Two Things about Diesel engines...

[hill]

1) Does anyone concern themselves about monitoring the exhaust gas temperatures generated by their diesel tractor engines enough to install an egt gauge?


2)Has anyone investigated the possibility of increasing the power (torque and horsepower) of their diesel tractor engines by changes to the fueling and air intake rates by manipulation of the injection system?



I have two Dodge trucks with Cummins engines that are both boosted by the replacement of a simple metering plate in the injection pump, and I installed gauges in both in order to be sure that I was within acceptable combustion temperatures. Diesels can heat up very dangerously when under load.

 

[patrick_g]

If you don't HOTROD the tractor then you don't really need the gauge. If the diesel is normally aspirated (non-turbo) you probably don't need the gauge. With a turbo, the gauge might have minor benefits like showing you when it is safe to shut down by showing when the turbo would have cooled enough to not coke up the oil in its bearings.

Just turning up the fueling with a "plate" or messing with the injection adjustments can lower your fuel economy and increase your smoke a whole lot more than increase your power while lowering efficiency. For more power you need to BURN more fuel not just inject more fuel.

I changed the pump and injectors on my Dodge-Cumins and got more HP, torque, AND economy by burning the fuel more completely. I added a pyro so I could be sure I didn't melt anything when loaded on a grade. It gave me a way to know when to let up a little.

Pat

 

[hill]

I know all of that and don't need lectures. I ASKED if anyone had addressed either subject in running the small diesel powered tractors.
My next question might have been about the gauge and where the pickup was installed as for me 'probably don't need' is dangerous phraseology.

At one time one of my trucks was dyno'ing a little over 750 hp and 900 ft lbs. I was quite a bit into diesel drags but haven't been for some almost three years, so I've backed that truck down so it'll be more drivable in snow.. Still, my camper truck uses a plate from a specializing company to boost hp and torque from 160 to 230 hp and from 430 to 680 ft lbs with no other changes to the engine and increased fuel economy as well. Although i've let my membership lapse I'm 'krs' in TDR.

If you don't HOTROD the tractor then you don't really need the gauge. If the diesel is normally aspirated (non-turbo) you probably don't need the gauge. With a turbo, the gauge might have minor benefits like showing you when it is safe to shut down by showing when the turbo would have cooled enough to not coke up the oil in its bearings.

Just turning up the fueling with a "plate" or messing with the injection adjustments can lower your fuel economy and increase your smoke a whole lot more than increase your power while lowering efficiency. For more power you need to BURN more fuel not just inject more fuel.

I changed the pump and injectors on my Dodge-Cumins and got more HP, torque, AND economy by burning the fuel more completely. I added a pyro so I could be sure I didn't melt anything when loaded on a grade. It gave me a way to know when to let up a little.

Pat

 

[milkman]

1. NO

2. NO

 

[hill]

1. NO

2. NO

thank you.

 

[Dieselmh]

1. No. If my tractor were turboed, then I might.

2. No. I thought about it when I was looking at buying a used tractor to fix up, but from what I found, there aren't many people who do simple power mods to tractors. It seems that once you start, it's a quick spiral into heavy mods and major power, which my wallet wouldn't like. I decided to buy new and leave it alone.

 

[ducati996]

I know all of that and don't need lectures. I ASKED if anyone had addressed either subject in running the small diesel powered tractors.
My next question might have been about the gauge and where the pickup was installed as for me 'probably don't need' is dangerous phraseology.

At one time one of my trucks was dyno'ing a little over 750 hp and 900 ft lbs. I was quite a bit into diesel drags but haven't been for some almost three years, so I've backed that truck down so it'll be more drivable in snow.. Still, my camper truck uses a plate from a specializing company to boost hp and torque from 160 to 230 hp and from 430 to 680 ft lbs with no other changes to the engine and increased fuel economy as well. Although i've let my membership lapse I'm 'krs' in TDR.

I dont think he was lecturing you -it certainly didnt read that way to me...

either way best of luck finding what you seek

 

[milkman]

I dont think he was lecturing you -it certainly didnt read that way to me...

either way best of luck finding what you seek

You didn't answer the questions either.

 

[crbr]

You didn't answer the questions either.

LMAO.....

I was skEErt to say no twice....

 

[john_bud]

1) Does anyone concern themselves about monitoring the exhaust gas temperatures generated by their diesel tractor engines enough to install an egt gauge?


2)Has anyone investigated the possibility of increasing the power (torque and horsepower) of their diesel tractor engines by changes to the fueling and air intake rates by manipulation of the injection system?



I have two Dodge trucks with Cummins engines that are both boosted by the replacement of a simple metering plate in the injection pump, and I installed gauges in both in order to be sure that I was within acceptable combustion temperatures. Diesels can heat up very dangerously when under load.

Serious answers.

1) Non turbo diesel engines really can't get hot enough to melt anything. One of the nice things about diesel fuel.

2) A few people have done that in the past. Maybe even a few here have heard of them. John Deere, Kubota, Allis Chalmers, Ford, New Holland among others. Manufacturers do it all the time. Often you can too with just the twist of the wrist and some calibration exptertise. Don't expect to go big like your cummins or my Duramax. But 2-5 hp is a very reasonable gain to expect. Some of the larger engines in the 60's and 70's used to go from 60-80hp with just fueling changes.


I have more hp on my stock Kubota L3410 than the tires can put to the ground for most things. BUT, 3-5 more hp would be nice when maxing out the loader plowing into a pile of spoils and the engine dies....

jb