|
|
southwest in | how good or bad, is a 1968, deere 3020 gas tractor?
mostly yard and hay field work,
and now, the hard part, whats one worth?
recent overhaul, paint and sheetmetal looks very nice,
tires only 50%, thanks |
|
| |
|
SE Nebraska, Near Misery and Cans Ass! | I had one, it was a complete dog, hard to start and used lots of fuel. Did everything to that motor short of driving a stake through it's heart and it would never run well. My cousin had one that ran like a striped ape. Each got to run the others a few times and walked away shaking their heads. If it runs good, they are good and if it doesn't it's bad.
Check with Machinery Pete, What these things are selling for is scarry. |
|
| |
|
Near Intersection of I-35 & I-90 Southern Mn. | nebfarmer - 11/8/2015 05:28
I had one, it was a complete dog, hard to start and used lots of fuel. Did everything to that motor short of driving a stake through it's heart and it would never run well. My cousin had one that ran like a striped ape. Each got to run the others a few times and walked away shaking their heads. If it runs good, they are good and if it doesn't it's bad.
Check with Machinery Pete, What these things are selling for is scarry.
My brother bought one new. Gas engine is terrible - stay away. Tried various fixes - best one was to get rid of it. I wouldn't consider one. |
|
| |
|
Serena Il, Center of the Universe | I have one. Only reason I keep it is it's not in the way. If you buy it change it over to an electronic ignition. It's a great improvement
|
|
| |
|
Ne Ohio | I used to have one! Was a good tractor once I got all the bugs worked out of it! I rebuild the engine changed over to 12v - ground had the carb rebuilt! It really liked GAS but it was a handy tractor for me! Planted a lot of corn and used it on the drill was a good match for my medium tractor! Did I remember to say that it used a lot of GAS when worked! Lol
Mike |
|
| |
|
| Yes switch over to electronic ignition. I have a 2520 gas and a 3020 diesel if you put in electronic ignition and cut the fuel line and install a fuel filter to keep dirt and debris out of the carburetor the gasser is almost as reliable as a diesel. The gas tractor will use a lot more fuel however. |
|
| |
|
Cambridge, southwestern Nebraska | Same experience here with the gas version. Always was hard to start. |
|
| |
|
Nc Ks. | My uncle had one back in the early 70's. Drank gas something terribly. Was doggy if you pulled it. Was the tractor that made him switch to diesels. Several years later he bought a 3010 diesel to use as a utility tractor. Was way better than the 3020 gas. |
|
| |
|
45 miles south spingfield il. | You wont be happy till you get a diesel - wether it's your first 13th tractor in lineup. That is even with the diesel fuel we have now. |
|
| |
|
North Central IN | Be careful with the diesel. If something happens to the block or heads are very hard to come by. Spent lots of $$ rebuilding mine. |
|
| |
|
ecpa | I have one 3020 gas and 0ne 3020 diesel. Gasser takes a lot of maintenance and the diesel is almost nil. I use the gas on the loader. If you can find a cast iron carb it will be much better than the aluminum carb. |
|
| |
|
Cartwright, McKenzie County, North Dakota, USA | If you want a gasser to pull right you start it, get it in the field working and ride the step to adjust the timing until it will pull, but then it wont start worth a hoot. They make a good loader tractor with proper ballast. Cousin has a 68 with an F11 and it is very handy. Around here they sell high. I would prefer a year newer with the side console controls. |
|
| |
|
| There is a guy up in Spencer Iowa that supposedly has 'mastered' the hard starting issues. Gary D. Hoefling
(712) 260-9834 For your chore type use... hay field, and yard... and especially if you can get it bought right.. (should be half the price of a diesel) Might be worth a whirl. |
|
| |
|
| My 2 uncles had one for loader work. Hard starting if it was at all damp out and yet, it was a gas hog. |
|
| |
|
nw/nc iowa on the banks of West Buttrick Creek.. | A two man tractor, one to drive and one to haul fuel. Won't deny that they are handy. Just buy a 4020 D. |
|
| |
|
ne iowa | Actually have a 4020 gas I bought to get the loader. Changed it over to hei ignition and a modified cast iron zenith carb and best mixer mill tractor I have ever had. 5000 hours on it is low hours as the other 4 4020's we have are 10000 plus hour loader tractors. Simple reliable (no computer) cattle feeding tractors that can be pull started yet. |
|
| |
|
Lincoln, North Dakota | Dad has a 1964 3020 good running tractor. We haven't had any hard starting issues. Gas will be cheaper because every one wants a diesel |
|
| |
|
SE MN Still in Pothole Country | Dad had a 4020 gasser. Used less fuel for same work as neighbors 3020 gas. Those gassers had a dime store setup with resistor for coil built into switch. They will run "better" with electronic ignition. Problem with the 3010 and 3020 is that the engine is an orphan and you cannot just go to a bone yard for a head or used engine. With high hours balance shafts assembly can wear, break, and ventilate the block. Had a 3020 diesel once. Sweet tractor. But now I would advise just find a good 4020 or 4000 if you want a classic tractor. |
|
| |
|
| I bought a gas '68 4020 about 15 years ago. Yes its a gas hog, not the worst ever gas hog tractor but close. Mine smoked black smoke like an IH diesel. I changed things and after the first year where the 4020 used 400 gallons of gas doing the same work as my MF-135 did on 110 gallons, I weaned it down to a couple hundred gallons a year. I paid $5250 for the gas 4020 and diesels were going for $7500 in the same area. Based on the 135 fuel consumption I figured the difference would pay for 14 years of gasoline. Didn't quite prove to be true. Also I am experienced with gas engines, not diesel engines, and should I ever want to go to alternative ethane or ethanol fuels, the gas engine would be handier.
Things I learned and changed. Spark plug wires were carbon based and intermittent. Plugs were champion and fuel fowled and old tractor champions don't clean up. The choke cable sheath wasn't anchored near the carburetor, so was only opening the choke half way. There was a mud dauber nest or two in the intake air pipe. The top of the Donaldson precleaner was domed down instead of up from being tightened too much and that acted like a choke partly closed. A dirty air filter surely adds to the choke effects on a carbureted engine making them run rich. The float needle and seat was worn and not sealing so the gas level in the carb was high making it run rich. Its a Zenith carburetor. The diecast Marvel-Schebler is difficult to tune. And uses a diaphragm for the accelerator pump that isn't often included in the carburetor rebuild kit and that leaks and prevents proper adjustment. The M-S carb is so hard to adjust there's a JD service bulletin back in the 1970s that says replace it with a Zenith if you can't tune it. Shoup and other places carry new Zeniths' for that purpose, last I looked about $500.
The choke cable sheath not anchored can keep the choke from closing all the way to make for very hard starting.
The ignition coil is 6 volt, and a special terminal on the starter solenoid puts full battery voltage on the coil for starting. The resistor for running is in the wiring harness, or the ignition switch depending on the vintage of the gas xx20. Mine had been replaced by a ceramic resistor with a Schotchtap hooking to the resistance wire near the ignition switch. That Schotchtap went intermittant while I was making hay, and I had to run it with a jumper wire to finish the hay. I hate Scotchtaps now. It would start fine but die when I released the starter button. The versions with resistor in the switch also have a history of failing.
The gas new generation tractors take lots of fuel because there are big hydraulic loads compared to previous tractors with steering, brakes, and differential lock by hydraulic power, not just power assisted as in cars and trucks. These tractors steer and brake by hydraulic, so a fly by wire aircraft or car has nothing new.
The counter balance shaft in the 3020 has been known to have bearing problems, that's not in the 4020.
When I was last tractor shopping 3020 varied from $3500 to $5500 at auctions.
Diesels from that era often need a expensive injection pump rebuild if they haven't had it already. The fiber governor ring falls apart, first plugging the excess fuel return line, then losing governor control that can sometimes overspeed the engine leading to parts flying through the sides of the block.
Gerald J. |
|
| |
|
| There is a guy in Illinois who now has an EFI conversion kit for them which is suppose to make them into a real tractor. I can't remember his name right off but there was an article on it in Green Magazine recently. |
|
| |
|
| I guess I have a good one.
Mine is a 2510 gasser that I've owned for twenty years.
It always fires right up and runs like its a big boy.
No electronic ignition either.
It sure loves its gas though! |
|
| |
|
SW WI | Got to give my experience on the JD 3020 gas. I was a teenager at the time but when the tractor was in its hard starting spells we would not shut it off until being done for the day. Park on a hill, roll down and pop the clutch to start. Always tinkering with the starter and alternator. Once and awhile seem to have things "better" and someone would get brave and shut off on the flat ground. Yep, get burned, not starting. Get out log chain for a little pull and going again.
Wish agtalk would of been around back then. I think I could've gotten that thing starting consistently. Whenever I had a little time I would talk to neighbors on what to try next. My dad still had it when I got out of high school and got out on my own.
He traded it a year after I was gone. |
|
| |
|
| I figured three dual barrel side draft carbs like from early 6 cylinder Corvettes would work well on a 4020 gas and have a port for a vacuum advance on the distributor to get even better performance. Centrifugal advance only works well at one load level, typically full throttle, it makes an engine weak at part throttle where it really needs more advance. EFI should work good but vacuum advance would help even with the original carburetion.
Gerald J. |
|
| |
|
| never again the diesels weren't too bad |
|
| |
|
| never again the diesels weren't too bad |
|
| |
3020 gas john deere
