Oil & Fuel 2015 Branson 3520h DPF Issue

[smithrd6]

Got my new Branson 3520h tractor in July, after 71 hours of perfect service, tractor stopped running, would crank up then shut down. Dealer picked it up for warranty service, said the dpf was the cause, said filter was clogged. After only 70 hours of running?!?! branson tech rep shared the new tractors with dpf filters must be run at or above 2k rpm for the filter to burn off the soot. Thinking this is not a good way for long term engine life. Anyone hearing of a dpf delete kit out there anywhere? Have any other owners had similar issues?

 

[Helitech]

Are they going to warranty it? On my 5220r it has a small computer to monitor the converter/dpf. Completely stand alone. Looks to me like a fellow could almost bolt a muffler on from a earlier non emission tractor and be good to go.

 

[smithrd6]

agerr'd. has to be a fix. running around at 2k is not good for the long haul....

 

[Btown]

Are they going to warranty it? On my 5220r it has a small computer to monitor the converter/dpf. Completely stand alone. Looks to me like a fellow could almost bolt a muffler on from a earlier non emission tractor and be good to go.

Not that easy, this engine is computer controlled. The computer should be monitoring soot loads in the DPF. After X-amount of soot is collected. It should initiate a regen. You would have to find someone to flash the computer to always read that the DPF is not filled up. Not sure who one would find to do this. Branson does not sell 100,000 units a year, so there is no huge demand for deletes on any manufactures tractors.

 

[Btown]

Got my new Branson 3520h tractor in July, after 71 hours of perfect service, tractor stopped running, would crank up then shut down. Dealer picked it up for warranty service, said the dpf was the cause, said filter was clogged. After only 70 hours of running?!?! branson tech rep shared the new tractors with dpf filters must be run at or above 2k rpm for the filter to burn off the soot. Thinking this is not a good way for long term engine life. Anyone hearing of a dpf delete kit out there anywhere? Have any other owners had similar issues?

Does your tractor have a DPF Regen light or a switch to activate a regen. It seems all the manufacturers do regens different. Some manufacturers went with a DOC ( Diesel Oxidation Catalyst) instead of the DPF. The DOC works more like a catalytic converter in your car. Burns the soot as it collects. Instead of collecting it to a certain point and then burn it off.

 

[Helitech]

These have DOC. NO computer controls on engine. Mechanical fuel injection.

 

[smithrd6]

that is correct, no computer controls, all mech injection

 

[Btown]

These have DOC. NO computer controls on engine. Mechanical fuel injection.

So the DOC got clogged. He must use his tractor like I do. It runs for about 10 minutes most of the time. Not enough to heat up to burn up the soot. I was wondering if this would be a factor with the DOC design.

 

[Mr Bitz]

Not that easy, this engine is computer controlled. The computer should be monitoring soot loads in the DPF. After X-amount of soot is collected. It should initiate a regen. You would have to find someone to flash the computer to always read that the DPF is not filled up. Not sure who one would find to do this. Branson does not sell 100,000 units a year, so there is no huge demand for deletes on any manufactures tractors.

Engine is "NOT" computer controlled. Sounds like an unusual pre-mature failure of the DPF. Mechanical fuel injection so the only way the engine will not run is if the DPF is completely plugged. If that's the case in 70 hours I'm sure it's a failure of the dpf itself. That's not normal. These DPF's were designed and proven to last at least 4000 hours and built by Mercedes Benz. Branson claims that you should run your engine above 1500rpms occasionally to help burn out the soot. And of course don't let idle very long. Unfortunatly because of the EPA, we are paying higher prices for equipment and fuel. AS far as I'm concerned they are just a $$$$ Hungry organization that should not have ever been invented.

 

[smithrd6]

Engine is "NOT" computer controlled. Sounds like an unusual pre-mature failure of the DPF. Mechanical fuel injection so the only way the engine will not run is if the DPF is completely plugged. If that's the case in 70 hours I'm sure it's a failure of the dpf itself. That's not normal. These DPF's were designed and proven to last at least 4000 hours and built by Mercedes Benz. Branson claims that you should run your engine above 1500rpms occasionally to help burn out the soot. And of course don't let idle very long. Unfortunatly because of the EPA, we are paying higher prices for equipment and fuel. AS far as I'm concerned they are just a $$$$ Hungry organization that should not have ever been invented.

AMEN!!!!!

 

[smithrd6]

Are they going to warranty it? On my 5220r it has a small computer to monitor the converter/dpf. Completely stand alone. Looks to me like a fellow could almost bolt a muffler on from a earlier non emission tractor and be good to go.

yes, dealer service was great...

 

[Btown]

Engine is "NOT" computer controlled. Sounds like an unusual pre-mature failure of the DPF. Mechanical fuel injection so the only way the engine will not run is if the DPF is completely plugged. If that's the case in 70 hours I'm sure it's a failure of the dpf itself. That's not normal. These DPF's were designed and proven to last at least 4000 hours and built by Mercedes Benz. Branson claims that you should run your engine above 1500rpms occasionally to help burn out the soot. And of course don't let idle very long. Unfortunatly because of the EPA, we are paying higher prices for equipment and fuel. AS far as I'm concerned they are just a $$$$ Hungry organization that should not have ever been invented.

Several people have stated already that Branson's have a DOC not a DPF. The original post the party stated that his DPF was clogged. But it has a DOC, so his DOC was clogged.

 

[DavesTractor]

It's a DPF, and the engine is not computer controlled. As Mr Bitz says. It is somewhat of a standalone system. If the DPF was removed and a muffler was installed, it would run fine without a "delete" modification to the ECM like is needed in trucks to fool the computer into thinking the DPF is still there. But removing the DPF is not legal, just like on trucks and in no circumstances would we recommend it, not even with a wink and a nod so to speak. But yes, they need to be run hard enough to burn them off. These engines are made to run at full speed, it does no damage to this engine to run it at full PTO rpm. In fact it is probably better for it then running just off idle and never warming up. So at very least, run it hard occasionally and let the exhaust get hot.

BTW, I do not know of any other manufacturer that took this approach. Essentially you get the old Tier III engine with a fancy DPF muffler and no complicated engine controls. Not a bad idea.

 

[Helitech]

It's a DPF, and the engine is not computer controlled. As Mr Bitz says. It is somewhat of a standalone system. If the DPF was removed and a muffler was installed, it would run fine without a "delete" modification to the ECM like is needed in trucks to fool the computer into thinking the DPF is still there. But removing the DPF is not legal, just like on trucks and in no circumstances would we recommend it, not even with a wink and a nod so to speak. But yes, they need to be run hard enough to burn them off. These engines are made to run at full speed, it does no damage to this engine to run it at full PTO rpm. In fact it is probably better for it then running just off idle and never warming up. So at very least, run it hard occasionally and let the exhaust get hot.

BTW, I do not know of any other manufacturer that took this approach. Essentially you get the old Tier III engine with a fancy DPF muffler and no complicated engine controls. Not a bad idea.

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

 

[DavesTractor]

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

Yes it does. And I sure don't have an answer to that. Mahindra did it with electronic injection and no DPF. So you have a more complex engine, but a simple exhaust. Branson kept the engine simple, but you now have a fancy exhaust. Some manufacturers did both, CRD and DPF. Some sizes/brand also have SCR.

It will be interesting in 5 years to see what ends up being the best method, because I am sure given some time the better solutions will rise to the top. Remember in the automotive world when we went from carbs to electronic carbs with a ton of vacuum hoses, then eventually to throttle body injection. That was really cool, until port fuel injection came along, and so forth. So it may be that all of the current tractor solutions will be replaced by something even better eventually.

When the good old 4-barrel went away, we were pretty sure we would never see high-performance again. But alas, we have cars that approach 200 MPH getting better mileage than the old Pintos and Vegas. My last Z06 would nudge 200 MPH given the nerve and a safe place to do it, and would get 26 MPG at 70 mph on the freeway. Had we not been forced by EPA to clean up emissions back in the days of carburetors, I'm not sure we would have seen cars like we have now. I do think they are over reaching now, but there has been some good from all of this for sure.

 

[Mr Bitz]

Well said Dave.

 

[Fernland]

I wonder if when the expensive DPF muffler clogs/breaks after warranty is done if it would be as simple as putting on a old muffler pre DPF on a 3520

 

[Mr Bitz]

Pretty much.

 

[cbs2016]

I am experiencing the same issue I think. My 3520H has less than 10 hrs on it. I have been able to bog it down a few time using the FEL. I am running the rpms to 2000. Is this to low...? Just yesterday I was moving some brush with the FEL and the tractor keep dying on me. I was running the rpms at 2000 and the brush wasn't heavy or anything. The tractor just kept dying after a few seconds after I restarted it. This happened for about 30 minutes. I checked the gas meter and had 1/4 tank left. Finally I started it and it was sluggish for a bit then ran strong back to the garage. I checked everything over didn't see any oddities. It has been real windy and dusty so I took the air filter out and it wasn't dirty. I really am not sure what is going on. I read starting it and letting it run a while helps clear it out but I am new to this tractor. It is way different than my 8n.

 

[Ron50]

cbs2016
You might be sucking air at 1/4 tank if you are not level. It seems that on my 4020R the fuel pickup is on one side. If you are leaning the wrong way the pickup starts to suck air. Mine did this mowing on side hills when I first got it. Probably a downside to the low fuel tank, not enough room below to have two bottom drains to one line to the engine.