Go BottomHow to turn up fuel on a 231 MF
 | Gary Guess
Join Date: Posts: 1 
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2001-06-11 29142
I have a 231 MF and need to know how to turn up the power just a little.The 240 is the same engine with less more power.
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| steveb
Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 0 TheSticks, OT
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2001-06-11 29155
You do not need to turn the fuel up. Your 231 (38) is rated at 2000 rpm and the 240 is rated at 2250 rpm (45 hp). Put your tractor on a dyno and you will see it has more than 38 HP ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley 
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2001-06-12 29176
Turning up the fuel or power is something I've heard about for turbo equipped diesel engines. Maybe it's because compacts tend to have traction rather than power limitations so you never heard about it with compacts, but I can't think what could be done to a plain diesel to get appreciably more power. Maybe changing the engine and spill-time pump settings would shift the power curve around a bit. If max torque occurs at higher a higher RPM, the HP rating will be higher. However, the effect only gives more power when the engine is operated at the higher RPM. There may be less power at other RPM's. Anyway, I think that the settings would have to stay fairly close to factory specs for the engine to perform acceptably over the entire working RPM range. It might be a theoretical interest on my part, but I'd be interested if there is a technique to adjust power on normally aspirated diesels. It's a theoretical interest, because I almost always run out of traction before running out of power. ....
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| John Miller, III
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-06-12 29179
Basically, it's increasing fuel delivery/rate to the injectors. By changing/adjusting the injection pump you go from say 38 PTO hp rated to 45 PTO hp... But, increased engine hp gets increased heat that must get dissipated somehow.. Look for an added oil cooler, trans cooler, larger water pump, larger radiator, etc. {or a combo of these things} ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-06-12 29182
Thanks. Always a chance to learn something new. If 'fuel delivery rate' means more fuel per injection, I thought that's what the throttle does. Somewhere, I picked up the idea that RPM in a diesel is determined almost entirely by fuel delivery--give it more fuel it runs faster. I probably have a ways to go before I get my diesel engine concepts completely straight, but always am interested. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-06-12 29184
I answered my own question I think. Something like RPM = load x fuel delivery. The governor operates the throttle in response to changing loads up to a maximum fuel delivery. I'm not certain, but increasing the max no load RPM adjustment may increase the maximum fuel delivery to which the governor works. Like in John's post, problem may be created by engine adjustments that are different than factory specs. ....
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 | harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY 
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2001-06-15 29299
All (used very loosely) can have the fuel ratio increased. HOWEVER unless you run light loads (in which case no need for more power) you SHOULD have a pyrometer (measures exaust temps), so you do not melt down the heads on a heavy load. Temps can climb to 1000 degree +. When fuel was cheap and HP expensive most farmers and trucks got more power thru the pump. You would see a black plum when plowing or chopping. If you are out on the road you might notice older big trucks on hills or starting to move thru the gears with heavy black smoke, same thing. (Federal laws and DOT inspections, plus heavy fines are cleaning up the trucks). The new electronics and federal laws have complicated the adjustments issues somewhat. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-06-17 29353
I'm going to write out my understanding of a basic diesel fuel system. It's part of my campaign to understand how my tractor works. Somebody else may be interested, and I might learn something if I don't get it quite right. In a basic system, the injector pump produces high-pressure fuel delivery separately to each cylinder. Most pumps are constant stroke and have separate chambers (barrels) for each cylinder. Fuel delivery is varied by the throttle/governor, which rotates the chambers to vary the position of relief ports to vary the pump displacement. The pump delivers fuel to delivery valves. Delivery valves act as check valves and also produce a rapid pressure decrease after injection to prevent 'dribble' at the injector tips. From the delivery valves, fuel goes to the injectors. Injectors introduce fuel in an atomized state to the combustion chambers whenever fuel exceeds a set pressure. The timing of fuel delivery is crucial for proper operation. The pump and engine positions are coordinated by driving the pump from the crankshaft gear (usually through an idler gear) at the front of the engine. As such, the pump cam lobes and engine valve/cycle positions remain in sync. Matching the proper gear teeth between the crank shaft and pump gears performs basic engine timing. Placing the engine at a specific place in its cycle/rotation makes finer timing adjustments (spill time). The coupling between the pump gear shaft and pump is then adjusted to the point that fuel flow to a cylinder is just cut off. In addition to spill time, throttle and governor adjustments are provided. A throttle linkage adjustment ensures a full range of motion to the pump control arm. A max no-load RPM adjustment sets a maximum fuel delivery. I think the adjustment is a max throttle position stop which prevents the governor from increasing fuel delivery beyond a point, but I'm not certain. In diesels, throttle serves only to vary fuel delivery, which is the only factor in determining the engine/load RPM. Throttle in gas engines also varies the air supply. I believe that a broken throttle linkage in a diesel can result in a runaway engine if the engine is able to operate above the max no load rpm point and there is no fuel shut-off. ....
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| harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2001-06-18 29370
Tom You are correct in the throttle rpm adjustment. They have one of those if you want a few more RPM, not sure why you would want it unless you run the roads a lot. MOST engine companies will allow their technicians to turn their rpm up 10% and still back their warranties. AND they will also bump the fuel up some (unless you are paying for dyno time and have access, for maxium hp ratings) until they see a hint of black soot/smoke in the exaust, then its turned back a half turn. Be prepared to pay for this when the techs cut the seals and reseal the pumps. You will gain some HP by adjusting the fuel and the rpm the torque will rise some in its band. The new electronics are just to good every thing set by computer from your rpm to shift points to raising the torque 200 or so foot lbs. Just had company truck in, $850.00 to hook up computer and adjust to customer specs, never raised the hood did from connection in cab. ....
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| harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2001-06-18 29371
Just an after thought. If you really want to learn about how to get "MORE POWER" go to the local antique tractor pulls. I used to enjoy watching the farmers come out of the ... with their work every day field tractors and pull them. Them there "ol boys" know every adjustment you can do to a stock farm tractor. When I see a 730 JD diesal with a pony motor starter puffin black smoke like a soft coal burnig steam engine. You know he has the fuel WAAAAAAY up. BTW they are naturally aspired engines. And when you see the "GOOD OL BOY" drag his antique pullig tractor to and from the line with a old lawn tractor with a V8 engine on it you diffeniatly know he has way toooo much time and creativity. I'm sure if you look around you can find a division for your compact also. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-06-18 29373
Thanks for the comments. The idea of 'turning up the fuel' probably is pretty simple. I'm mostly trying to come to an understanding of what actually is done. I believe I've got a few more pieces of it in mind now. I think 'turning up the fuel' means injecting more fuel per injection. As I figure, the volume inside the pump barrels determines the amount of fuel per injection, and the pump control rod position sets the volume. The throttle position and the governor affect the control rod position. I think the max no-load adjustment sets the maximum control rod position. Increasing the position would allow the governor to deliver more fuel under heavy loads. Engine operation would then appear as a higher RPM under no-load conditions or as more power under loaded conditions. So, in some sense, increasing the max no-load RPM adjustment might be thought of as turning up the fuel. However, the governor is another element that affects fuel delivery. Near as I can figure, the governor spins flyweights against spring tension. The faster the RPM, the greater the flyweight force is against the spring tension. Maximum fuel delivery occurs when the flyweights are at rest, and delivery is decreased as the weights move outward when spun by the engine. Increasing the hand throttle increases the spring tension, which makes it harder for the weights to move outward to decrease fuel delivery. From a particular throttle position, A decrease in engine RPM, due to increased load, allows the spring to move the weights inward, which increases fuel delivery to compensate for the increased load. It seems to me that altering either the governor springs or weights would affect how much fuel is delivered at a particular RPM. So, I guess that doing something like putting lighter weights in a governor could be called turning up the fuel. However, the governors described in my Ford repair manual aren't adjustable, so perhaps this is why the idea seems a bit mysterious to me. There is nothing in the manual but exploded diagrams and instructions to go to a qualified technician, and of course, that's what I'd do. My 1710 is more traction than power challenged so I don't need to worry about getting more power, but I do need to understand how this stuff works to be very happy though. ....
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| MarkS
Join Date: Posts: 1
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2001-06-18 29375
Interesting discussion, a couple years ago I was looking at the New Holland TC25 and TC29 Compacts and noticed that they were the exact same engine. Same Bore and Stroke virtually identical except the 29 was rated at 2800 RPM and the 25 was rated at 2600 RPM. I called New Holland on this and they actually admitted the only differences between the two tractors were fuel delivery settings. Of course they wouldn't tell me how to set the 25 to make it a 29, but it sure is a cheap way for them to sell a compact for $800 more than another tractor that is identical. Gotta love them Marketing guys. ....
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| harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2001-06-18 29389
Tom you have the throttle idea pretty well covered. Turning up the fuel and turning up RPM are two totally seperate issues. You can turn up the RPM or you can turn up the fuel or both. NONE I REPEAT NONE of you operator, parts or repair manuals will explain how to turn up the fuel. SERIOUS engine damage can and most likely will occur. More fuel means more heat which destroys heads and melts pistons. You can turn up the RPM to much and get counter productive with your governor weights etc. The service technications which are certified to work on injector pumps can do these settings blindfolded. Your Ford diesel can be turned up. You have not found the right tech. Plus you have federal laws (both sides of the border) to contend with and the fines are very stiff if you find a guy that will turn it up and you get caught (getting caught is easy heavy black smoke) (also if you run a diesel on the road you are aware they dye fuel red for off road use only) and blow him in because it lightens your sentence or fine. Most of the guys earn a living doing this professionally and will not risk their livelyhood doin it. The new electronics are software finger printed and any changes, when, what and by who are entered in the onboard chip. New ones can change the HP by 100+ or so and torque by 200 ft lbs or so along with fuel delivery. As I said earlier if you want to know how to do this stuff you should get around the boys that play with this stuff for fun on weekends. ....
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| TomG
Join Date: Feb 2002 Posts: 5406 Upper Ottawa Valley
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2001-06-19 29412
I hear ya Harvey. I fortunately got through my high-school hot-rodding days without seriously damaging an engine. I suppose that was mostly because I didn't have enough money to do serious tinkering. Since then I've come to a little better understanding of machinery and realize that things are engineered as a system. Sticking with the system that was engineered generally gives the best overall performance and durability. I sure was disappointed in high school when my extra carburetors didn't add much to my zip--didn't have the cam etc. to go along with the carbs. If I wanted zip, I should have just milled the heads. Would have been cheaper too but not as impressive when having the oil checked. Well, I guess we all do survive high school somehow. Right now my goal is understanding this stuff, and thanks for your comments. I have faith that if I understand how something works than I can find a problem and fix it. I don't feel a need to tinker with the tractor’s power because I get the work done fast enough to suit me. On the other hand, this is logging country around here. If I was an independent log hauler, power might be an issue. The tractors run by some of the independents don't seem to be up to hauling some of the trailers. You sometimes see log trucks going up grades spouting the black flumes you mentioned. I haven't figured out why excessive injection, over heating (which may be the same issue) and restricted air intake all can produce black exhaust. Regarding TC 25’s & 29’s: If they’re really the same engine, presumably the 25 would last longer. However, tractor diesels are sort like buying a parrot. They often last longer than the owner, so maybe durability isn’t much of an issue. Well, it wouldn’t be first time something was intentionally tuned down to compete in the market for a few years. Then a ‘new zippy’ version can be brought out if market share starts slipping without really doing anything except change the trim colours. ....
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| harvey
Join Date: Sep 2000 Posts: 1550 Moravia, NY
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2001-06-19 29429
Tom yup 327 in a Falcon...But it took cubic dollars to beat cubic inches. You are right with the overall systems. I kinda look at it like women: I can read all day and look up the big words and understand how the system functions, but until I played with the total system in the back seat I never knew how lacking my knowledge was. So me guesses reading is one thing but impericial data/research is a wonderful thing. ....
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