DRR Sportsman
| Back to tractors, since that's what I do for a living (kubota--although they really aren't in the ag tractor game-yet).
2014. That's when the first DPF tractors came out. Initially they were problematic. Most of the initial issues are resolved; and they were mostly manufacturing errors, debris on the crank sensor, toner ring machining, etc. Nothing really "big" as far as problems, but many that were quite annoying particularly for consumers. Most of those tractors were sub 50hp, no def. And that is where some of many issues reside. Take into consideration that when a quarter million dollar ag tractor breaks down, the farmer is annoyed but understands that stuff isn't perfect. But when a 20,000 hobby farmer's tractor is broken? You'd think the world was going to end based on the attitude.
So fast forward, 7 years of DPF, about 5 years of DEF (75hp+), and all of them common rail injected vs old mechanical injection. They're all basically the same up to DEF horsepower (approx 75hp) in their design, minor differences. Where I see 99% of the problem is with the fuel. Smaller tractors don't get used all that often in comparison, thus the fuel sits in the tank. Then the fuel they're getting is usually off-road fuel which sits in the storage container at the station forever and a day, then it gets pumped to a consumer's storage container, some of it goes into the tractor where it sits, the rest just sits in the containers. Up to 2 years on average is what I'm understanding. Water condenses. Water in a common rail engine is death to supply pumps and injectors. Most of it is caught by the water separator but most hobbyists think that the separator is nothing more than a filter with a funny looking ring in it (that floats on top of the water so that it's visible). Some of the water is suspended in the fuel and there's nothing that we can do about that. That water will destroy injectors and supply pumps. So then I get Mr. Customer's 35hp tractor into the shop that won't start, or requires ether to start. Of course people are still a little bit old school and they'll still spray a shot of ether to them to get 'em started. Diagnosis, 3 or 4 bad injectors, failed supply pump, broken pistons and bent rods. Sometimes the head is lifted from the block (ether will do that) so head bolts, gaskets, seals, resurfacing, etc. If I have to replace an engine, $18,000 or more including labor, tax, dpf. Rebuild is a little cheaper but we then have to worry about the government breathing down our back in that they're questioning what was done during the rebuild. The software to work on them is proprietary as is Deere's and several other manufacturers (cat comes to mind). So dealer has to buy the software and hardware and then the annual license. Updates all the time, someone has to be on top of it because if the software is out of date it just won't work, and then the tech is scratching his head trying to figure out why (time lost). Also the software is now set up to leave a footprint whenever certain functions are done within the ecu. The software automatically and secretively sends information to the manufacturer, who has to document it just in case the EPA wants the documentation (and they do spot checks, is what I'm told).
So costs. Dealer has to have the tools (soft and hardware and license). Manufacturer has to keep record from 2014 until eternity, so they're looking at dedicated servers to hold the information. Parts replacement costs are out of this world. 3 injectors? Figure $3000 by time it's all said & done. Supply pump? $3500. DEF header assembly? $2600. It gets real interesting if a customer gets a few drops of diesel into the def tank. Replace the header, hoses, pump, heater, injector, maybe the DPF (it will burn the substrate up), etc etc. On the only one I looked into, $15,200 and change.
Who pays for it? The consumer. Farmer has to budget for those costs, and he does it by increasing the cost of what he sells, which you and I pay for. Trucking industry is the same way which is one reason you're starting to see a lot of the UPS local delivery vehicles go back to gas engines (at least all of our local ones are). This stuff is a huge cost increase to Americans. I don't like it. People sometimes say that I "should" like it because I repair them, but I don't. They're much harder to deal with, have to jump through government hoops to replace injectors, dpf, def headers, def injectors, supply pumps, and a bunch of other stuff. If it's not done, we are in violation of federal emissions regulation and then have to deal with the feds. Another cost increase. The whole ordeal is a major pain in the neck for everyone. I am not happy about it all and quite frankly am re-thinking my career choice because of it.
You wanna hear something that really chaps people's hide? Let's say I have a 1990's tractor and the engine is trashed, run out of oil, whatever. It's cheaper to replace it, so I run to the dealer with credit card in hand, ask them to order an engine. NOPE! I have to go home, drill a 1/2" hole through the side of the block and into a cylinder, take a picture of the bit run through the engine block next to the engine's serial number, send it to dealer who sends it to kubota (or deere or whoever). An engine will not be shipped until the old engine's destruction is documented, and they (manufacturer) has to also keep it on record for eternity. Sometimes the picture isn't clear enough for someone on the other end to clearly read the serial number, sometimes they don't like the hole placement, sometimes the serial number is gone (rod through the block). They won't send you an engine until all that stuff is done and taken care of. Another pain in the neck. I'm hearing that they've relaxed some of the regs on that, but as of yesterday, we're still having to do it will continue to until told otherwise. So basically, the used engine market will dry up at some point and good used engines will be extinct and if for some weird reason you can find one, it better be under the radar and you can guarantee it will be more expensive than it should. |
