Volvo CE has begun offering engine conversion kits for its model A25 through A40 articulated haulers that will allow current U.S. and European owners to sell their Tier 4i machines to buyers in less regulated countries. The company will make conversion kits for its smaller-engined equipment available in 2015.
Volvo Construction Equipment announced that it is now offering the first in a series of engine conversion kits that allow Volvo customers to resell their Tier 4i/Stage IIIB machines outside of the U.S. and European Union, regardless of when the machine was purchased.
Volvo CE said Tier 4i/Stage IIIB engine conversion kit enables customers to resell their used Tier 4i/Stage IIIB machines for use in less-regulated countries where high-sulphur fuels are used. The first kits are now available for the company’s A25–A40 articulated haulers (fitted with D11, D13 and D16 engines) and the L150–L250 wheel loaders (D13 engine). Early next year, kits will also be available for EC340–EC480 excavators (D13 engine). Throughout 2015, conversion kits will become available for Volvo machines equipped with medium-duty engines (D4–D8).
“The conversion kit adjusts the engine system so it can handle high-sulphur fuels up to 10,000 ppm,” said Alan Berger, vice president of product platforms at Volvo CE. “This eliminates the need for regeneration and allows Volvo customers to export their used machines to less-regulated countries in markets such as North Africa or South America. Without a conversion kit, Tier 4i/Stage IIIB machines will not operate correctly due to the difference in fuel quality. We have developed and tested our conversion kit with a focus on quality and reliability.”
“The Volvo conversion kit consists of two parts: hardware is exchanged and software is updated,” said Berger. “The new owner should contact their local Volvo dealer in the destination country to arrange for the conversion kit to be fitted. Installation will take around half a day and the conversion is permanent.”
Cat Dealers to Do Its Mods
Caterpillar also reported that it is making the first in a series of authorized modification processes available for used Cat Tier 4i diesel products that require modification for operation outside of Highly Regulated Countries (HRCs), where the products were originally manufactured to operate. The service was scheduled to be offered beginning in late 2014 exclusively from Cat dealers in certain countries with less stringent or no non-road emissions standards for used Tier 4i products.
The authorized modification processes, which include decertification, were developed to remove aftertreatment from certain Cat machine and commercial engine configurations to enable operation in lesser- and non-regulated countries. As Caterpillar announced in a November 2013 press release, based on the company’s extensive testing, analysis and field validation, Cat Tier 4i engines rated under 130 kW that migrate outside of HRCs will require modification to operate at peak performance. Cat Tier 4i engine systems between 130 kW and 895 kW (7–32L displacement) that migrate outside of HRC’s will not require aftertreatment removal or modification to maintain peak performance.
“In keeping with our aggressive product migration strategy, Caterpillar identified used products and geographies as higher probability recipients of used Tier 4 Interim products,” said Engineering Manager Rick Jeffs. “We have therefore focused our design and development efforts for this first series of modification processes to align with those higher probabilities. Using those same priorities and probabilities, Caterpillar has also been preparing dealers to support the migration of used Tier 4 Interim products to those targeted geographies. Further, we know Tier 4 Final products won’t be far behind the interim products, which is why the strategy we’ve developed focuses on a solution for today’s customers—and for future customers.”
Cat said the dealers have stocked the required parts, and have information on specific product availability, as well as revised maintenance guidelines, optional fuel filtration kits and rebuild/overhaul repair options.
