This excerpt was originally posted on the John Deere Emissions Emissions Hub Blog October 3, 2012. You can view the original post here.

Last Month we introduced you to Nortrax, a John Deere dealer with 52 stores throughout the United States and Canada. Nortrax recognized that evolving emissions regulations would confront contractors with new challenges, and the company went above and beyond to educate employees and customers about the realities, and manageable solutions.

When we sat down with Bill Pyles, Notrax’s vice president of service, he told us that an educated contractor is their best customer. “They ask us tougher questions, prepare more carefully, and ultimately enjoy a seamless transition to the new regulatory environment,” he noted.

So what are some of the questions Bill receives on a regular basis? Below we’ve outlined four of the most common:

 1.     What do I need to know about regeneration (exhaust filter cleaning)?

I tell customers that it is really important to understand how passive regeneration works, and we always offer to help train their teams. John Deere has given us some helpful videos to teach that. If you understand how passive regeneration works in the background during operation, then you’ll know how to get the most out of your iron by reducing your idling time. Also, always remember to keep the switch on “auto-enable” so that regeneration takes place without the operator’s intervention.

2.     Will my new Interim Tier 4 (IT4) engines affect productivity?

I tell customers that a properly operated, properly maintained John Deere IT4 engine should give you plenty to be happy about when it comes to productivity. In addition to the customer-inspired enhancements to all new equipment that improves operator comfort and productivity, our IT4 engines have performed great in both internal tests and real-world operation.

3.     Do I need to use different oil or fuel in my IT4 equipment?

John Deere did the IT4 transition the right way, and there’s not really too much that impacts the customer. But customers do need to know how to use the right engine fluids. Engine oil needs to meet API CJ-4 and ACEA E9 standards. The fuel needs to be ultra low-sulfur diesel and if you’re working with biodiesel, keep your blend to no more than B20 and follow the operator’s manual instructions regarding its use.

4.     What do I need to know about ash cleaning?

I tell customers that they need to know that there’s a difference when you use John Deere. Although the EPA only requires ash-cleaning intervals to be 4,500 hours on equipment at or above 175 hp, In many equipment models John Deere diesel particulate filters have been shown to last up to 15,000 hours without needing to be replaced.