Oil & Fuel 2015 Branson 3520h DPF Issue

[Kentuckyfarmer]

Yesterday I used my Branson to move a bunch of snow with the FEL. I found the loader worked best (quick) at 2000 rpm. The tractor guzzled fuel pretty fiercely. When I mow or grade I prefer to run at 1500 rpm. The tractor isn't as noisy and the fuel efficiency goes way up. Is 1500 RPM for hours on end going to clog the Soot burner?

I couldn't tell you if running it at that rpm would lead to the doc clogging up. I wouldn't think so but could be wrong too. I started having problems because I idled it warming it up. I'm old and old school. Grew up on a farm and drove tractors for many years. Years ago we always warmed them up before using them and not run the guts out of them while they were cold. I believe and its only my opinion it isn't as hard on an engine if warmed up before you put it to work. Maybe the reason all those old tractors lasted so long. Every farmer that lived around us in those years did the same thing. I know now I can idle it, warm it up and run at what ever rpm I want to and not have to worry that a thousand dollar piece of junk is going to have to be replaced or serviced and I'm not running the crap out of it when it's not properly warmed up. It cost right around a hundred bucks and a couple hours to not have that worry on my old mind anymore. I say run it how ever you want to and if you start to have problems remove it. No more problems.

Also the closest dealer to work on this tractor for me is over a hundred miles away. This 2015 Branson is just as easy and as simple to work on as the 14 year old Kubota I have. I don't think I'll ever haul it a hundred miles to have it worked on. I'll think I can tackle anything that goes wrong with it myself.

 

[pblanton]

After having the DPF off now for a few days, I have come to the conclusion that the engine is mis-tuned and that's what has caused my DPF to clog solid after only 62 hours of use.

When I run it at mid-range, it runs fine, but when I run the throttle up to 80% it misses a bit and puffs smoke. At full throttle it misses like crazy and smokes like an advertising executive in the 1960's. Clearly it is making smoke way faster than the DPF can burn it off.

I'm taking it to the dealer for some warranty work and will have them clean the DPF and re-tune the engine so that it doesn't smoke so much... then after I bring it home. I'll put the muffler back on.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

After having the DPF off now for a few days, I have come to the conclusion that the engine is mis-tuned and that's what has caused my DPF to clog solid after only 62 hours of use.

When I run it at mid-range, it runs fine, but when I run the throttle up to 80% it misses a bit and puffs smoke. At full throttle it misses like crazy and smokes like an advertising executive in the 1960's. Clearly it is making smoke way faster than the DPF can burn it off.

I'm taking it to the dealer for some warranty work and will have them clean the DPF and re-tune the engine so that it doesn't smoke so much... then after I bring it home. I'll put the muffler back on.

How high in altitude are you? I wonder if these things are tuned for lower altitudes where they come from. Just a thought.

 

[tb8100]

How high in altitude are you? I wonder if these things are tuned for lower altitudes where they come from. Just a thought.

Not sure, but I have heard from quite a few end users that the naturally aspirated models (such as the 3520h and R) will quickly plug the DPF at certain altitudes, but the turbo models will not.

Worst comes to worst, buy the turbo that fits the 4020 and mount it on there. I'm not sure if there would need to be any fuel pump adjustment for the air/fuel ratio or if there's a difference in the compression ratio on the engine off the top of my head (probably not), but it would perform better than the naturally aspirated model.

 

[LincTex]

When I run it at mid-range, it runs fine, but when I run the throttle up to 80% it misses a bit and puffs smoke. At full throttle it misses like crazy and smokes like an advertising executive in the 1960's.

This bad.
Where do you get fuel from?
Is it a bio-diesel blend?

 

[pblanton]

I talked to the dealer today. They're at about 4500 feet and the tractors come to them tuned for sea level. They tune them for their altitude, but I live at 7000 feet.

The tech I talked to said there's not enough oxygen at this altitude for the amount of fuel, especially at high rpms.

I took the fel off today and loaded it on my trailer. I'm taking it to them tomorrow so they can tune it for my altitude, clean the dpf and button it back up. It's all under warranty.

 

[Kentuckyfarmer]

I talked to the dealer today. They're at about 4500 feet and the tractors come to them tuned for sea level. They tune them for their altitude, but I live at 7000 feet.

The tech I talked to said there's not enough oxygen at this altitude for the amount of fuel, especially at high rpms.

I took the fel off today and loaded it on my trailer. I'm taking it to them tomorrow so they can tune it for my altitude, clean the dpf and button it back up. It's all under warranty.

When I seen where you were from that's the first thing that came to mind. I'm at about 860 ft here but as I said in previous post I warm it up before using it. After a couple dozen times doing that I noticed problems. We will see how it does this spring when I take it to the field and start working it. Let us know how it turns out.

 

[pblanton]

I dropped it off at the shop yesterday and the tech said they would tune it for my altitude and "make it breathe better". He said, "It'll smoke a little more when we're done, but you won't have any more DPF issues.

I asked, "Are you going to punch out the insides of the DPF?"

He noticeably broke eye contact... looked away up into the sky and said, "No. We can't do that. We're just gonna make it breathe a little better and the result will be that it smokes a little more but the DPF won't clog again."

Then he looked back at me with a very slight smile.

I said, "Ok. Well, you're the experts." and shook his hand.

 

[LincTex]

I said, "Ok. Well, you're the experts." and shook his hand.

No.

I would say I've already spend an a$$load of money on another exhaust system. Provide me with a functioning DPF so I have one that works when I sell it.

 

[dancath]

Obviously you had the dpf back on when you brought it in.If it is under warranty why not just get a new one then put your diy back on if you think it might clog again.

I have a 4720hst don't know if it would work but I would be interested it buying it if it does.

Thanks

Dan