Now one thing worth mentioning.....
I know someone who doesn't know a thing about this new regen stuff, and apparently doesn't care either. Those lights in the dash mean nothing. The beeper means nothing. He ignored both. Stage 2 DPF began at 176 hours. At 300, stage 5. Tractor will not make any power. He keeps running it. It'll idle up, and get hot and idle itself down so it doesn't eat it's own pistons. Guy shuts key off and starts over. Repeats the process. Tractor has 341 hours on it and the #2 piston is melted. Looks like someone ran a torch down the one side of it. No compression on #2. #1 and #3 are very weak as well, was burning oil. Block and head junk. Actually running on it's own oil at several points (code stored several times for engine overspeeding-which is usually sustained RPM above 3500). the 2 higher stages of DPF soot level contribute to extremely high EGT's, which destroys internal engine parts. This particular tractor owner is looking at roughly $15,000 to replace the engine and DPF. At one point I borrowed his tractor to clean up a lot next to my house, took me maybe 2 hours at most with a rough cut mower (bush hog). The regen light was blinking at the time I picked it up but nothing beeping. I just revved it to wide open and the light went on solid (no blink), and within 10 minutes it went off. At the time I think it had 14 hours on it.
It has a flashing red light in the dash. It has a beeper. When it starts beeping, you should stop and do a parked regen. This is not common unless an operator just ignores the flashing light in the dash (L3301/3901/4701). A parked regen consists of a flashing DPF light (upper right corner) and the "RPM" light below it (has an up arrow through the engine). They both blink. This means you need to increase the engine speed. In other words on the L3301/3901/4701, wide open. Looking for around 2400 RPM +. If you hear the beeper, put all transmission shifters (and HST pedal if equipped) in neutral, set the park brake and mash the RIGHT HAND button. On the dash there are two buttons on the left side fo the steering wheel. Left one is DPF regen inhibit. Leave that one alone. The right one is auto engine speed. Mash that one in and the engine will rev up on it's own a few seconds after you push it in, and it will regen automatically, then the engine will return to idle speed once it's done.
Actually the DPF inhibit (left) button really has no purpose other than to confuse people! Just leave it alone unless you're in a hay barn working, with dry hay laying around, because the exhaust outlet temp can get up to around 1100 degrees...which obviously will make fire with dry vegetation. That is the button's ONLY purpose.
Also a regen can't be done on a cold engine-it has to be at operating temperature. So if you hop on the tractor for the first time in the morning, and it wants to regen, just let it warm up a little then go wide open. It'll do the rest while you're working (unless of course its a stage 2 or 3). And similarly, if you're an operator who hops on the tractor, runs it for 30 seconds, then turns the engine off...and does this frequently, the engine will not reach operating temperature and it will want to regen more frequently. If you're not going to be off of it for more than, say, 5 minutes, leave it running. Frequent starting and stopping of the engine will wear it out quicker and will also plug up the DPF quicker, resulting in frequent regeneration.
Stage 4 regen can't be done by an operator-must be done at dealer using diag master. Usually a stage 5 means it's junk-time to replace the DPF or at the very least have it cleaned. Stage 4 and 5 is obvious.....the engine will barely run, no power, beeping, codes showing on the hour meter, etc. The tractor lets you know, and in the case of my buddy, warranty ain't gonna help him because he just ignored all the lights and beeper, and admitted to it. I figure he'll fix it (insurance probably) and then sell it.
