Oil & Fuel 2015 Branson 3520h DPF Issue

[ericm979]

If my DPF clogs and I have to replace it with a muffler I'll be bummed as I hate breathing sooty diesel exhaust. So far I'm at 120 hours and it's running fine. Could be that the 42 hours of PTO chipper operation keeps the DPF clean.

I wonder if the injection timing has been retarded from the factory to reduce NOx. That also increases soot, but the DPF would take care of that (unless it's clogged). If you're getting rid of the DPF then setting the timing to optimum (if it isn't now) could reduce soot and may prodvide a performance increase or fuel consumption decrease, at the cost of increasing NOx emissions.

 

[ptsg]

I don't think that removing the DPF would cause it to smoke to the point of feeling it in the air.

I mean, on my F36, same as the 3515 for the US but without all of the DPF crap and it runs really really clean. That thing doesn't even smoke at all. Can't even smell the smoke in the air on a closed garage. Just a little puff at the start up and that's all. Even under load it won't smoke.

To be honest it seems that the DPF on these tractors is just to meet the government emissions restrictions. This system is so simple that I doubt it will be really effective with the emissions. It will just make it burn way more fuel since they want us to run wide open.

 

[Warsign]

I don't think that removing the DPF would cause it to smoke to the point of feeling it in the air.

I mean, on my F36, same as the 3515 for the US but without all of the DPF crap and it runs really really clean. That thing doesn't even smoke at all. Can't even smell the smoke in the air on a closed garage. Just a little puff at the start up and that's all. Even under load it won't smoke.

To be honest it seems that the DPF on these tractors is just to meet the government emissions restrictions. This system is so simple that I doubt it will be really effective with the emissions. It will just make it burn way more fuel since they want us to run wide open.

Can you share some photos of how your exhaust is routed from your manifold > Muffler > exhaust pipe?

 

[ptsg]

Sure.

This some pictures I've found on the internet. It's late here so I can't go over to the tractor. If you need a couple more, just tell me, I will take some pictures of my tractor.

The first one is from a F36, not turbo. The other one if from a 00 series tractor with turbo.

 

[cottwood]

I have a 3520h. I replaced my dpf with a muffler and it is not any louder and it doesn’t smoke anymore than with the dpf on it. It runs great! I can idle all I want and don’t have to run wide open for loader work. Uses much less fuel! I think the fuel savings will pay for the swap. About $400 at genes muffler shop in castle rock, CO.

 

[ning]

I'm only at 110h on my 3520h (got it about a year ago), but my experience - a lot of my use wasn't at high RPM (post-hole digging and a variety of chores learning how to tractor), and one day I was doing a bit more loader work and going up my "steep" hill at about 2000rpm the tractor started smoking a bit, which startled me, until I realized that it was finally running hot enough to cook the DPF and was burning off accumulated stuff. The smoke passed in a few minutes (very few), and in the next 40 hours I haven't seen it again, and there hasn't been any other changes in how the tractor operates though I've been doing a lot more 2000+rpm work digging (with BH) and moving about 100y of dirt.

I have some suspicions that my hydraulics aren't quite right (can barely push front end up with the FEL, and backhoe seems pretty anemic) but so far my tractor's been everything I need it to be; when I was researching which tractor to choose, I figured if the DPF ever became an issue a muffler swap or straight pipe would be my choice as well.

 

[dancath]

I have a 4720h about 100 hrs. My even cheaper way was to pull the canister off then drill or punch enough holes to shake all the platinum out then replace.

Iff you get into a work hard situation you will burn more fuel thus more smoke because there is nothing left to trap it. I can now idle all day if I have to or run wide open all burning less fuel. I am real happy with my fix.

Dan

 

[dancath]

I have a 4720h about 100 hrs. My even cheaper way was to pull the canister off then drill or punch enough holes to shake all the platinum out then replace.

Iff you get into a work hard situation you will burn more fuel thus more smoke because there is nothing left to trap it. I can now idle all day if I have to or run wide open all burning less fuel. I am real happy with my fix.

Dan

 

[Warsign]

Thanks for the photo PTSG, I believe I can order the muffler from Branson. I would prefer to just swap out than damage the DPF filer.

 

[Texasmark]

Really makes you wonder why everyone else went with electronic injection.

Everybody else aren't sporting CUMMINS engines. Wink!