Tractor Sizing L4060 vs L4760 - what makes the extra HP

[MHarryE]

Engines are a commodity and even in house, like Kubota engines inter-plant transfer will cost the tractor plant more even if it’s flashing different software in the memory. Plants run as their own profit centers, may lose money on the transfer of the low power engine and make money on the higher power version. Sometimes there are other changes but often volume dictates common parts. One prime example I have is 156 hp and 175 hp engines identical except for software. I had a personal code allowing me to flash the software so I could make the change for test purposes but we weren’t allowed to keep one engine number in stock and flash the software on the assembly line. Engine division needed to certify power so we had to coordinate 2 different part numbers with software being only difference.

 

[SDT]

Engines are a commodity and even in house, like Kubota engines inter-plant transfer will cost the tractor plant more even if it’s flashing different software in the memory. Plants run as their own profit centers, may lose money on the transfer of the low power engine and make money on the higher power version. Sometimes there are other changes but often volume dictates common parts. One prime example I have is 156 hp and 175 hp engines identical except for software. I had a personal code allowing me to flash the software so I could make the change for test purposes but we weren’t allowed to keep one engine number in stock and flash the software on the assembly line. Engine division needed to certify power so we had to coordinate 2 different part numbers with software being only difference.

Bingo, and such is not without cost.

SDT

 

[jjp8182]

Bingo, and such is not without cost.

SDT

..or risks and changes to overall engine life. Latter may not make much difference for most compact tractor users, but it always depends.

Usually those performance gains are obtained by running higher in-cylinder pressures (which generally affect injection timing and strategies). Have been on the periphery of developing/testing/certifying those types of software differences for non-tractor related diesel engines. So the different part number for the engine just because of the software differences usually does make sense given the potential changes in maintenance and engine life caused by the different performance characteristics.

....again may not make much difference for most compact tractor users, but something to consider if/when you're not the average tractor user (or expect to keep the tractor for a very long time).

Just my :2cents:

 

[tradosaurus]

Having the L3301 I would love to find out if there is a way to flash it to make it a L3901. :laughing:

 

[Fallon]

Having the L3301 I would love to find out if there is a way to flash it to make it a L3901. :laughing:

The L3200 & L3800 had different displacement. I think the same block, just larger cylinders. I'd expect the L3301 & L3901 to be the same. Quite possible to just be software though as they made the leap from mechanical injection to electronic going from the 00s to 01s.