CRUDE OIL POWER.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18616, 11 July 1930, Page 2

CRUDE OIL POWER.

PLOUGHING FOR 7id PER ACRE. Within the last week trials have been held in South Canterbury of the Lanz Crude Oil Tractor, at the following places:—Temuka, H. Talbot, Esq.; Studholme Junction. J. Foley, Esq.; St. Andrews, Mrs Jas. Hall. Each fixture was attended by a representative gathering of farmers, and the tractor was the centre of much interest of all present. It was shown with a 4furrow plough, and also with a hustler, and at Temuka and St. Andrews the Lanz gave an idea of its power by taking the hills with a 4-furrow plough in second gear. At the latter fixture, especially, the load was an exceptionally heavy one, the plough being set to a depth of 8 inches with a 12 inch furrow, and was taken on a steep grade. Briefly, the particulars of the engine are as follows:—It has a twocycle semi-Diesel engine, and is started by heating a hot bulb in the cylinder head for a few minutes with a specially protected blow lamp, injecting crude oil in the form of a spray, and simply turning the starting wheel. All electrical apparatus is absent. There is no magneto, sparking plugs, valves, timing gear, cams and camshaft, tappets or carburettor. The speed of the Lanz Bulldog engine is 500 revolutions per minute maximum, making it, perhaps, the lowest speed engine in any tractor now on the market. This slow speed means longer life to the engine. These tractors have been in operation in the Ashburton and Rakaia district for about twelve months, and the owners are enthusiastic regarding them. Not only is the fuel cost reduced to a quarter of that of a kerosene tractor, but it is also very economical of lubricating oil, using about one pint in eight hours’ work. But it is by no means only economy in the use of cheap fuel that has made it so popular. Simplicity in design and efficient service have really been the factors for its popularity. The popular fallacy regarding this type of engine is that when the engine loses its compression it loses its power, but this is contrary to fact, as the compression of the Lanz is on a par with that of the ordinary kerosene tractor and does not explode the fuel by compressed air but by the heat of the bulb. The compression of air in the crank-case is about 510 to the square inch, while that in the cylinder head on the compression stroke is about 901 b. It will therefore be seen that there is no more chance of losing power than in the ordinary tractor. As a matter of fact, considerably less wear takes place in the Lanz on account of the low speecl of the engine and its high-class lubricating system. The agents for the Lanz Bulldog 15-30 h.p. Crude Oil Tractor for South Canterbury district are the National Mortgage and Agency Company, Ltd., Timaru