Regeneration

[GregP27]

Just for the sake of correct information, idling a diesel for extended periods is NOT bad for the engine. Working only as hard as it needs to work for a job is NOT bad for a diesel.

Go watch anyone who owns a Mahindra work. They don't have a DPF and run their diesels as they want to with no issues related to engine speed.

I acknowledge that low rpm might be bad for a DOF but, if you don't HAVE one, you don't have an issue. Running an engine at 2,500+ rpm all the time will absolutely cause more wear than running one easy. Since diesels last a long time, it might not be apparent for a good long time, but higher engine speed does cause higher wear. It might not be a lot, and it might be that you'd run a diesel hard all the time if you didn't have a DPF, but engine wear is directly tied to many things, including cleanliness of oil, load, rpm, and quality of air entering the mixture.

To be sure, you may run 2,000+ rpm all the time to save the cost of working on a DPF, but it is NOT to save your diesel engine from low rpm stress. I would not do much work at idle, but there is a LOT of work that can be done at 1,500 rpm, about half a typical tractor's diesel max rpm.

 

[Sawworcs]

If you are working your CK or NX above 1800RPM the tractor will do what is called a Auto regen where you keep on working....if you are ***** footing around then a manual regen will be needed and that is where the tractor needs to be parked with the brake on, in netruel and and hold the regen button down for 4 seconds. The tractor will then will rev up and preform the regen for about 30 minutes.

 

[TN8Man]

If you are working your CK or NX above 1800RPM the tractor will do what is called a Auto regen where you keep on working....if you are ***** footing around then a manual regen will be needed and that is where the tractor needs to be parked with the brake on, in netruel and and hold the regen button down for 4 seconds. The tractor will then will rev up and preform the regen for about 30 minutes.

I read my ck35 manual and didn't find any mention of a auto regeneration. I have never experienced a auto regeneration on my ck35 but I have seen the regeneration warning light come on and go off without the regeneration process execution ... this is when I started to research what I needed to do for the regeneration process. The manual just states to follow these steps if the regeneration warning light lamp comes on:
1. Park the tractor on a flat surface.
2. Idle the engine.
3. Depress the brake pedals and lock it in place.
4. Do not depress the clutch pedal.
5. Set all the shift levers in the neutral position.
6. Run the engine for 3 to 4 minutes. Then, press the activation portion of the regeneration switch for approx. 2 seconds.
7. The regeneration warning lamp goes off and the regeneration process lamp blinks. Before resuming your work, wait for approx. 30 to 40 minutes until the regeneration process is completed.

When I activated the regeneration process the rpm's automatically increased significantly and remained high rpm's until the regeneration process completed at which time the rpm's returned to a normal idle.

The high rpm's combined with a altered air/fuel mixture during the regeneration process is done to significantly increase the temperature in the DPF for the purpose of cleaning/burning out particulate matter in the DPF. This is why you get a burning smell when the regeneration process is activated.

 

[DieselBound]

As Sawworcs notes, there's basically TWO different levels of regeneration. One is passive and you can keep working (keep RPMs above 1,700). The other requires you to park and not touch the throttle- the system fluctuates the RPM as it does its thing.

I'm at 177 hrs on my NX and I've had it do the passive regen several times (maybe three?) and I just keep working. It's done the hardcore regen once: I cannot recall how many hours; I'm thinking it was close to 100 to 120, but I cannot recall). I generally try to run above 1,700 RPM, but some of my operations have me attaching and disconnecting a trailer (and dumping)- shutting down all the time was a pain so I just let it idle (doesn't take me too long to connect/disconnect/dump the trailer).

I have two regen lights on my dash and a sticker on the inside of the cab that notes the two different regen processes.

 

[TN8Man]

It's good to know there are two methods to regen. The Kioti manual could/should be more informative on this issue.

 

[Sawworcs]

There is also a sticker on the fenders of the CK3510 tractors that shows a picture of the difference between Auto and manual regen light.

 

[timmy59]

If you are working your CK or NX above 1800RPM the tractor will do what is called a Auto regen where you keep on working....if you are ***** footing around then a manual regen will be needed and that is where the tractor needs to be parked with the brake on, in netruel and and hold the regen button down for 4 seconds. The tractor will then will rev up and preform the regen for about 30 minutes.

I'll have to keep this in mind next go round, I do a fair amount of FEL work and it is generally above 1800, the manual for the 35-4010 shows a manual push button and I have not spotted an auto regen cycle in the owners manual..:thumbsup:

 

[perrypower]

As others have already stated, there is a passive regen and a manual regen. The length of time between regens and which one, all depends on how the tractor is used.
If the tractor is used mostly for higher RPM work like mowing etc. it will do a passive regen while you work (whenever it is needed) and most likely there will be longer intervals between regens.
Now if the tractor is used mostly for lower RPM work, it will obviously need to regen more often and may require a manual regen if the engine RPM's never reach the required speed to do a passive regen.

 

[finn1]

Re Gregg p's comment on idling being ok: Actually, unnecessary idling of a modern Diesel engine is not a good practice. Low emissions diesels have retarded timing for NOx control, compared to older, non emission controlled engines.

Idling, especially at low ambient te mperatures, causes the power cylinder to run colder, resulting in incomplete combustion and exhaust slobbering.

Most trucks have strategies in place to raise engine speed under these conditions, but the best practice is to shut the engine down, when feasible to minimize slobbering and oil dilution / cylinder wall washing.

 

[xcgreene]

Re Gregg p's comment on idling being ok: Actually, unnecessary idling of a modern Diesel engine is not a good practice. Low emissions diesels have retarded timing for NOx control, compared to older, non emission controlled engines.

Idling, especially at low ambient te mperatures, causes the power cylinder to run colder, resulting in incomplete combustion and exhaust slobbering.

Most trucks have strategies in place to raise engine speed under these conditions, but the best practice is to shut the engine down, when feasible to minimize slobbering and oil dilution / cylinder wall washing.

I agree with this. To add, cylinder wall lubrication is also not at its best while at idle for long periods. Whether its splash type from the crank, oil jets, or both, at idle an engine will have less oil pressure for the jets, and less speed for splashing in the case. This, over the long hall, leads to piston skirt scuffing and extra cylinder wall wear. Certainly not a lot, but something to consider.