AC D-19 turbo diesel versus JD 4010 diesel

Dad bought a D17 when I was in high school. I am now 65 and the D17 is still used every day feeding. It went through 3 teenagers and It is wore out from one end to the other but still going. We pulled 4 14” plow with it back in the day when we moldboard plowed everything. There are 3 D19’s out there plus others but in my experience the D17 is about as bullet proof as it gets

Drawn to me?  Naw!  Say it ain't so!  LOL

Dave, I'm actually surprised everyone is kinda voicing in favor of the Deere 4010/20. I love a good late model 4020, but I'm surprised....it seems a lot of other guys do, too. 

Edited by CrestonM - 12 Dec 2017 at 12:00pm

The 2-cylinder tractor was obsolete. It took from 1953 to 1960 for John Deere to develop the New Generation 3010/4010 tractors. Where was the rest of the tractor builders during this time??  Here's what should have happened. A-C should have released the D-19 in 1958 and the diesel engine should have been a bored block at 290 cubes. The hydraulics should have been "live".  The mighty One-Ninety should have been released in 1961 with a truly independent PTO. The "XT" should have been thoroughly tested before it was sold to the HP hungry Customers in 1963, instead of 1965.

Lonn wrote: Tbone95 wrote: 45 turboa- wrote: IF YOU GET THOSE J-Ds ON AN INCLINE IN PARK HAVE FUN TRYING TO PULL IT OUT. IF YOU FINAGILE ENOUGH AND GET IT IN REVERSE IT UNLOCKS. I ALWAYS CALLED THAT SYSTEM WONDER SHIFT !   Which JD's?  Have a 2640 that's spring loaded to go into park, if on an incline, and doesn't go in right away, let it roll and it slips right in.  No issue whatsoever getting it out.  That one is actually the best park system I've ever operated.  Had a 1520.  That was pretty stiff in park, but if you pulled it out of first first, it wasn't that bad.  No worse than the Allis binding up on an incline, just little different problem, little different way to deal with it.  Those were both TSS transmissions.  Maybe the synchro range was worse.  Never owned one of those, but have operated one.  Did you pay attention to which tractors were being talked about? I never saw 2640 in the title post. BTW a 2640 has a host of other problems that put that series of tractors in the category of worst owned among Deere owners.

Edited by Tbone95 - 12 Dec 2017 at 9:54am

Tbone95 wrote: 45 turboa- wrote: IF YOU GET THOSE J-Ds ON AN INCLINE IN PARK HAVE FUN TRYING TO PULL IT OUT. IF YOU FINAGILE ENOUGH AND GET IT IN REVERSE IT UNLOCKS. I ALWAYS CALLED THAT SYSTEM WONDER SHIFT !   Which JD's?  Have a 2640 that's spring loaded to go into park, if on an incline, and doesn't go in right away, let it roll and it slips right in.  No issue whatsoever getting it out.  That one is actually the best park system I've ever operated.  Had a 1520.  That was pretty stiff in park, but if you pulled it out of first first, it wasn't that bad.  No worse than the Allis binding up on an incline, just little different problem, little different way to deal with it.  Those were both TSS transmissions.  Maybe the synchro range was worse.  Never owned one of those, but have operated one.

Did you pay attention to which tractors were being talked about? I never saw 2640 in the title post. BTW a 2640 has a host of other problems that put that series of tractors in the category of worst owned among Deere owners.

I have to say our D19 turbo was the worst AC we ever had-- low torque,lots of down time, hard starting, poor hydraulics, and clumsy for a 65hp tractor. I would compare to the 3010 and still give the thumbs up to the JD. I always enjoyed the sound of the D19 once it was warmed up though and was easy on fuel in my mind.

My '68 gas SR 4020 and my '68 MF-135 both have differential lock. Most useful when disking plowed ground and can be used plowing too. The 4020 differential lock (hydraulically actuated) unhitches when a brake is touched, the 135 takes manual disengagement for turning.

Gerald J.

I liked my D19 gas. It was the first tractor I bought myself. Bought from a CaseIH dealer in 1987 on Case Credit. It was smooth power and for me it pulled fine and easily out pulled Dad's D17 but we had a pull-type plow. The hydraulics on them leave more than a little to be desired though. The hydraulics never worked right and forget mounted euipment if you needed traction booster. It worked good with a rear mounted 4 row cultivator though and it was our go to tractor for that task. Also did a lot of haying with it. But clearly a 4010 out classes it in most respects although the AC dealership I worked at, the older mechanics told me a D19 gas or diesel would consistently out plow a 4010 in the field demos the dealers used to have back then. I guess a new D19 with knowledgeable operators, like they were, could make em go.

My very first Allis Chalmers tractor was a D19 gas (not new, obviously, until I got done restoring it). I loved that tractor, and still do, enough that it turned me into a die hard allis man. And that, after in my growing up days, being told daily that John Deeres were the holy grail of tractors. Darrel

The 4010 never had the Power Shift transmission, only the Synchro Range but it had 3 reverse gears where the 4020 SR had only 2 reverse gears. The third one JD considered to be too fast to be safe. Its not hard to modify the shift linkage to get that third speedy reverse gear.

Side console 4020 still bring a higher price on the used tractor market than early 4020 or 4010. During the side console 4020 era, JD brought out a 4000 that was to be a 4020 with lighter drive train and cheaper cost, but did offer it with the expensive Power Shift transmission. I saw one at a JD gathering for sale a gas 4000 with PS for over $14,000 asking price and it was grubby. There weren't many of those made, only 9.

Gerald J.

I like D-19's but they never had a great reputation in my area..The few that were sold new were all traded off in just a few years for other colors..

Ed, I could have not put it any better! I agree 100%

In the JD 4010 and 4020 there were so many changes between the first one in 1960 to the last one in 1974 that there should have been at least half a dozen model numbers used. The 4010 and  pre side console 4020 ('64 to '68) are similar enough they share parts book and shop manual. There at least three versions of the pre side console 4020 operators manual because of changes in the electrical controls and wiring harnesses. And they had a hydraulic system that had a common mode of failure as the check valve at the charge pump in the transmission failed and then drained the up top and front cooler/reservoir that the main hydraulic pump depended on if the transmission wasn't turning. With steering and brakes all by hydraulics that was a serious problem. I have a web page about fixing it. http://www.geraldj.networkiowa.com/4020si.htm
They changed so much in the hydraulics of the side console tractor that it doesn't have that problem and doesn't share parts, parts book, or operator's manuals. The side console tractor engine is significantly different in all details too.

My '68 gas 4020 is considered a gas hog. According to Nebraska tractor tests it is not fuel efficient but there was a similar vintage IH 686 gas hydrostat that was worse. The 4010 and early 4020 gas used either a Zenith carb or an odd Marvel-Shebler that used a vacuum diaphragm for the accelerator pump. I think the gas AC of that era and size used the same two carbs. The MS was so hard to tune and work on that a JD service bulletin I have says "If you can't tune it, install the Zenith."

The first year I had my 4020 it used 4 times the gas that my MF-135 took doing the same acres. It smoked like and IH diesel. I found a bunch of problems like the choke not opening because the cable sheath wasn't anchored near the carburetor and I got it down to only twice the MF135 fuel but it did the tillage in a lot less time with bigger implements.

As for the 6 cylinder engines, Oliver had gone that route long before the 4010 or AC.

The 4020 synchro range transmission shifter is very odd and takes learning to get along with it. It is not logical at all. The Power Shift was more logical and less fuel efficient.

Gerald J.

I have owned a 1961 JD3010 diesel for 18 years & accumulated some 4000+ hours on it. It starts better at colder temps, is very fuel efficient, & is handy for most smaller jobs. Over the years, I've replaced clutch, hydraulic pump, fuel pump, Trans top shaft, Trans synchronizers, 3pt load shaft, tires, & paint.