Small Diesel Tier 4 Recommendations/Thoughts

Well, the time has come for my customers to have to bite off tier 4 final engines.

I am talking about engines in the < 50 HP range, in generators.

I have noticed that some manufacturers are using particulate traps, which I read as filters.

Others seem to be using diesel oxidation catalysts, which sits much better with me.

So far my short list is Isuzu, Kubota, Mitsubishi for catalyst engines. The rest have "traps".

They all have turbochargers, EGR, electronic injectors. Crazy fuel filter setups for the high pressure injection I presume.

We are talking engines in the 2 liter to 2.5 liter range.

Anybody running these engines yet and can comment on their reliability?

STAY AWAY from Deutz & JD.. JD's are an electrical nitemare & deutz has some very bad quality issues..
The most common problem I SEE w/ gen engines, is turbo failures..[smoking]
If you think about it> dry engine, starts & runs to 1800-2600 rpm w/ a dry turbo..
SAME goes for shut down.. 1800 rpm 70psi of oil pressure to 0 oil pressure & the turbo is still spinning at 30k rpms for 5 minutes.. O psi oil pressure..
IF its available, stay away from a turbo'd engine on a gen set..

Many of the larger genset diesels use a 'Keep Warm' pump for coolant and lube oil, I saw this working at a power station with many standby diesels as the company replaced the older obsolete engines, the pumps would run until a engine start signal then cycle off and as a Stop signal was entered the pumps would re-initiate. That would or could be an answer for medium to large units, cannot see it being much advantage on small ones becoming a rather high maintenance expense.

Tier 4 they all seem to have turbochargers. Even if you would not expect to find one for the horsepower level you are buying. I don't think we can get away from that. I think it might be necessary for EGR function.

I was watching a video on a different brand that broke an EGR cooler and hydroed the engine. But they all seem to have EGR.

Another thing I forgot to mention above is that these 3 do not use DEF/SCR. Others do.

Anybody use any of these 3 brands or know of another that meets these specs?

Maybe also I should not try so hard to avoid DEF/SCR lest it turn into another debacle like what happened to International trying to do it all with EGR. But a 40 HP generator engine has different standards and load profile than a 400 HP truck engine too.

Another thing I have heard is that high pressure common rail tends to wear out injectors more quickly. Any experience on this?

What about the high pressure fuel pump?

Let me just say this>> The injectors are the new "cash cow".. we built an entire room just to hold all the equipment & a new "clean room" to work in.. its a never ending cash source w/ no end in site..
To prolong their life, you MUST run an additive to EVERY tank of fue.. ie: added cost for tier 4 engines.
Basically any "newer" diesel engine should be running a lubrication additive.. but that doesn't happen in the REAL WORLD. & add the cost of DEF & frequent engine oil & filter changes & the cost savings are eliminated..
Did you know a muffler for a Perkins engine w/ egr set-up is OVER 3000.00??? for a friggin MUFFLER..

I have heard the additive response before, then there are those dumping ATF/2 stroke oils/waste engine oils into fuel tanks for lubricants I still think a poor substitute.
B.I.L. works for a transit bus line, they have particulate filter 'mufflers' on a series of those, the shops change them out for reconstituted or refurbished/regenerated mufflers on almost a monthly basis as those cost from $7-9000 EACH. Regeneration costs are now becoming 'Affordable' for the company at just over $2000 EACH. They essentially cook the deposits out of them. Is all a EPA ripoff if you ask me, none of this can be 'Good' environmentally as the buses use more fuel, generate more deposits and require more energy consumption In Multiple Ways to deal with the systems.

The manufacturers of the small engines I mentioned specifically are proud that they are using catalysts and not filters.

Hopefully that is the way of the future but at present it seems like they are just barely meeting requirements with this setup.