What Brand of Diesel Engine Does John Deere Use? (Solved & Explained!)

John Deere mainly uses diesel engines that the company makes itself. The brand is known for manufacturing some of the best diesel engines in North America. However, for some machines, John Deere will use Yanmar diesel engines in its utility tractors.

If you’re a fan of John Deere equipment, you may be wondering what brands of diesel engines are used in the mowers and tractors. On this page, we’re going to discuss what diesel engines are used in John Deere machines and everything else you should know about the topic. Keep reading to learn more.

What brand of diesel engines are used in John Deere tractors?

Most John Deere machines will use a John Deere diesel engine. John Deere has been designing and manufacturing its own brand of John Deere engines since 1949.

This is a great tactic from John Deere because using its own engine gives the brand a competitive edge against other names in the tractor industry that don’t use their own engines. However, John Deere has many different machines and there are some machines that use engines from different companies.

What other brand of diesel engine does John Deere use?

John Deere has had a contract with Yanmar since the 1970s to use the brand’s engines. If a machine is not able to use one of John Deere’s engines, it will most like have one from Yanmar because this brand is known for making compact diesel engines that are highly efficient.

The main Yanmar diesel engine used in John Deere machines is the Yanmar TNV Series 1.6 L 3-cylinder diesel engine. Most of the tractors from the John Deere V collection use this engine.

Which John Deere tractors have a Yanmar engine?

According to Tractors Fandom, there are almost 50 John Deere tractors that use a Yanmar brand engine. The first tractor to use a Yanmar engine was the John Deere 650, which was manufactured from 1981 to 1989.

Over the years, John Deere and Yanmar have founded a strong business relationship. Some of the more modern John Deere tractors that use Yanmar engines include the John Deere 3033R, 3046R, 2520, and more. 

Does John Deere make a turbocharged diesel engine?

John Deere does make a turbocharged diesel engine. The first John Deere turbocharged diesel engine was introduced in 1969 and was used in the John Deere 4520 row crop tractors.

The John Deere turbocharged engines are still used in many modern machines as they are able to give the engines more power and work more efficiently. 

Which brand of engines are used in John Deere mowers and lawn tractors?

John Deere makes a selection of its own diesel engines for mowers and lawn tractors that range from 48 hp to 648 hp. However, for machines that require engines below 48 hp, John Deere will use other brands.

While most of the engines under 48 hp for mowers will come from Yanmar, John Deere is also known to use Kawasaki engines on premium machines. For value mowers, they sometimes use Briggs & Stratton engines.

Does John Deere ever use Cummins diesel engines?

There are select John Deere machines that do use Cummins diesel engines. The John Deere 9R, 9RT, and 9RX all use the Cummins X15 diesel engine. 

John Deere and Cummins have a contract that goes back more than 30 years. Cummins manufactures heavy-duty and durable diesel engines in New York.

Are John Deere diesel engines good?

John Deere makes some of the best diesel engines for farm equipment and machinery. The company is known for manufacturing a reliable engine that is powerful and fuel-efficient. 

The John Deere brand engines are much quieter than other diesel engines in the industry. Just like the tractors, people can expect nothing but the highest standard in quality with John Deere diesel engines.

How long do John Deere diesel engines last?

If you are using a smaller John Deere machine, such as a mower or lawn tractor, the diesel engine should last for 6,000 to 8,000 hours of use. With larger machines that require a bigger engine, owners can typically get 8,000 to 10,000 hours of use. 

The average John Deere tractor will get 100 to 200 hours of use each year. This means that smaller tractors could get 30 to 80 years, while the diesel engine in larger tractors could last a lifetime.

How do you make a John Deere diesel engine last longer?

John Deere engines are designed to last for a very long time, but with the right level of maintenance, they could last even longer than expected. Every tractor owner should ensure that their machine gets annual maintenance before they use it for the season.

One of the key things to make sure you do is change the engine oil to start the season with clean oil. Old engine oil that is leftover from last season will become thick and gunky, which could begin to clog internal parts of your engine. 

What is the most powerful John Deere engine?

The most powerful John Deere engine is currently the John Deere Power System 13.6 L engine. According to For Construction Pros, this is the first engine of its kind in this generation.

They believe this engine is designed to meet the needs of the global market over future years. The maximum speed of this engine exceeds 684 hp.

Are John Deere diesel engines worth it?

While machines that use John Deere diesel engines may be pricier, many people believe they are worth the price and the brand has the highest customer satisfaction rating. While you may pay a higher price upfront for a John Deere machine with a premium John Deere diesel engine, these machines are known to pay for themselves in the long run.

Each John Deere engine is built to last over many decades and they rarely ever need repairs. If a John Deere owner keeps their machine well maintained, it likely won’t need any repairs.