Perkins targets Ag sector with new compact four cylinder engine

Improved performance, installation flexibility and dependability are the major benefits delivered to customers by the new Perkins 854F-E34TA engine. Designed to meet EU Stage IV and U.S EPA Tier 4 Final emissions standards above 56 kW (75 hp), the new package is firmly aimed at the agricultural sector where productivity and economy are key for the end user.

Performance from the 854F-E34TA has been boosted to a class-leading 90 kW (121 hp) with a maximum torque of 490 Nm thanks to its single stage turbo with smart wastegate. Rated speed is between 2200 and 2500 rpm.

However, the uplift in performance has not come at the expense of fuel consumption. The eight percent improvement in specific fuel consumption (SFC) previously gained at Stage IIIB / Tier 4 Interim has been retained.

The compact, four cylinder, 3.4 litre model incorporates specially optimised Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) technology for the first time. Packaged separately from the Diesel Oxidation Catalyst (DOC) module, it can be mounted in either a horizontal or vertical position, giving Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) greater installation flexibility in the engine bay.

A four valve cylinder head and increased common rail fuel pressure improves in-cylinder combustion and reduces particulate formation in place of the Diesel Particulate Filter (DPF) used at Stage IIIB / Tier 4 Interim.

As with all engine models from Perkins the onus is very much on making the transition from Stage IIIB / Tier 4 Interim as seamless as possible so that costly machine redesign can be avoided. The package size of the 854F-E34TA means OEMs can maintain the compact dimensions associated with machines such as mid-horsepower tractors. Heat rejection remains similar to its predecessor meaning no major changes to the size of the cooling pack, so the overall engine envelope is not increased.

In the field service intervals remain at 500 hours while maintenance costs have been reduced for the end user via the use of poly-vee belts and hydraulic lash adjustment.

“Moving from one level of emission standards to the next has certainly been a challenge for most OEMs, given the need to accommodate the aftertreatment necessary to meet the new standards,” says Nick Stephenson, 850 Series product marketing manager.

“We have purposefully set out to minimise the impact of the additional aftertreatment on the 854F-E34TA, providing flexible and innovative solutions for the mounting of both DOC and SCR modules so that space claim is minimised in the engine bay; this is an important consideration for agricultural machinery manufacturers given the tight tolerances with which they have to work. From Stage IIIA / Tier 3 onwards our engine architecture throughout the range has remained broadly the same. This has helped OEMs make a smooth transition from one Stage / Tier to the next, reducing development costs and time,” he adds.

The 854F-E34TA will be exhibited at Agritechnica in November, and marks the completion of the company’s Stage IV / Tier 4 Final engine range, which also includes the Perkins 400 and 1200 Series.