DPF Question

sheepfarmer

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L3560, B2650, Gator, Ingersoll mower
Nov 14, 2014
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when we dropped it off it was "beeping" and the shop guys said..." well that's good" at least we know THAT is working" . they said "you should see the way these things come in sometimes...."
No telling exactly what the tech meant, but my spin on this would be a comment on the number of operators he's met who mess up their new tier 4 tractors by not following the directions on proper use. This seems to happen for a variety of reasons starting with insufficient dealer training or training by owner of employees. Practically no one reads the owner's manual and the regen directions are hard to follow. Furthermore, if someone listens to what owners of older tractors tell them about leaving a tractor idling, they will get into trouble. These engines are different with the common rail injection, way easier starting, and dpf filters that thrive on heavy use. If folks ignore the lights on the dash or don't know what they mean and keep on running the tractor they can plug up the dpf filter. Complaints about regen problems in the L tractors on this forum have been rare, but have included people making mistakes. I am with eserv, if you get this tractor fixed up and treat it right you will have a dandy tractor. Look at it this way, that filter is keeping soot particles out of YOUR lungs! Maybe 20 years from now you won't get cancer or COPD. :)
 

angelo c

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Couple a wheel barrows, shovels and beer
Dec 23, 2019
49
2
8
Neshanic NJ
No telling exactly what the tech meant, but my spin on this would be a comment on the number of operators he's met who mess up their new tier 4 tractors by not following the directions on proper use. This seems to happen for a variety of reasons starting with insufficient dealer training or training by owner of employees. Practically no one reads the owner's manual and the regen directions are hard to follow. Furthermore, if someone listens to what owners of older tractors tell them about leaving a tractor idling, they will get into trouble. These engines are different with the common rail injection, way easier starting, and dpf filters that thrive on heavy use. If folks ignore the lights on the dash or don't know what they mean and keep on running the tractor they can plug up the dpf filter. Complaints about regen problems in the L tractors on this forum have been rare, but have included people making mistakes. I am with eserv, if you get this tractor fixed up and treat it right you will have a dandy tractor. Look at it this way, that filter is keeping soot particles out of YOUR lungs! Maybe 20 years from now you won't get cancer or COPD. :)
Well put. This is clearly not yer pappies farmall. But some folks have been runnin rhese things since the japs bombed pearl harbor....dont tell me how to run this thing.

Does anybody know if the ecu I'm these tractors holds a memory ? Maybe I could track the regen history and see how badly it was/wasn't run
 

JeffL

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B7200E, B4200DT
Jan 8, 2016
344
6
18
North Central Ar.
Worked for a guy about 20 years ago that said: "I'm no tree huger, but I do want to leave something for my kids" Never heard anything better than that for our world situation.
 

angelo c

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Couple a wheel barrows, shovels and beer
Dec 23, 2019
49
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Worked for a guy about 20 years ago that said: "I'm no tree huger, but I do want to leave something for my kids" Never heard anything better than that for our world situation.
I get it...nobody "Wants" to make the environment a mess....but
Some of the chit the Govt shoehorns down the publics throat is not helping much in the real world applications. Some of these diesel engines get WAYYYY better fuel mileage without all this emissions stuff so exactly how does burning MORE fuel help the environment, How does ethanol that destroys rubbers in most OPE save the environment when it ruins the machines its running it... my point is if the Government wants to impose its will on a group then it should bear the consequences as well. We as operators are being forced to eat this mess and be the test pilot and the willing financial "partner" for almost NO benefit to US FOR IT.
Off the soapbox for now.
 

JeffL

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B7200E, B4200DT
Jan 8, 2016
344
6
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North Central Ar.
I almost agree with everything you said. The one incorrect statement I will respond to: "for almost NO benefit to US FOR IT." Our kids and grand kids will have a chance for a descent world.
Nobody said it would be easy and nobody has all the answers. Yes all the world is learn as you go.
 

sheepfarmer

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Double check your data on fuel economy. I believe the new Kubota engines, even with the regen cycles, get very good fuel useage. We have had a couple people checking theirs on the forum, and my 3560 keeps a record, I could look it up if you are curious. Of course it depends on use. Everyone assumes it must be bad because of the regen cycle, but not so. Most of them regen during normal use.

Pretty much everyone hates being told what to do, and digs in their toes. The environmental regs seem to produce that effect, even the ones that make sense. I was going to run away from home and join the army when I was about 10. My mother just laughed at me and said I'd never make it, I hated to be told what to do :D.
 

lugbolt

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ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
4,807
1,575
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Mid, South, USA
They'll cover a cleaning IF there was some sort of problem that led to a soot level 4 or 5 (requiring cleaning), but tech has to fully document what the problem was and how the problem contributed to excessive soot buildup without a regeneration. For instance, turbo failure, spews oil into the exhaust, plugs the DPF. But if a claim were to be submitted as "DPF dirty, cleaned it", that's not going to fly and it will get charged back to the dealer, who charges it back to the customer if they can't prove anything else.

I have not had to replace one. Yet. That, too, is not any fun, have to document a bunch of stuff and that information goes to Kubota who has to keep the documentation indefinitely, per government. So that's another expense, server and data collection. That's yet one more reason that epa/emissions/common rail parts cost as much as they do.

-----BUT-----

for the most part, they've been mostly trouble free. A few here & there and most of them have been owner/user related (water in the fuel, gas in fuel, poor fuel, lack of maintenance, and wrong/too much oil).

As said these are no longer the old grandpa tractors that will run for 50 years with nothing but oil changes.
 

angelo c

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Couple a wheel barrows, shovels and beer
Dec 23, 2019
49
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8
Neshanic NJ
Double check your data on fuel economy :D.
maybe you should drive my 5.9 cummins and then jump in a 6.7 and pay for fuel ? I get 15 mpg towing a trailer and a L3901...bet you aint doing that in a 6.7. you'd be happy with the 15 empty and 9/10 loaded.

Maybe we should invite an independent OTR long Hauler for his opinion when it cuts his take home pay.

I see your point in a small tractor that the recoup time is shorter but how many tractors are there really operating and how many man hours are they real world accumulating where a real positive effect is occurring ?
I don't know and I doubt anyone can prove any direct correlation with scientific data.

My point is NOT that there should be NO cleaner burning machines but that the end user should not bear ALL the brunt of the possible outcomes of that risk of "real world" results.

Anybody remember SRECs ? how were they subsidized ?
 

sheepfarmer

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L3560, B2650, Gator, Ingersoll mower
Nov 14, 2014
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Trucks I can't comment on. Mine is a 2003, and before that a 79...
 

Fido Farms

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L3901, 35 Massey, Summit X 146, Polaris 700 RMK, Yamaha Viking
May 27, 2018
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18
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There is actually a company in Poland that does dpf deletes. It’s a long way for warranty work. Buyer beware Haha
 

angelo c

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Couple a wheel barrows, shovels and beer
Dec 23, 2019
49
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8
Neshanic NJ
There is actually a company in Poland that does dpf deletes. It’s a long way for warranty work. Buyer beware Haha
they come up on any "search" for DPF Delete. I actually emailed them and they were not willing to work "over seas" . PRetty sure you have to bring the machine to them. Which would be an issue here in the States. I can only imagine what the Federales would do to that type of organization.
 

GreensvilleJay

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BX23-S,57 A-C D-14,58 A-C D-14, 57 A-C D-14,tiller,cults,Millcreek 25G spreader,
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On a recent 'Gold Rush' episode, the brand new huge diesel powered water pump kept stopping. Seems the computer downloaded new software.faulty of course. The 'bush fix' was to remove 100% of the computer controlled exhaust and go 'old skool'. These guys lost 1,000s per hour not having water so I understand the 'get it up and running, NOW' requirement.
 

angelo c

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Couple a wheel barrows, shovels and beer
Dec 23, 2019
49
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8
Neshanic NJ
so a Quick update and a follow up question. First of All she is finally home. Kubota and shop took care of the DPF work under warranty. ( thank God- looks like it was just a bake off of DPF) a bunch of sensors were replaced and some were "realigned" in the brake so its not so sensitive to positioning- required to start... so all in all Im happy with the new-to-me toy.

Question centers around "smell"...it just doesn't smell like any other "Diesel" Ive ever been around. Wondering if they have a "new" smell when the DPF filter burns it self in after a few hours or so or do the Tier4 tractors just NOT smell like diesel ? Been around Cummins and JEt-A for years and nothing smells better then "diesel in the morning"...
 

wgator

Active member

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L4701HST, FEL and other stuff.
Jul 28, 2018
482
147
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NC
My L4701 with DPF doesn't normally smell like the old school Diesel engine when operating normally, when in regen it has a different smell, kinda hard to describe, but not like the non dpf diesel.
 

angelo c

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Equipment
Couple a wheel barrows, shovels and beer
Dec 23, 2019
49
2
8
Neshanic NJ
My L4701 with DPF doesn't normally smell like the old school Diesel engine when operating normally, when in regen it has a different smell, kinda hard to describe, but not like the non dpf diesel.
Haven't been through a Regen yet, to compare to a "normal" DPF smell...I don't mind my Cummins sooting up e'ry thing....Rollin coal is Fine by me. And JET-A...Prounouced "je-TAY" as in French was a term of endearment :)