Firecat11
Active Member
- Joined
- May 6, 2008
- Messages
- 31
- Location
- Northern California
- Occupation
- Registered Civil Engineer / Heavy Earthwork Contra
More Horsepower!!!
Hi Deas Plant,
Thanks for the comments. I wish I could have all Cat machinery, but it just is not in the cards for me. So I did the next best thing....
Just like many others, I learned to operate a dozer at a young age. The first tractor I ran was an International TD-14 142 series. I have cut many miles of firebreaks since I was 10 years old. Now, International was famous for building their tractors with lighter frame housings and larger horsepower. As long as you were not dozing with them they would run forever. Most all of the farming operations out here ran TD-18's and TD-24's, at the time Cat did not have anything in the weight and power range. I should also mention that due to the lighter frame weights, the tractors were favored in the farming operations for lower ground pressure applications which reduced the build-up of the plow pans.
Komatsu had the opposite effect on the industry. Their frame designs were heavier and stronger so they were able to install larger displacement engines in which in turn they de-rated the engine horsepower. Most pre-electronic controlled dozers have the capability of increasing the horsepower by as much as 30%.
All my tractors have been reworked to increase the horsepower. Usually it involves increasing the injector stroke, larger turbo compressor housing and changing the exhaust manifold. The D65E was the easiest. A turbo was added and the injector clearance was changed. They are the simplest to work on. My tractor still has the NH 220 cummins, while most of my friends remove that engine and install an 855 cid motor, usually a NTA 335 in which they de-rate to 250 horsepower. Right now I am set at just over 200 horsepower and with extreme service undercarriage you have to be careful not to spin the tracks.
The D355A-3 has an SD series engine that is based on the KTA-1150 cummins. You are correct that in the stock setting they were 410 horsepower. The motor is capable of 525 continuous horsepower in a stationary application such as on a Genset. But in the tractor it produces too much heat for the stock pistons. The tractor runs with 18 psi of manifold boost pressure and an exhaust temperature of around 1050 degrees Fahrenheit. The tractor has a 4 barrel multi-shank ripper. It usually pulls two 10 ft long ripper shanks that are set so that 7 ft is stuck out below the ripper beam. With the ripper tucked up the tractor rips with an effected depth of five and a half to six feet, depending on the quantity of hard pan.
Thanks for all of the comments.:usa
Note: All horsepower is referred to as net flywheel.
Hi Deas Plant,
Thanks for the comments. I wish I could have all Cat machinery, but it just is not in the cards for me. So I did the next best thing....
Just like many others, I learned to operate a dozer at a young age. The first tractor I ran was an International TD-14 142 series. I have cut many miles of firebreaks since I was 10 years old. Now, International was famous for building their tractors with lighter frame housings and larger horsepower. As long as you were not dozing with them they would run forever. Most all of the farming operations out here ran TD-18's and TD-24's, at the time Cat did not have anything in the weight and power range. I should also mention that due to the lighter frame weights, the tractors were favored in the farming operations for lower ground pressure applications which reduced the build-up of the plow pans.
Komatsu had the opposite effect on the industry. Their frame designs were heavier and stronger so they were able to install larger displacement engines in which in turn they de-rated the engine horsepower. Most pre-electronic controlled dozers have the capability of increasing the horsepower by as much as 30%.
All my tractors have been reworked to increase the horsepower. Usually it involves increasing the injector stroke, larger turbo compressor housing and changing the exhaust manifold. The D65E was the easiest. A turbo was added and the injector clearance was changed. They are the simplest to work on. My tractor still has the NH 220 cummins, while most of my friends remove that engine and install an 855 cid motor, usually a NTA 335 in which they de-rate to 250 horsepower. Right now I am set at just over 200 horsepower and with extreme service undercarriage you have to be careful not to spin the tracks.
The D355A-3 has an SD series engine that is based on the KTA-1150 cummins. You are correct that in the stock setting they were 410 horsepower. The motor is capable of 525 continuous horsepower in a stationary application such as on a Genset. But in the tractor it produces too much heat for the stock pistons. The tractor runs with 18 psi of manifold boost pressure and an exhaust temperature of around 1050 degrees Fahrenheit. The tractor has a 4 barrel multi-shank ripper. It usually pulls two 10 ft long ripper shanks that are set so that 7 ft is stuck out below the ripper beam. With the ripper tucked up the tractor rips with an effected depth of five and a half to six feet, depending on the quantity of hard pan.
Thanks for all of the comments.:usa
Note: All horsepower is referred to as net flywheel.
