Answering concerns about how machines using its Tier 4 engines can be used in lower regulated countries, Cummins said today it will offer a Sulfur Tolerance Kit for its Tier 4 Interim and Final engines that will allow the engines to operate on higher sulfur fuels.
Tier 4 engines require the use of Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel, which contains 15 parts per million or less of sulfur. ULSD is currently only widely available in North America and Europe.
Cummins said the kit, containing new engine calibrations and software, will protect the engine and exhaust aftertreatment from the harmful effects of high-sulfur fuel. No further details were given.
Cummins joins several other engine and equipment manufacturers (JCB, John Deere, Volvo and Caterpillar) who have announced Tier 4 conversion strategies for machine resale in lower regulated countries. Machines undergoing any of these “de-tiering” processes generally cannot be sold back into the United States.
One exception is Caterpillar, which recently announced the regeneration system on its 175-horsepower and above Tier 4 Final engines will take care of the problems associated with higher sulfur fuels, and allow those machines to be sold back to the United States.