L3901?

lugbolt

Well-known member

Equipment
ZG127S-54
Oct 15, 2015
5,203
1,887
113
Mid, South, USA
The DPF stops soot from entering atmosphere, that is what it's designed for. It gets dirty, and then the tractor senses the soot level and wants to burn the soot off when it gets to a certain level. Easy to understand. BUT it requires operator knowledge; and does NOT require idiocy; in fact ignorance, neglect, idiocy and stupidity are the nemesis of the DPF.

Can it be taken off? Absolutely. Your L3901 will then have approx 18 horsepower. Removing it will derate the engine to 50% power. It is gutless, a BX1500 will out work it. Trust me, experience speaking. Can it be removed legally? No, it can't. Why would anyone want to? The system works fine as designed. Learn how to use your tractor and understand what the DPF does and you will have zero problem with it.

Big trucks have had DPF's since 2007.5. Pickup trucks have had them. Cars have had them. It's no big deal folks, until you decide that you don't need it or don't want it, then you get to spend thousands on delete kits and get the feeling in the back of your mind that your tractor is now operating illegally.

Something else worth mentioning. I am hearing that the local diesel shop has been approached by the US EPA officials and there is an ongoing investigation into how many and what trucks (pickups and 18 wheelers) have been "deleted". Apparently a DOT officer stopped a Dodge truck for speeding and asked the driver why his truck was smoking so much. Driver said that the DPF was removed, hence the smoke. DOT wanted to know how, when, where..info was given up, and the shop got a "visit". This is not the only one either, they are coming down hard on shops and owners who are deliberately removing emissions equipment. IIRC the fine for individuals is something like $1040 first time, and goes up. For a business, it's $10,000 first offense + other "corrections" have to be made. If they find out that a shop did ONE DPF delete, they have probable cause to ask for work orders for the last however many years; and they'll find more to fine the shop for. This is what I am told by the local shop owner who is going through this mess. My shop is doing things the right way-repairing stuff per Kubota's instruction. I have had people ask me about doing a programmer and "kit" on some of the M series tractors, but per Kubota, I will not install then-nor will I endorse their usage. Remember, these "kits" will generally increase horsepower and torque as well. Also remember that the tractor's only designed to sustain X amount of power; and Kubota reserves the right to deny repair assistance if the aftermarket part is the cause of the failure. There was a memo sent out a while back in reference to this issue. I am hearing that there are also some L series programmers now too, but I haven't seen them yet. Same as the M's, the programmer itself won't hurt your warranty but if the programmer's resulting power increase is the cause, you bet they're gonna tell the owner to pound sand.

The question was for the CCV freezing up. It can under special circumstances, and those are pretty rare unless you live North of the US/Canada border. There was a kit to address this but it is ONLY for cold climates. In areas that are temperate-most of the USA-it is not needed, and the dealers were told to leave the CCV alone in those climates.
 

scdeerslayer

Member

Equipment
MX5200DT
May 23, 2016
434
1
18
SC
According to your profile you have a L series tractor, I believe he is refering to the M series machines. M5 would refer to a machine like the MX5800 and so on.


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No, the MX is kind of an in between L and M. I've heard before that the MX is based on an old Grand L model. The M5,6,7 are the large ag tractors starting at like 80HP or something like that.
 

8upbowhunter

Active member

Equipment
L4701 FEL, Cutter, Discs and Land Plane
Dec 15, 2016
397
59
28
S/E Louisiana
No, the MX is kind of an in between L and M. I've heard before that the MX is based on an old Grand L model. The M5,6,7 are the large ag tractors starting at like 80HP or something like that.


I stand corrected, thanks for the info.


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KennedyFarmer

New member

Equipment
L3901, with not enough attachments
Jun 8, 2015
290
2
0
Pennsylvania
What kind of temperature does it take to create the condition?
About 2400-2800 RPM's worth of heat.

L3901 is a good tractor, I have one. Gone thru several regens no issues. Even one on a cold winter day in the teens. I don't think going from a B to L you will see much of an increase in power and capablities.
 

sheepfarmer

Well-known member
Lifetime Member

Equipment
L3560, B2650, Gator, Ingersoll mower
Nov 14, 2014
4,449
677
113
MidMichigan
About 2400-2800 RPM's worth of heat.

L3901 is a good tractor, I have one. Gone thru several regens no issues. Even one on a cold winter day in the teens. I don't think going from a B to L you will see much of an increase in power and capablities.
I think the question yooper was asking was what cold temperature was causing the freeze up in the ccv valve. E.g arctic or Michigan? I was wondering the same thing, but maybe the engine gurus can add info on another part of the equation, and that is what use conditions cause more water to be present in the gas vapor going through the ccv? If there is little water there, it is less likely for a freeze up. The ccv issue can happen any time not necessarily during a regen.
 

eserv

Well-known member

Equipment
BX24, A1000 Kubota Generator
May 27, 2009
2,140
139
63
Hardisty, Alberta
I think the question yooper was asking was what cold temperature was causing the freeze up in the ccv valve. E.g arctic or Michigan? I was wondering the same thing, but maybe the engine gurus can add info on another part of the equation, and that is what use conditions cause more water to be present in the gas vapor going through the ccv? If there is little water there, it is less likely for a freeze up. The ccv issue can happen any time not necessarily during a regen.
Any temperature below freezing would potentially be the right condition for CCVC freezing. It is as much how the tractor is operated during cold weather though. If you keep it in a heated shop it will never freeze up. The conditions seem to be, Tractors left outside then not operated long enough to boil out the condensation in the CCVC system. likely the way 95% of the "L" tractors we sell are used! It's not like it happens often though, we have lots of these tractors out ( about 45 "L's" and Grand"L's") and have only had one freezup, none of our bigger tractors have given any trouble at all. The SVL90-2 was the worst troublemaker. We are relatively low humidity here in Alberta though so maybe that is why it doesn't seem such a problem here.