Boosting power on an L4610 (Possibly just an adjustment?)

[Wayne64SS]

I'm of the belief that any given engines lifespan can be measured by how much fuel is run through it. That being said if you are running an engine at it's rated power (even if that rating isn't necessarily what your tractor came with) there is no reason to believe that engine isn't going to last far longer than you care to keep it around.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

I don't think turning up the hp a few ponies will hurt much. If you are talking a 50% increase ok, yeah that will. IF you install gauges and monitor the vital systems, as long as you are not seeing ridiculous egt's or over heating, I don't see a problem with it.

 

[OutBurst]

Put a K&N Cold-Air Intake and Magnaflow exhaust on it - you'll be good. Ohh yeah, don't forget the NOS!

Just playing - What are you looking for the more power for? Giggles?

 

[mike69440]

Re: Boosting power on an L4610 (Possibly just an adjustment?) Just Fueled up my L39

Gents....
Can I get more power out of my L4610? I don't have any emissions junk to worry about (that I know of?) and I was under the impression that I can't boost my power, but figured I'd ask here because....well.... It's obviously the place to ask :laughing:

I'm not expecting this to be super easy, even if it is possible, but I'm curious what may be involved if it IS possible (within reason).

If it's not "worth it", or would take and engineering degree, then I'll stay happy where I'm at right now.



Side note: I noticed my RPM gauge will not show full 540 RPM. For instance, when I pull my throttle all the way back to full throttle, the RPM gauge is a couple hundred RPM shy of my suggested 540 mark. Is this a simple adjusment? I may not actually be getting full 540 RPM, which of course would increase my power right there, not sure how much of a difference that last couple hundred RPM makes.

Well, it is getting to be plowing season (Snow that is)
Yuck! Stuff going to melt eventually, I hate freezing while wearing out my tractor!

If there is one thing my L39 needs more of is HP.
So I turned up the fuel this weekend.
I did a baseline test up my drive's grade.

Best prior to fueling was 5.4 MPH (More like 5.3 MPH)

After cranking it up as much I dare, I got 5.5 MPH consistently.

That works out to another 2 HP, if that.

Barely noticeable.

But the already torque rich motor has picked up some grunt, more noticeable than the slight HP gain, but still not earth shattering. I seem to be able to run say 10th gear instead of 9th in the same conditions.

So I suspect if your motor is non turbo and of the higher ratings for the size of the motor, gains will be slim.

You will be disappointed not getting that extra 10 HP at the PTO.
PS I also have my Hydraulics about 5% over spec.
Going overboard on any setting or spec rating will just hurt you and your equipment in the long run.

 

[Chilly807]

Quite often the bore and stroke is the same on different hp variations of the engine. What may be different is the engine internals, such as camshaft duration and lift, fuel injection timing, piston shape in some cases, compression ratios, turbo geometry, etc.

I suspect in some cases Kubota indeed simply increases the maximum fuel delivery setting to boost HP rating from one model to the next. It's easy enough to do, but I doubt you'll safely gain much more than a couple of horsepower that way.

Increasing the fuel delivery has no impact on governed speed, so road speed won't change, although torque delivery and hp may.

 

[newbury]

Surprised no one has mentioned it yet. Check with Everything Attachments, Ted cranked up an NH if I remember correctly.

 

[mike69440]

Surprised no one has mentioned it yet. Check with Everything Attachments, Ted cranked up an NH if I remember correctly.

Ted really struggles getting the 'Don't Touch me" cap off.

My L39 "Don't try this at home" cap came off in less than 30 seconds.

Not being a turbo, my gains were slight.

No real increase in haze except a bit under very heavy lugging.

Another +5 hp would have been nice but not in the cards without a turbo.

 

[The Fred]

I bet a hardware change would really wake that thing up.

Just adding fuel won't amount to much, turn it up until it smokes just a tad and call it good or........add the despised fRed turbo package; I bet you can get 65 or so HP out of it. V-2203 should should scream help me hellllllllllllllp me:laughing:

Good luck, Fred

 

[mike69440]

More on turning up the Injector pump, Fueling up my L39

Well, it is getting to be plowing season (Snow that is)
Yuck! Stuff going to melt eventually, I hate freezing while wearing out my tractor!

If there is one thing my L39 needs more of is HP.
So I turned up the fuel this weekend.
I did a baseline test up my drive's grade.

Best prior to fueling was 5.4 MPH (More like 5.3 MPH)

After cranking it up as much I dare, I got 5.5 MPH consistently.

That works out to another 2 HP, if that.

Barely noticeable.

But the already torque rich motor has picked up some grunt, more noticeable than the slight HP gain, but still not earth shattering. I seem to be able to run say 10th gear instead of 9th in the same conditions.

So I suspect if your motor is non turbo and of the higher ratings for the size of the motor, gains will be slim.

You will be disappointed not getting that extra 10 HP at the PTO.
PS I also have my Hydraulics about 5% over spec.
Going overboard on any setting or spec rating will just hurt you and your equipment in the long run.

I've put on over 6 hours of loader, moving manure from "poop mountain" to our pasture on the L39 since turing up the fuel.

I believe my results are a bit better than first posted.

Climbing the 15' elevation change up the steeeper portion of our driveway, the L39 would crest at a best 5.3-5.4 MPH even if I charged the first part of the hill in 11th gear at about 9-10 MPH.
After the fuel adjustment, at a 4 mph roll at he bottom of the hill, it accelerates up to 5.5 to 5.6 MPH. A small gain in HP but I can feel the motor has more torque.

I was able to use a gear higher than usual in the poop moveing job. The motor actually sounds better and feels stronger.
With about 8 hours total on the tractor since the injector pump adjustment, there is just a bit of soot built up around the exhaust.
I cannot tell that the motor is smoking more, but it must be as it made almost no soot before. The amount of soot now is still very little.
As my L39 is weighted +1,000 Lbs to a total weight of over 8000 lbs, it was a old dog stock.
While still not peppy, this made a difference. No regrets.

 

[mike69440]

Re: Boosting power on an L39 (just an adjustment)

I was just reading the other day on another forum about this same thing. Different HP out of the same engines. While they all met the warranty time frames, they did not all last the same amount of hours. Sort of like these guys that get a gazillion HP out of an engine, for 5 seconds at a time. But that's all that is needed and everyone seems to be fine with it. Detune it so it only has half a gazillion HP and it would last much much longer.

Something that people don't think about is duty cycle. Most tractors are rated at 100% duty cycle that I know of, change how the tractor is set up and that duty cycle suffers. That's not to say that everything would not be fine for you, but something has to go in the opposite direction.

I plowed 3 hours in the for the first snow storm of the year in New England. This is the first time I've plowed with the fuel turned up (2-3 Turns will do it)
I appreciate the extra torque. I wish it had 50 HP, but upping it to a full 40 is better than 37.2 HP net.
No real smoke or stink, and the motor sounds better, like it had a bit of a more aggressive cam.
I think these motors are underrated to start, so there is headroom. Plus without a turbo, you can only go a little bit on fuel.
Rolling coal is plain foolish and evil.