Maintaining proper airflow is more important this year than it ever has been. Diesel price, at the time I’m writing this, is sitting at 5.57 per gallon, the highest ever and likely higher by the time harvest comes around. High horsepower equipment needs to maintain proper airflow to keep horsepower and fuel efficiency at peak performance. This article will explain what the Hillco Air Flow System is, how it works, airflow requirements, and compatible equipment.
How it works
The Hillco kit will replace the stock intake on your Case IH or New Holland equipment. All airflow will be diverted through the pre cleaner top before it reaches your air filter. As the tractor or combine draws in air, the impeller housed in the pre cleaner spins at an extremely high RPM. Any airborne particulates that were destined to find their new home in your air filter are expelled through the discharge slot in the pre cleaner top. Clean air is left to be drawn into the engine, leaving only the smallest particles left for the air filter to mop up.
Air flow requirements
High horsepower diesel engines need a lot of air to maintain performance. A Case IH 8010 combine, for example, puts out around 400 horsepower. When engine RPM is 2100 the combine will be drawing 706 CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) of air. When the turbo kicks in, HP bumps up to 450 and CFM increases to 1200 being drawn to the engine. The pre cleaner top size that you receive is dependent on the airflow requirements of your combine or tractor.
Here’s a useful tool that you can use yourself to calculate the CFM requirements of your tractor or combine.
Resource Calculator
Compatible equipment
Below is a grid of Case and New Holland tractors we carry AFS kits for. If you don’t see your tractor listed below, it doesn’t hurt to ask a question in the ‘Contact Us’ box below or give us a call. If it looks like your tractor air intake could fit a pre cleaner top we may be able to help you out.
Below are the flagship combines that have Air Flow System’s available to them. The difference between the high mount and the low mount kits depends on where your combine draws its air from. The kit with the corn screen is for those that use corn in their crop rotation. The large corn leaves will gum up the impeller of the pre cleaner, so an extra layer of protection is highly recommended.
*Keep in mind, Case IH had an update kit for the 7120 and the 8120 that converted them to a high intake. If your combine has the high intake, you will need a high mount kit for your combine.
What you get
Every Hillco Air Flow kit will come with a pre cleaner top, extension tubing, brackets, fasteners and elbow depending on your specific equipment (More on that later). An Installation manual is included and typically would take around 30 minutes to install. If ever you have any issues or questions about warranty, a Hillco Employee will be able to assist you over the phone or over email.
Do you need one?
That’s the big question. If your equipment is not having any issues keeping the air filters clean you probably won’t benefit from an AFS. However, if you are having issues and you’re looking for a zero maintenance, easy to install solution to your air cleaning problems, there is no more cost-effective option than a Hillco Air Flow System.
