January 1, 2014, is a bellwether day for off-road diesel engines. On that fast approaching date, the majority of diesel engines sold in the United States, Japan and most of Europe will have to meet the most strict exhaust emissions standards yet.
To meet those standards – called Tier 4 Final in this country – manufacturers will outfit these engines with a variety of new exhaust aftertreatment components. The ramp up to this point has been gradual, with the Tier 3 standards phased in between 2006 and 2008, Tier 4 Interim from 2008 to 2012 and now Tier 4 Final.
You won’t have to deal with the full gamut of Tier 4 Final technology until you buy your next new piece of equipment or new engine. But eventually almost everybody will have some Tier 4 Final machines in their fleet. And many of you have at least some Tier 3 or Tier 4 Interim machines in your fleet now. There are even some engines out currently that meet Tier 4 Final requirements.
The reduction in emissions from diesel engines as a result of this technology has been nothing short of astounding. But it is mandated by the EPA, and it doesn’t come cheap. By some estimates, the new engines have boosted machine prices by as much as 10 percent.
Here’s a short review to help you sort out all the details:
The EPA regulations aimed to drastically reduce two primary exhaust pollutants. Particulate matter, or PM, is mostly unburned hydrocarbons like soot that previously shot out the exhaust stack unimpeded, and nitrates of oxygen or NOx, which is a primary ingredient of smog.
