Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Tractor Pull Pics

[CumminsFarmer]

Haha, not the most honest headline, but its a true tractor pull. Sadly today our 32 year old Steiger tractor lost all oil pressure, effectively stranding it in the middle of the field. Thank god the Dodge was there to pull it out! We're hoping it's just the oil pump, or maybe the suction tube for the pump, they're known to crack (3306 CAT). If not, maybe we'll just upgrade. 32 years and 12,000+ hours of service is pretty good for a tractor. Steiger always was the best!



P. S. - Tractor went 25 years on original batteries, must be a world record?

 

[KCloward]

The stack on the tractor is awesome cause even living in a farming town I never see them with chrome tips. That's a good looking truck also. Glad to see the Cummins did what it's made for. Hopefully it's just a small problem with the pump like you said so you can get back there in no time.



Bryce

 

[Jim Fulmer]

12,000 hrs, dang that is alot of time to spend plowing away, always figured the best tractor driver was one that can pay attention but day dream with the best of them, that was me back before the Military days... ... sound more like retirement now.



Jim

 

[DNewell]

Yeah, 12k hours is absolutely insane for a tractor. That's awesome, especially the original battery info. Hope that it can be saved, cause I'm thinking the cost of a new tractor are horrible...

 

[CumminsFarmer]

Well today I found out the oil pump completely quit. The gears on it are severely worn, and a replacement pump is in the neighborhood of 900-1000 bucks! Go figure for a CAT. Anyway, the bearings are ok, but not excellent, and the big clincher is the camshaft. Exhaust lobe for #1 cylinder is literally deteriorating. Cost at this point is 6-7000 bucks, and it could get worse the farther they go into it. Im going to pick up a rental tractor tomorrow to finish plowing with, and I guess we'll just see. A Quadtrack with a QSX-15 Cummins sure would be nice!

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Well today I found out the oil pump completely quit. The gears on it are severely worn, and a replacement pump is in the neighborhood of 900-1000 bucks! Go figure for a CAT. Anyway, the bearings are ok, but not excellent, and the big clincher is the camshaft. Exhaust lobe for #1 cylinder is literally deteriorating. Cost at this point is 6-7000 bucks, and it could get worse the farther they go into it. Im going to pick up a rental tractor tomorrow to finish plowing with, and I guess we'll just see. A Quadtrack with a QSX-15 Cummins sure would be nice!

... . and people think truck are expensive, now you know why I quit and joined the Navy, nice Quadtrack though.



Jim

 

[MMiller]

12,000 hours is good for a 3306, usually they reccommend overhaul aroud 10,000 hours. Had you been adjusting the valves regularly, every 2000 hrs or so? If not, I bet that was the downfall to the camshaft. I don't know the recommendations, but around 8-10,000 hours I would have pulled the pan, rolled in rods and mains, and changed the oil pump. Hindsite is 20/20 though.



What is the Stieger rated our hp wise? I'd look at the Cat MT Series Tracked Tractors way before settling for a Quad track.



Michael

 

[CumminsFarmer]

The engine had rods and mains done, as well as a complete cylinder head done at 9000 hours. This particular Steiger is a '75 Bearcat Series III, rated at 225 hp. Mid-size for its day and series. Thank you no on the Cat MT. Up here on the hills the Cats have trouble turning uphill. The uphill track will spin and dig, whereas the Quadtrack pulls with no trouble. Also get much better fuel efficiency, and the dealership is 8 miles away, whereas the nearest Cat is 40 miles.



p. s. - Back in the day we used to run 2 D4D Cat crawlers, nothin stopped em!

 

[yogibear]

CumminsFarmer, I've got a real nice 94 NewHolland 9680 w/Cummins N-14, 360hp, new rubber (500hrs) duals, 4050hrs. Always shedded when it wasn't in the field. I'll make you a good deal on it. I have owned it for about 7 yrs.

Quite farming about 2 yrs ago. Still have a 50' Baker field cultivator, sold an 8-18 mile-board plow, 35' Sunflower C-flex dist and 7 X 5' V plow.

The tractor is in real good condition. It burned 7 - 71/2 gal. fuel an hour.



Larry

 

[Jim Fulmer]

CumminsFarmer, I've got a real nice 94 NewHolland 9680 w/Cummins N-14, 360hp, new rubber (500hrs) duals, 4050hrs. Always shedded when it wasn't in the field. I'll make you a good deal on it. I have owned it for about 7 yrs.

Quite farming about 2 yrs ago. Still have a 50' Baker field cultivator, sold an 8-18 mile-board plow, 35' Sunflower C-flex dist and 7 X 5' V plow.

The tractor is in real good condition. It burned 7 - 71/2 gal. fuel an hour.



Larry

Larry, any idea why NewHollands and Fords burn so much less fuel than Deere, I ran into this in the 80's running a 7710 Ford, that tractor burned 4. 5 gal/hr pulling the guts out of it and 2 gal/hr pulling a drill, no JD would do that.



Jim

 

[yogibear]

I don't know Jim, this is a New Holland Versatile, Ford bought out Versatile, then New Holland bought out Ford,(this was the larger 4WD tractors only) they are Versatile designed, with a few minor changes, but all used the Cummins eng. Buehler(sp?) is now producing them.

We had a 1980 875 Versatile w/855 cummins that would burn 10-11 gal. an hr. pulling the same implements as the 9680, but had the newer N-14 Cummins, in 18 yrs. all we did was replaced 2 clutches and a few u-joints in the 875.

We had neighbors with 180-190hp JD's that were burning 10-14 gal. an hr. JD is noted for burning more fuel.

I don't know what eng. Ford used in their smaller tractors.



Larry

 

[CNeubauer]

We rented an 8400T last weekend to chisel some CRP ground that had some small tree stumps in it and it burned almost twice as much fuel as our 5488 per hour but it was pulling the chisel a couple inches deeper. Our MX-240 likes the fuel too but nothing like the 8000 series Deere's I've been around.

 

[Jim Fulmer]

I think this is were people like TS Performance come in. I was talking to Dennis and Shela about the performance boxes for tractors and they said that with a 15-20% decrease in fuel consumption that the box would pay for itself in a few days.



10 gal hr verses 8 gal hr at what 2. 50/gal for red diesel.



Jim

 

[CumminsFarmer]

Thanks Larry for the offer on the tractor, but I'll have to say no. It sounds pretty good, and comparable to our Case IH 9270, but we're looking for something in the neighborhood of 2000 hours or less. Currently Im renting a 9370 that is for sale, and it has 2500 hours. I dont know whats in the cards yet, if the Steiger can be repaired for less than 10,000 we'll probably run it next spring and perhaps another year. We need a good harvest to get back on our feet. Last two years have been destroyed by drought, and then 22 degree frost on the 22nd of June! Can't out guess mother nature!

 

[yogibear]

Thats OK CumminsFarmer, I know what ya mean about getting back on yer feet, been there, done that!! That sometimes means 2 or 3 good crops to do that.

I can remember when we harvested 1200 acres wheat with 2- 12' pull type Gleaners, it sometimes took us 2 months, depending on the weather, but my folks made good money back then. I've got elevator tickets from 1924 when my Grand Father sold wheat for $2. 56 a bushell. A new tractor or truck was $350. Anyway, good luck to ya.



Larry