Here I am

Ordered Turbo Diesel lawn mower

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Dieselboss

home heating oil vs. diesel

My obsession with diesels has recently reared it's ugly and expensive head. After hauling my John Deere 4310 with a Bush Hog finish mower around to mow my duplex complex I decided I was sick of that and wanted something to leave down there.



I'd had some experience with a John Deere Z trak 737 and was blown away by how it cut mowing times. It literally cut mowing times in 1/3 to 1/4 over a typical rider. The problem was I just couldn't get past a gas V-twin on a heavy duty piece of equipment or paying $2 a gallon to feed it. Enter the Scag Sabre Tooth Turf Tiger.



This thing has a 3 cylinder inline engine with a bosch VE pump and a turbocharger. If you don't think I'm not thinking about turning up the pump and installing boost and pyrometer gauges you're mistaken. I'm waiting on this thing to make it in to the dealer, when I get it I'll post an update. Now to order gauges for it! :-laf



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Now they got a place for us "retarded folks" who can't pass the driving test in Arizona anymore... . tee hee



Speaking of which... . any of you locals noticed more snow in our hills the last few weeks?



Can't even get through the streets at the speed limit anymore. Damn snowbirds clogging up the thorough fares at 27 mph. Their turbos must of clogged up from all the miss use.
 
I want one! How much are they? Where will you mount the gauges? You could probably fabricate a neat little panel to hang above the present cluster.



Also, you could have an excuse to buy red fuel now!
 
I never needed an excuse before to buy red fuel. :eek: But seriously I've used it in my JD, the problem I have is availability. There is just not a station around here that sells it. Once in a while I'd buy it from my farmer friends that had tanks at their farms. But cheap fuel was a major part of my decision, plus it will use less fuel than a gas mower.



These things aren't cheap, the lowest price I could get was $14575 with a 61" deck.



In the picture you can see the instrument cluster to the left of the operator. I'd make a panel to go near that probably or I could make one to go on the right side of the operator. When I actually get it i'll have a better idea.
 
I've never saw one with a turbo. The Ferris has a little CAT motor (actually Perkins) but it is naturally aspirated. Bro-in-law was looking at them but couldn't convince his wife the $14,000 was a good deal. He settled for the 61" Kawasaki gas. The suspension is a real kidney saver. That little CAT looked so cool! But a turbo would be the real deal. I'd love to hear it spool!!!:D
 
Here is the best pic I've been able to find. #ad




I about hit the floor the first time I saw the Ferris with the yellow cat motor and the Cat diesel power emblems. I bet the suspension really does make it more comfortable. I have heard some say though that the suspension gives an uneven cut since the deck is moving with the suspension. I don't know one way or the other.



I went by the dealer to see if it came in today or not and to see if my tractor and finish mower were done. (They were caught in a flash flood :mad: Oh well insurance said bring him the bill) Scag wasn't there and they had to order a seal for the bush hog gear box so I got a JD F680 from them to use. I really didn't care for that unit much. Worst feature is your feet rest on the deck which hinges independently from the tractor part you sit on. Every hump and dip you go over moves your legs up and down and got very annoying.



A twin turbo is truly a new level in sickness. I've been thinking of fitting an intercooler myself. Get one from a junkyard Saab, Volvo or something maybe.
 
Dixie Choppers are very popular around here. I consider them the absolute toughest commercial mowers available in zero turn. Their diesel model sports a 50 HP Turbo Diesel (yanmar). They also make the dual engine model with twin 25's. You can run one or both.



When asked why they build the diesel (some consider it overkill)... their honest response was "Because we can!"



To see the turbo diesel Dixie do its thing... is something that left me in awe. From the sound of the diesel wound up... to the blades spinning at unbelieveable speeds... it literally leaves grass into powder form with the side guard closed. I've seen them go through 6" tall grass like its not even there.



Scags are tough too. They are also popular around here. Brand loyalty is same as trucks and cars.
 
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I own a Dixie Chopper, i second Ncostello, the Scag is a nice mower,but the Dixie is unbeleivable,its my kind of mower way more power than you could ever need:-laf .
 
Well I went and picked up the maching at the dealer. All I can say is wow. This thing is so cool, everything is scaled down. That little turbo is so cute compared to what we're used to. The way the exhaust is put together, it will be very easy to lose the muffler for a stack. We'll see how long that lasts before the noise becomes annoying.



I need to get my hands on an optical/photo tach. Once I custom tune the injection pump I'll need to reset the low idle which feels too high as it is. It's probably set up so it doesn't vibrate bad at idle. Maybe I should do the 5hr break-in first before I get the twins put on. :eek:
 
My fire chief on the volunteer department has Scag in his lineup at his mower shop. They are nice machines. However I'm not sure about parts cost.



If they are like other high end (Cub Cadet, John Deere) models... save the parts you remove without cutting them up or bombing them. That muffler probably cost $200! :)
 
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