I'm no longer a virgin

bikerdib

Member

Equipment
L4701 with FEL, BH92 backhoe
Oct 5, 2010
210
14
18
Wallis, Texas
I've been running my new 2019 L4701 around 1700 to 2000 RPM max during the break-in hours. I never let it idle more than a couple of seconds. If I have to stop for a short time, I either shut down or run it at around 1200 RPM instead of dropping all the way to idle.

The use so far has been some mowing with the rotary cutter, moving dirt with the FEL, pulling out small Huisache trees with the backhoe and moving said trees into piles with the FEL/grappel. This evening I was moving some dirt to fill in the holes that remain after removing the trees when I notice a slight change in the exhaust sound and maybe a slight drop in the RPM.. I look at the dash and yep, the regent light is on. Perfect timing since I was about to shut down for the day. So I bump the RPM from 1700 to 2000 and continue to work. After about 15 minutes or so, I again notice a change in the sound and the RPM jump up a little (still unsure if there was an actual change in the RPM or just a different sound to the exhaust). No drama, no worries.

I think the biggest effect is that now I can't seem to get rid of the lingering smell from the exhaust fumes in my nose, or maybe it's just my imagination.
 

bucktail

Well-known member

Equipment
L1500DT, 6' king kutter back blade, boom, dirt scoop ford disk JD212
Jun 13, 2016
1,232
177
63
MN
Had a lingering smell when I lost mine too but it twernt exhaust...
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,284
3,873
113
Chenango County, NY
Lost mine too... oh man, believe me, I smelled and heard things...cherish them to this day ........[emoji41]
Holy smokes, you mean a regen....[emoji15]
Was a “regen” for me back then too![emoji12]
Seriously, glad it went without a hitch!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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bucktail

Well-known member

Equipment
L1500DT, 6' king kutter back blade, boom, dirt scoop ford disk JD212
Jun 13, 2016
1,232
177
63
MN
Flip will be by shortly to expound on the virtues of pressure washing.
 

RCW

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
BX2360, FEL, MMM, BX2750D snowblower. 1953 Minneapolis Moline ZAU
Apr 28, 2013
8,284
3,873
113
Chenango County, NY
Their just jealous about not being able to manage those RPM’s..........
True there!

I had issues with throttle then, and do now in a different way...

I find that now approaching 60 years old, I have issues with my throttle, especially with the snow blower..... figured experience would have fixed it.... guess not....

Now I find I can't generate sufficient RPMs at times to throw anything....

I used to prematurely throw snow across the road.....I had to think about baseball to avoid it.....[emoji3]

Sent from my QTASUN1 using Tapatalk
 
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bikerdib

Member

Equipment
L4701 with FEL, BH92 backhoe
Oct 5, 2010
210
14
18
Wallis, Texas
Just remember that the older it gets, the easier it is to maintain consistent throttle control.
But unfortunately, sometimes the starter doesn't want to work anymore making a booster start necessary.
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
I've been running my new 2019 L4701 around 1700 to 2000 RPM max during the break-in hours. I never let it idle more than a couple of seconds. If I have to stop for a short time, I either shut down or run it at around 1200 RPM instead of dropping all the way to idle..............No drama, no worries.
If you "never let it idle for more than a couple of seconds" than you have plenty of drama and worries. A DPF performing a regen is not rocket science, and there should be no expectation of trouble.

And while prolonged idling isn't ideal, don't be afraid to idle. I let mine idle for a couple of hours last fall just to run worklights at night. Extended idling simply means the DPF will fill up a little faster.

As for break-in...all jokes aside mine was put into service and run wide open for basically it's first 67 hours, and that was when I performed the first oil change. It's going to be fine.
 

bikerdib

Member

Equipment
L4701 with FEL, BH92 backhoe
Oct 5, 2010
210
14
18
Wallis, Texas
I know idling isn't going to damage anything, I just prefer to minimize the regens as much as possible. It is a simple matter to just keep the RPMs at around 1200 when standing instead of dropping all the way to idle. And the term seconds is an exaggeration on my part.

Does anyone know how the system dumps extra diesel into the DPF during a regen? Is it directly injected somewhere in the exhaust or does the system send more diesel through the cylinders?
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
It injects diesel during the overlap of the power stroke and exhaust stroke, causing the fuel to head down the exhaust and into the DOC.
 

bikerdib

Member

Equipment
L4701 with FEL, BH92 backhoe
Oct 5, 2010
210
14
18
Wallis, Texas
Thanks. My concern with that is cylinder oil wash (the diesel washing the oil film off the cylinder wall) and oil dilution. And that is why I prefer fo minimize the frequency of regen.

Raming a piston in a dry cylinder is not a good thing, it must be properly lubricated...:D
 
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troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
Thanks. My concern with that is cylinder oil wash (the diesel washing the oil film off the cylinder wall) and oil dilution. And that is why I prefer fo minimize the frequency of regen.

Raming a piston in a dry cylinder is not a good thing, it must be properly lubricated...:D
No doubt, but keep in mind this is how the Ford Powerstroke and RAM Cummins 6.7L engines also perform their regens. There really is no concern with cylinder washing...especially since we are talking diesel and not gasoline...but rather the concern with frequent regens using the exhaust stroke method is crankcase oil dilution with diesel fuel via blow-by. This is why typically you see large oil sump capacities on diesel engines, particularly those that have a DPF. You can tell if this is a problem if you engine seems to be 'making oil' rather than using it during oil change intervals, or simply staying the same. However, I really have no concern. I don't think you'll ever cause engine damage by 'too many' regens but rather you'd start to be concerned about having to replace your DPF.
 

bikerdib

Member

Equipment
L4701 with FEL, BH92 backhoe
Oct 5, 2010
210
14
18
Wallis, Texas
And that becomes worse as the engine gets older and the rings no longer seal at 100%

Another reason I am taking my time to give the engine the factory recommended break in.
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
And that becomes worse as the engine gets older and the rings no longer seal at 100%

Another reason I am taking my time to give the engine the factory recommended break in.
Just so you know, the rings don't seal at 100% even when the engine is new. Some blow-by always exists.

By the time any of this ever becomes a problem, your tractor would probably have 15,000 or more hours on it. So in other words, it'll never be a problem!

If you are concerned about oil dilution, you can change your oil a bit sooner than the interval, or you can send a sample to Blackstone Labs for full analysis including fuel dilution.
 

bikerdib

Member

Equipment
L4701 with FEL, BH92 backhoe
Oct 5, 2010
210
14
18
Wallis, Texas
I understand they never really seal at 100%, I was just referring to perspective of new vs older, higher hour engine.

You have to understand, I am usually over cautious about things I will have to, or already have invested money in. I guess it's just the way I was raised by my dad since he worked VERY hard for everything he ever bought.
 

troverman

Well-known member

Equipment
MX6000 HSTC; 2020 Kubota Z421KW-54 zero turn mower
Jun 9, 2015
1,184
263
83
NH
I understand they never really seal at 100%, I was just referring to perspective of new vs older, higher hour engine.

You have to understand, I am usually over cautious about things I will have to, or already have invested money in. I guess it's just the way I was raised by my dad since he worked VERY hard for everything he ever bought.
And there's nothing wrong with that! You are following the very best practices possible; from my perspective it's not necessary but you should have great luck with your equipment.