diesel versions would go 2-3 days on a tank! Neighbors had one of each..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cumminstinkerer Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 @Matt Kirsch you are spot on, doesn't take much towards the lean side of where they are with the solenoid setup all intact to get lean enough to burn things up! Overhauled a 706 with c263 for a guy several years ago, total out of frame, including cam and head work, told the guy the throttle shaft was a little loose, said lets redo the carb, he didn't want to spend the money, thing didn't run 100 HRS and burn the head gasket out, tore head back checked things over, cleaned up, reassembled, then pulled the carb and did a full rebuild, only had a few thou of wear on bushing and shaft, got her all back together, has now got some odd over 2000hrs and no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supermechanic Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 A somewhat related experience; In 1982- 1983, (somewhere back then) a business where I worked had two tandem-axle dump trucks. Trucks were identical, except for the engines. Truck with diesel caterpillar v8 had a single fuel tank, maybe 70 gallons capacity. Truck with 549 gas motor had two fuel tanks, about twice the capacity of the other. We had fuel pumps at the shop, everybody filled up before leaving in the morning. I recall needing to run fuel out to the guy driving the gasser a few times. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, cedar farm said: He said it now has a C291. Yep, you're right. I missed that the first time around. 1 hour ago, Dirt_Floor_Poor said: Back when gas engines were common in farm equipment, it was normal to refuel two or three times a day under heavy use. Plowing with the 300, I start with a full tank (15 gallons). Usually fill it up again (about 10 gallons) at noon, then fill it up again (another 10 gallons) that evening for the next day. Same goes for running the haybine, corn picker, or pulling the disk. I can harrow, rake, plant, etc. all day on 15 gallons no problem. Heck, even running the baler only uses about 2 to 2.5 gal/hour. All that to say, running a gas tractor generally requires a couple fuel stops during the work day. Not a bad thing IMHO; gives a guy a chance to take a leak, grab a drink, and smoke a cigarette before getting started again. The big diesel models don't give you that opportunity. Mac Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
randy hall Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 at rated load a 806 gas only uses around 1.5 gallons an hour more than the diesel. where a diesel really shines is at a light or part load then the economy is much more than a gas tractor. I'm the same as sparky i would rather have one 706 than 10 656 tractors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff-C-IL Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 1 hour ago, MacAR said: All that to say, running a gas tractor generally requires a couple fuel stops during the work day. Not a bad thing IMHO; gives a guy a chance to take a leak, grab a drink, and smoke a cigarette before getting started again. The big diesel models don't give you that opportunity. Mac Let just hope you are not filling the tank & smoking the cig at the same time..... 1 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksfarmdude Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 I remember back when grand dad had a 715 gas combine it had around 45 gal fuel tank about 3 in the afternoon you'd better be heading to the fuel barrel Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MacAR Posted July 26 Share Posted July 26 42 minutes ago, Jeff-C-IL said: Let just hope you are not filling the tank & smoking the cig at the same time..... Hahaha, no usually fill her up and then smoke one. 🤣 I had a cousin do that once, burnt a 3000 Ford completely up one afternoon. His old man wasn't too happy with him needless to say. Mac 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Kirsch Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 BTW, this is why gas hydros were a dog on the market for many years, at least around here. They've now become "collectible" and bring premium prices in any condition. They probably belong on the list in that other thread... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iowaboy1965 Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 I believe My 400 manual states to turn the main screw out 5 full turns when doing heavy work such as plowing ect. Also says some light black smoke is acceptable under heavy load full fuel settings iirc. I assume the big gassers would be similar under heavy load? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diesel Doctor Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 28 minutes ago, iowaboy1965 said: I believe My 400 manual states to turn the main screw out 5 full turns when doing heavy work such as plowing ect. Also says some light black smoke is acceptable under heavy load full fuel settings iirc. I assume the big gassers would be similar under heavy load? And the 450 drank more than the 400. Horsepower is thirsty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iowaboy1965 Posted July 27 Share Posted July 27 Just now, Diesel Doctor said: And the 450 drank more than the 400. Horsepower is thirsty. Uncle Bill used to talk about a 400 he had that had m&w sleeves & pistons in it while grandpa had a stock 400. He could plow a gear faster than grandpa but he couldn't make it to lunch time on a tank of gas either. Think I have a picture of it in the old family albums I ended up with. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.