Calling all you good diesel mechanics

[SBMF 2015]

I have a JD 6320 . It's 100 engine hp. It uses the same engine as a JD 6420. Which is 110 engine hp.

I run my round baler with it and it does ok on flat ground but falls flat on its face in hills.

I talked to my mechanic today about turning it up and he said that pump would have to be sent away to turn it up. But he said we could chip it pretty reasonable.
He said the chip has three settings; stock, 15% increase, and 30% increase. Making that tractor 130hp would be about perfect.
Are there any major long term concerns with that much increase?
The hardest thing that tractor does is run the baler.

Thanks everyone.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

You can buy a tuner yourself and plug them in, in about half an hour typically not much need to pay a mechanic.

Don't know anything about JD but check if the two models use the same amounts of pto clutches? Main clutch the same size? Radiator? Intercooler?

I have a tuner on one of my tractors. When it's "turned up" it pulls harder. But the coolant temps, intake air temps, and engine + hydraulic oil temps run warmer. I watch things close and run it.

 

[Ouachita]

You can buy a tuner yourself and plug them in, in about half an hour typically not much need to pay a mechanic.

Don't know anything about JD but check if the two models use the same amounts of pto clutches? Main clutch the same size? Radiator? Intercooler?

I have a tuner on one of my tractors. When it's "turned up" it pulls harder. But the coolant temps, intake air temps, and engine + hydraulic oil temps run warmer. I watch things close and run it.

That last paragraph is golden. Good advice.
Many times the differences in horsepower rating with the same basic engine in different tractor models, are external to the core engine; size and efficiency of cooling system, fuel delivery and etc.
Sometimes it's cheaper (and better) for the manufacturer to use a larger than necessary engine and de-tune it for a lighter built tractor.
If you want to "undo" the "de-tune" by "chipping" it, I turn it up slowly while minding the temperatures. Keep in mind that you'll be operating with less margin. Are your temp gauges accurate?

 

[SBMF 2015]

Thank you both @chevytaHOE5674 and @Ouachita . That's the kind of advice I'm looking for.

 

[504RP]

Has it always had problems pulling hills or just recently started ?

 

[SBMF 2015]

Has it always had problems pulling hills or just recently started ?

I just bought the round baler last fall. It's really at the bottom end of enough hp.
The baler is the only thing it has trouble with. I run my TMR wagon everyday all winter no problem

 

[504RP]

Is the baler much heavier than the TMR wagon ?

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I've found 110hp isn't nearly enough ponies to drag a round baler up a hill in a decent crop with any sort of speed.

 

[kenny thomas]

I've found 110hp isn't nearly enough ponies to drag a round baler up a hill in a decent crop with any sort of speed.

How big of rolls are you guys rolling ? Very few people have over 100hp here and we have lots of steep hills.

 

[Silver]

I don't know anything about rolling rolls, but I bale bales with 180 engine hp usually. Sometimes the tractor gets a workout at that. 5x6 bales.

 

[Silver]

With regards to the original question, guys in the business tell me it's usually fine to take a tractor that is not the biggest (hp) in its series and turn it up to the equivalent of the largest. The trick might be to find out where the breaks are. I don't know if all the 6*20 tractors have the same components. I know with NH you can turn a T7.230 up to the hp of a T7.260. The T7.230 being the same tractor as the T7.260. So they tell me. And that's what I did.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

4x5.5 or 4x6 bales. I have 200hp in front of the baler and have never seen a reason to have less. Heavy bale, thick crop, and 10mph and she gets a work out.

Like Silver I have my NH T7050 tuned to T7070 levels. The tractors are the same in everyway other than tuning.

 

[cfpinz]

I've never owned a 6x20 series Deere, but had it in my mind that they were mechanical fuel injected engines (pump, line, nozzle). Is that not the case? Common rail, or ???

If they are mechanical, how does the tuner add hp to them? I'm familiar with turning up injection pumps, but that's about it on tractors.

Thanks.

 

[Atimm693]

From what I am reading that model could have had either common rail or mechanical injection depending on the year. Can't chip a mechanical pump, but their fueling can be adjusted pretty easily. Always best to do it on a dyno with a pyrometer to ensure that it's set within safe limits, one turn of the screw is not the same on all pumps.

Just to check all of your bases, I'd check all of your intercooler boots, and fuel/air filters.

 

[hillbilly beef man]

How big of rolls are you guys rolling ? Very few people have over 100hp here and we have lots of steep hills.

Kenny, I think that they have smoother/flatter fields than we do. Anything much over 5 mph and I can't stay in the seat.

 

[kenny thomas]

Kenny, I think that they have smoother/flatter fields than we do. Anything much over 5 mph and I can't stay in the seat.

Same here, probably slower than that. But i feel anything faster and im not allowing the roller to roll enough times to get it tight.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Tractor with cab and axle suspension helps keep you moving along. If I had to run 5mph with our short summers and weather windows I'd still be making hay in December. Also the bigger the tractor, the bigger the tires, the smoother they ride.

My 65hp tractor will knock your teeth out at 5mph, my 180hp will ride smooth enough at 14mph to not spill a can of pop.

As for tight bales at 10+ mph mine are tight enough not to squat and struggle to spear.

 

[kenny thomas]

Huge difference in things for sure.