Volvo unveils engine de-tiering kits

Volvo Construction Equipment has launched the first in a series of engine conversion kits that allow Volvo customers to resell their Tier 4 Interim/Stage IIIB machines outside the EU and US.

Exhaust aftertreatment systems on Stage IIIB and Tier 4 Interim engines require ultra low sulphur fuels to work correctly. These fuels are not widely available outside highly regulated markets like the EU and US, so without being adapted to run on high sulphur fuels, machines operated in less regulated countries would quickly break down.

The Stage IIIB/Tier 4 Interim engine conversion enables Volvo customers to resell their used machines for use in less regulated countries. The first kits are now available for the company’s A25-A40 articulated haulers (fitted with D11, D13 and D16 engines) and the L150-L250 wheel loaders (D13 engine).

The company said that early next year, kits would also be available for the EC340-EC480 excavators (D13 engine), with new kits coming out over the course of the year for machines fitted with medium-duty engines (D4-D8).

“The conversion kit adjusts the engine system so it can handle high-sulphur fuels up to 10,000 parts per million (PPM),” said Alan Berger, vice president of product platforms at Volvo CE. “We have developed and tested our conversion kit with a focus on quality and reliability, providing a robust solution for our customers.”

He continued, “The Volvo conversion kit consists of two parts: hardware is exchanged and software is updated. The new owner should contact their local Volvo dealer in the destination country to arrange for the conversion kit to be fitted. Installation will take around half a day and the conversion is permanent.”

In November Caterpillar announced a similar initiative to de-tier Stage IIIB/Tier 4 Interim engines within its machines.