LSD instead of ULSD in Kubota Interim TIER 4

[Kinja98]

Question:
What is the consequence or risk in using LSD fuel ( 500 ppm) in a Kubota M5140 or M7140 with a Tier 4 interim engine?
What should be done / added to the LSD to avoid problems?
Any experience and advice greatly appeciated.
Want to buy a Kubota, but in my area only LSD available. Getting conflicting advice.

rgrd
Kinja

 

[DT86]

I highly doubt that the fuel is actually LSD.


Ultra-low-sulfur diesel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


"Ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel was proposed by EPA as a new standard for the sulfur content in on-road diesel fuel sold in the United States since October 15, 2006, except for rural Alaska who transferred in 2010. California has required it since September 1, 2006. This new regulation applies to all diesel fuel, diesel fuel additives and distillate fuels blended with diesel for on-road use, such as kerosene, however, it does not yet apply to railroad locomotives, marine, or off road uses. Since December 1, 2010, all highway diesel fuel have been ULSD. Non-road diesel engine fuel was required to move to 500 ppm sulfur in 2007, and further to ULSD in 2010. Railroad locomotive and marine diesel fuel also moved to 500 ppm sulfur in 2007, and will change to ULSD in 2012. There are exemptions for small refiners of non-road, locomotive and marine diesel fuel that allow for 500 ppm diesel to remain in the system until 2014. After December 1, 2014 all highway, non-road, locomotive and marine diesel fuel produced and imported will be ULSD."

 

[Copperhead]

I sure wouldn't run LSD in a Tier 4 setup. But like has been stated, doubt that LSD is all that common anymore. ULSD is the defacto standard for just about every fuel outlet nowadays. I haven't seen any LSD at the farmer's coop or anywhere else for quite a while.

 

[mus302]

Here is what the Tier 4 emission standard is all about.

Nonroad Diesel Engines | US EPA

Here is a quote from that page.

"To meet these Tier 4 emission standards, engine manufacturers will produce new engines with advanced emission control technologies similar to those already expected for highway trucks and buses. Exhaust emissions from these engines will decrease by more than 90 percent. Because the emission control devices can be damaged by sulfur, we have also adopted requirements for in-use diesel fuel to decrease sulfur levels by more than 99 percent. The resulting Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel Fuel has a maximum sulfur concentration of 15 parts per million."

My guess is that to reach Tier 4 compliance a catalytic converter and a particulate filter are required and both could be damaged by using fuel with a higher sulfur content.

 

[MHarryE]

The 2 tractors you mention do nothing exotic to get to Tier 4 interim (they are less than 75 HP). They do have EGR to reduce NOX and I'm not sure how sensitive the EGR system is to sulfur. If you live in a place where these tractors are sold, however, the diesel you get should be ULSD. Companies like Caterpillar who have customers dependent on selling their used machines in lower regulated areas have engine modification kits that enable those machines to run okay on the high sulfur fuel.

 

[mus302]

The EGR system shouldn't be too sensitive to sulfur content. The sulfur content has an effect on the amount of particulate matter (soot) produced. On LSD the EGR valve would probably have to be cleaned more often than on ULSD.

I have a 2006 Ford F250 with the 6.0L PowerStroke. It was designed to run on LSD and even on ULSD I have to clean my EGR valve every 30,000 miles or so.

 

[crazyal]

Did you check under your fuel filler door? I do believe my T4 interim says that either LSD or ULSD are fine to use.

 

[SPYDERLK]

The problem with the LSD is that you wont care.