The first thing most people are going to notice about Bandit’s gasoline engine options compared to the Tier 4 Final diesel engines is the price. A gasoline engine is going to cost thousands of dollars less.
Sure it’ll save you some money on your initial purchase price, but gasoline engines are going to run for thousands of dollars less over the course of their life compared to Tier 4 Final diesel engine counterparts. In fact, based on today’s prices, after 2,000 hours of run time a Bandit chipper with a gasoline engine compared to a similar horsepower diesel engine, could save between $4,000 to $6,000 just in operating costs.
And these gas engines are industrial grade, certified by the EPA to 10,000 hours and offer the same warranty protection as diesel engines.
That’s not to say there’s no place in this industry for diesel engines anymore. Diesel power is still legendary for producing torque. But operators of gasoline engines enjoy a few advantages of their own. Gas engines have a faster recovery time when the engine lugs down. Gasoline engines don’t require diesel exhaust fluid (DEF). You’re going to see that it costs more to operate and maintain a diesel engine.
Looking back in time a little bit, there’s a history of using gasoline engines to power wood-processing machines. In fact, Bandit’s first Model 100 Brush Bandit wood chippers were powered by a slew of gasoline engine options, from four-cylinder and six-cylinder Ford, Chrysler, Onan and Wisconsin motors. In 1987 we even produced an electric Model 100.
But modern industrial-grade gasoline engines have come a long way in the intervening years. These new-generation engines deliver all the horsepower of their diesel counterparts, but more importantly, they deliver comparable levels of low-end torque to muscle through limbs and trees like a diesel.
Three gasoline engine options are currently available for Bandit’s mid-level hand-fed chippers—a 3.0-liter four cylinder producing 89 horsepower and 185 lb-ft of torque, and a 4.3-liter V-6 producing 130 horsepower and 295 lb-ft of torque. We also offer a 5.7 liter six cylinder producing 165 horsepower. All engines are manufactured by General Motors and are backed with a 3-year/3,500-hour warranty.
Let Bandit show you how running a gasoline engine can save you money. Contact your nearest authorized Bandit dealer to arrange a demonstration of a chipper with a gasoline engine.