More HP out of a L3600GST

[funwithahoe]

I seem to have a problem.... I can never leave anything stock, I always seem to want to modify almost everything I have to get more power. All of our vehicles have a min of cold air intakes and exhaust systems, up to our F350 Power Stroke Diesel that is putting down over 425hp at the rear wheels.

So that brings me to the question, can I mod my L3600GST to get more HP?

I don't need more HP, the tractor does a great job with everything that I ask it to do. But more is always better, right

I would bet there is a "Tractor Pull" forum where you might get a better reception. The people atracted to this forum (myself included) are kinda "stick in mud" types (as you may noticed).

I am not sure what advantage extra power would add but then I just bought a new b3200 to mostly mow grass (when my Craftsman worked great and only had a few hours) that is probably more out of wack than trying to add some HP.

I think sometimes people forget that this is a hobby for most people and if you want to add some HP go for it. I have a friend that is a "real" farmer and believe me he doesn't have time or the desire to be on a tractor web-site atr the end of the day!

Good luck!!

 

[TripleR]

I would bet there is a "Tractor Pull" forum where you might get a better reception. The people atracted to this forum (myself included) are kinda "stick in mud" types (as you may noticed).

I am not sure what advantage extra power would add but then I just bought a new b3200 to mostly mow grass (when my Craftsman worked great and only had a few hours) that is probably more out of wack than trying to add some HP.

I think sometimes people forget that this is a hobby for most people and if you want to add some HP go for it. I have a friend that is a "real" farmer and believe me he doesn't have time or the desire to be on a tractor web-site atr the end of the day!

Good luck!!

I live in farm country and you are sure right on that. I use to farm many years ago and the primary focus is on dependability. If more power is needed, farmers buy bigger machines. When a broken machine can cost you your whole years profit, you don't experiment.

Of course most of us are considered hobbyists, but we still place a higher priority on dependability than enhancing performance.

 

[RobertN]

Why not? Are tractors immune to the same power desires as street cars and trucks? Like the ones you see out at the Wednesday night "fun drags" at the local dragstrip(at least local to Sacramento).

Shame on those folks that tweak with their tractor and go to the local tractor pulls

Oh, and what about those conversion kits of the 1950's to drop the 4 cylinder from your 8N and put a flathead V8

Sounds like he has sunk money in to a Power Stroke(easier with a Cummins ). Sounds like he knows he will have to "Pay to play".

These tractors would be more like messing with the older 12V Cummins; mechanical injection systems.

Open up the exhaust. Open up the intake(tougher on a tractor than a pickup; tractors live in dust). Start tweaking the injection. And have the checkbook handy

All of this is, IMHO, of course

What are you going to do with the extra Hp? Once the drive wheels slip, bend a rod, PTO shaft and gears break you will be spending a ton of $$$ to repair or replace the tractor.
I hear that you can get a Saturn 5 rocket engine at salvage yards cheep.
Go take some Valium and cool your jets.

 

[rdsaustintx]

Fun thread. It all just depends on what you are using your tractor for.

I am imagining mowing with a crash helmet on, throwing rooster tails, wife standing by with a fire extinguisher

 

[Transit]

Yes, of course I have tweaked my tractor. More reliable hydraulics, better filters, more efficient engine cooling. Much less downtime = more productivity. No matter how much Hp you add, once the wheels slip that is all shell do.
Put the tractor on a dynamiter and you may squeeze another 3-5 hp out of the engine.

 

[RobertN]

We(myself included) have pointed out why's and why not's. The OP know about the "Pay to play" as I mentioned above.

So, what about the OP's original question? How?

For my old Kubota B8200HSTD(19HP), I asked my local shop. He is independant, but spent 10 years as a Kubota mechanic. He said I could pull a couple horses by truning up the injector pump. Apparently, it was just a 1/4 turn on an adjustment screw. He indicated it would not do much for the little 19hp motor though.

From expierience, it seems that would be a start. From pickup trucks, the procession seems to go exhaust, intake, then chip. The 12V Cummins seem to be exhaust, intake, then injector pump tweak.

For a mild tweak on a tractor, that seems to be where to start too. Exhaust, if you can keep a spark arrestor in place. I would be wary of the intake, since tractors operate in a lot of dust. But, a bigger aircleaner would be a start. Maybe a bigger aircleaner off a larger tractor... Then tweak your injector pump.

Those mods, would be mild.

Past that, the 12V Cummins is the king of mechanical injection diesel performance. I would start talking to those guys, and maybe your local diesel shop. Then you talking upgrades to injectors, injector pumps, turbos, ect. And then, you are in to the realm of breaking stuff...

Seems Ford/Dodge/GM historically have held up to mild mods. Starting getting past mild, and all three had issues with trannies. Just a guess, but that is probably where your Kubota would start to have issues.

 

[kuboman]

OK, thanks for the input guys. I didn't know how much you could or couldn't tinker with this little motors. I guess I will just leave everything the way it is.

I have messed with these little engines. I turned up the fuel and gained a little power, just noticeable but I also gained alot of smoke. As far as hurting the rest of the tractor.....you can't get enough extra hp out of these things to hurt anything except your economy.If you really want hp you need to turbo charge it but that is involved and you will start wrecking stuff. It is fun to dream about.

 

[PHS79]

Kuboman and RobertN, thanks for the info. I was 99% sure that the motor had a mechanical pump just like the 12V Cummins and JD4020-4320's-ect. I have messed with mechanical pumps alittle in the past, on a couple 94-97 2500/3500's, I just never looked at the system on the L3600. Once things slow down this winter and I have alittle more free time to tinker maybe I will see about turning the fuel pump up alittle, even if it doesn't add much/any hp, maybe it will roll some coal :thumbsup:

Granted 99.9 % of "real farmers" leave almost everything alone. Also there are "real farmers" that do have the desire for more HP out of there tractors. One in particular that I know of locally has chipped a couple of their tractors, a JD 7930 and also a JD 8400. At the tractor pull this year they had a pto dyno, if I remember right the 7930 put out right around 195hp on the stock setting and just over 250 on the highest. But they are also into truck and tractor pulling, (1 4X4 truck and 2 tractors) so they are HP fanatics, even more than me!

 

[kuboman]

Kuboman and RobertN, thanks for the info. I was 99% sure that the motor had a mechanical pump just like the 12V Cummins and JD4020-4320's-ect. I have messed with mechanical pumps alittle in the past, on a couple 94-97 2500/3500's, I just never looked at the system on the L3600. Once things slow down this winter and I have alittle more free time to tinker maybe I will see about turning the fuel pump up alittle, even if it doesn't add much/any hp, maybe it will roll some coal :thumbsup:

Granted 99.9 % of "real farmers" leave almost everything alone. Also there are "real farmers" that do have the desire for more HP out of there tractors. One in particular that I know of locally has chipped a couple of their tractors, a JD 7930 and also a JD 8400. At the tractor pull this year they had a pto dyno, if I remember right the 7930 put out right around 195hp on the stock setting and just over 250 on the highest. But they are also into truck and tractor pulling, (1 4X4 truck and 2 tractors) so they are HP fanatics, even more than me!

It is a bit of an addiction and any farmer including this one usually gets to the smoke screw sooner or latter. The older mechanical pumps were always more fun to play with once you understand the various settings. A little common sense is required but most tractors have quite a lot of room for increasing hp. 10% increase in hp is easy to achieve with no ill effects.

 

[crazyal]

If you look at Kubota's Grand L line up, the higher HP tractors, they all use the same egine, from the 4740 up to the 5740. The difference being a turbo. I wonder if the rest of the tractor is the same (drive train). If so then I think if you owned the 4740 your tractor should be able to handle an extra 20% boost in power. I'm sure there are other models like this.

If it's an older tractor that's in good shape mechanically I think you could boost the power. But I think you'll spend more money than it's worth. If talking a new tractor then it most likely will cost you more than just simply buying the same model with higher HP.