fuel economy

[dgjks6 6]

I have a 312-8 and a craftsman with a 19.5hp briggs. It seems to go through twice as much gas. I know it is bigger and had 2 cylinders, buts does anyone have an idea about how many hours or whatever you get per tank. I am sick of going to the gas station every 2 weeks to get gas.

Also, what is the biggest single cylinder kohler?

Greg

[Brian1045 28]

Found this on the Kohler site:

"Kohler now offers a 21 horsepower engine as part of its single-cylinder Courage models, which offer the largest displacement and most powerful output of any single-cylinder engine available on the market today."

[canam1991 2]

It seems to go through twice as much gas.

what seems to go throught so much gas

and first of all what are you doing driving a craftsman :hide:

[buckrancher 2,678]

I stopped using my 520H when gas went out off sight

and started mowing my lawn with the old C-101 I could mow the lawn twice

on one tank of gas instead of once on one&half tanks of gas with the 520H

and the 10hp mowed just as good and as fast as the 20hp did

:hide:

[canam1991 2]

i have a 312 it lasts prob. 3 1/2-4 hours to a tank!!!!

[Duff 206]

i have a 312 it lasts prob. 3 1/2-4 hours to a tank!!!!

Same here, and that's about the same fuel consumption I get!

Duff :hide:

[Docwheelhorse 2,561]

The biggest Kohler flathead is the K341 (34 cubic inch) 16 hp, then there was the Kohler K361 (36 cubic inch) 18 hp OHV--a conversion of the flathead motor (not very good from what I hear). I can get 3+ hours out of a tank on my singles and much less on the Onan 20.... Probably why Wheel Horse made the piggy back 5 gallon tank for the 520's !!!!

Tony

[canam1991 2]

My d 250 on the other hand..... i mow my yard of 6 acres around 6 times to a tank of 3.5 gallons i think that is great for a four cylinder if i do my math right thats about 50 miles to a gallon!!!!!!!!

[dgjks6 6]

Sorry - I don't drive the craftsman. Its an auto and I let the kids use it to mow the flat parts of the lawn. It was down for a few weeks with a bad starter and I taught my 10 year old to drive the 8-speed, but its a pain moving the seat. BTW - wheel horse may know how to make attachment changing easy, but moving the seat is a pain. I can get the deck off in the same time it takes to move the seat closer. The cratfsman is a pain to take off the deck, but one knob changes the seat.

The craftsman is the one that goes though fuel. That is why I asked. I am still on the search for my second wheel horse. The criteria is automatic and now also just a single cylinder.

I can also get over 4 hours out of a tank on the wheel horse, and about half that on the craftsman.

[HorseFixer 2,012]

I am still on the search for my second wheel horse.

Sounds like yer on the right track! ditch the CRAPMAN! :hide:

[linen beige 14]

I have a Craftsman with a 15.5 hp Kohler single that will mow for a little over 5 hours on a 1.25 gallon tank. It's a six speed. Maybe your hydro is sucking up all the power?

[dgjks6 6]

OK - so do the hydromatics suck up the gas? Anyone got the same tractor in a hydro and manual?

[zieg72 209]

My 269H with a 52" deck will do my 1.5 acres 2.5 times. My 520H with a 60" deck mows the same lawn, a tad faster, much nicer ride with easier steering but gobbles up a whole tank of fuel doing it. 19.5 hp Kohler versus 20 hp Onan, go figure.

[hodge 6]

I think that typically, the single cylinders out perform the twins, fuel wise and performance wise. Sure, my 520 has tons of power, but my b-80 mows just as nicely, although not as fast (36" deck compared to 48" deck), and uses much less fuel. Ultimately, for what I use my WH's for, the extra power doesn't offer me anything. I still love my 520, and will keep it, but I would probably prefer a single cylinder anytime.

And, I could probably rebuild my 8 horse Kohler many times for the cost or rebuilding the 20 horse Onan.

I do have to say, to muddy up my own waters, that the 16 horse twin Briggs on the GT 1600 doesn't use much more fuel than the b-80...

[illinilefttackle 399]

:hide: Check this out guys-My C-125 used to use A LOT of gas! (and oil) Then I overhauled the Engine. Now, running it at the same RPM ( for the Hydro) I'm getting A LOT BETTER gas mileage. Go Figure? Same ground speed everything.

It used to be that My Dads Ranch King (12.5 HP Briggs) would get much better gas milage- but now just a little better. Granted now, I'm not complaining.-AL

[Jim_M 178]

Check this out guys-My C-125 used to use A LOT of gas! (and oil) Then I overhauled the Engine. Now, running it at the same RPM ( for the Hydro) I'm getting A LOT BETTER gas mileage. Go Figure? Same ground speed everything.

It used to be that My Dads Ranch King (12.5 HP Briggs) would get much better gas milage- but now just a little better. Granted now, I'm not complaining.-AL

Al,

That makes sense. Your engine wasn't very efficient when it was worn out. It was working harder to produce horsepower and it probably was producing 25 or 30 % less than it is now that it's rebuilt.

Jim

[Jim_M 178]

I mow my yard with a 416-H with a 48" deck. It uses about a gallon per acre, maybe a little less. I picked up a nice little 308-8 with a 36" deck this summer and mowed with it a couple of times. Although it used about 1/2 gallon per acre, I went back to using the 416-H because I can get done in 1/2 the time with the hydro and 48" deck.

I use a 520-H with a 60" deck to mow out at the farm. I mow about 4 acres out there and it doesn't matter how much gas the 520 uses because it would take me forever to mow with anything else.

The moral of the story for me is: For the couple of dollars a week I could save mowing with a smaller tractor I would waste a lot of time that I could spend doing something productive.

[Nick 13]

There can be a big fuel economy difference between the later model twins like the 269H and the older designs. Most of the newer overhead valve engines will use less fuel but when replacing the old 20hp Onan with a newer Kohler you will have to move up to at least a 23hp engine for the same performance. In most of my use the 20hp Onans averaged around 1 to 1.25 gallons an hour depending on the load (used a 72" deck on a Steiner with 20hp).

The 520 might use some fuel but with the 60" deck it does have what i think is the best mowing quality of any Wheel Horse (never used the D250 or C195 60" decks). The extra deck size and tighter turning radius should also help offset some of the fuel difference. I used a 520 to mow around 12 acres for a year and cant imagine doing that with the 857 and 36" deck even if it could save some gas. Oh the 520 can mow though about anything and sounds cool doing it also. 520 youtube video link

[Teddy da Bear 11]

I mow about 4 acres and use only two gallions with my B-100....

But my deck is a 9 1/2 ft. reel mower.... :hide:

[linen beige 14]

two gallions

Ancient Spanish ships?!

How many gallons do they old?

And where'd ya get 'em?

Sorry, I couldn't rezist. See, we all do it.

[Teddy da Bear 11]

ok linen.......ha ha ha... I mow the yard with a Spanish Armada.....

Arrrgh Matey!!!

[jtmoyer 1]

I have a Craftsman with a 15.5 hp Kohler single that will mow for a little over 5 hours on a 1.25 gallon tank. It's a six speed. Maybe your hydro is sucking up all the power?

my craftsman has an 18 horse twin hydro and i will get about 4 hours per 2 gal tank. my 416 hydro will give me about 3 hours running the snow blower wide open. the 520 fel drinks the most. i try to not run any of them wide open when i am just moving them around or pulling the wagon or using the fel.

[84 400 0]

What else is strange is the economy i get outta my horizontal shaft verses vertical shaft. My H70 will mow the yard 2 times on one tank. I mostly mow in second gear because using 3 really pushes the motor if the grass is high. All the Craftsman i have had (get em free, repair, sell for profit) only mow my lawn 1 time if that on a tank. And my old case mows my lawn about 2/12 times because It has a larger deck and I can run it faster. All mine have always been gear driven have never owned a hydro but sure wish i could just shift into difrent ranges with out having to stop it would probibly make things go faster.

[GlenPettit 1,714]

"BTW - wheel horse may know how to make attachment changing easy, but moving the seat is a pain. I can get the deck off in the same time it takes to move the seat closer".

For safe/smart 'little people':

Instead of moving the seat I clamp a 4x4x4" black of wood on @ pedal (carve a little curve & drill a hole in the side of the wood for a C-clamp to fit in) and put a towel behind her, their short legs control it fine. We have a seat cover on the seat which reduces butt-slipping. But, caution, caution, caution.

[Craig Arndt 6]

I noticed how much fuel my Onan 16hp used when I first bought it. It was a glutton. But, since I've cleaned the carb and decarboned it with a valve adjustment, its seems to do a little better. Just running that motor you can tell how the exhaust has a rich fuel mixture, no matter how you set it up. Its a fosil fuel burner- but that is the price to ride a great great tractor. :hide: