The Valtra summary to the N163

“The N163 (& N143) use the AGCO-Sisu 4.9 litre common rail engine with four valves per cylinder,” Paddy Cantwell explains.

“And the fuel injector on this engine is positioned down between the four valves. On the 4.4 litre engine the injectors come in from the side.

“On this Tier 4 engine, the pump is now capable of creating higher injection pressures, at 2000 bar, up from about 1400, 1500 bar.” Service intervals remain the same though at 500 hours, according to Paddy.

Paddy says that its maximum ISO (boosted) horsepower is around 170hp but its real horsepower is what’s on the bonnet. At the pto its base power is 150hp (Sigma power off with diagnostic tool) and with boost this rises to around159hp.

“Which is a lot for a four cylinder tractor; it’s quite light and you’d really see the difference compared to a 160hp in six-cylinder Valtra. When that tractor is working hard, under heavy load it is probably no lighter on fuel than the equivalent six cylinder tractor.

“But when you’re not working the N163 hard, it’s a different story altogether, and that’s where you are making the fuel savings. Whether its fertiliser spreading or using the loader, that’s where this tractor is different,” claims Paddy Cantwell.

Valtra use SCR-Selective Catalytic Reduction as its main emission control and the N163 has a 230 litre fuel tank plus 27 litre AdBlue tank. Paddy comments on its usage.

“In my experience the urea usage tends to be closer to 5% of fuel usage (under load) than the 10% initially thought. Spreading fertiliser, driving from A to B it’ll use nothing comparatively speaking.

“The harder a tractor is worked the more urea is injected. Initially contractors were concerned that if they were off working for two days would they need a bowser for the AdBlue but you won’t consume that volume of AdBlue, you’ll get the two tanks of diesel easily out of the AdBlue,” says Paddy.

Paddy also describes how that on the four-cylinder N163 the two stages of the exhaust treatment have been separated. The DOC- Diesel Oxidation Catalysist is mounted just behind the turbo and the AdBlue injector is mounted just behind it in the engine bay as well.

The secondary ‘scrubber’ cat unit is integrated into the exhaust stack. On the six cylinder tractors where there is more room, both units are combined.

Paddy warns that in relation to AdBlue/urea, there is a big variation between some of the suppliers and the quality of it. He also advises that AdBlue containers should be stored inside away from sunlight. A clear container or IBC stored outside for example, the sunlight can separate the urea from the water and cause all sorts of problems.

“We recommend using the blue plastic 220 litre barrels of AdBlue. They’re not so transparent and we advise owners to store them inside away from direct sunlight.”

Time to change with front linkage benefits

Graham Kavanagh, Valtra N163 buyer

Graham Kavanagh from Kilmyshall, Bunclody, Co. Wexford recently bought a new Valtra N163 and gives his reasons here for the purchase. Graham’s operates a mixed tillage farm with sucklers and potatoes.

He is already a Valtra user and customer of Valtra dealer Lacken Machinery Ltd, New Ross, Co Wexford. He currently has a 2006 Valtra N101 and 2005 Valtra T130; he traded in the T130 for the N163 which he hopes to take delivery of around now.

He’s trading for a number of reasons. “I’m trading the T130 for a N163 because it’s time to change before too many hours come up on the tractor and it loses value. But more so for front linkage and pto which are useful for the potato end of the business. And for the tillage end, you can carry a fork on it which is very handy for picking off stones when you are rolling or even ploughing.”

Why the N163? Graham explains, “We were happy with the N101, it’s a tidy tractor, compact tractor and nimble on headlands. The N163 has a lot better lock on it than the T130. When you’re working on row work you need a good lock; it’ll come in around a lot handier.”

Going from a six-cylinder tractor to a four Graham had some worries. “I was concerned about the shorter wheelbase that it would be a rockier tractor on the road. The N101 hasn’t a front suspension and it would be a bit rocky. Having drove the Journal test tractor Graham said that he would be happy with the N163 on the road; “It seems very steady with the weight block”, he added.

“There’s definitely is more ground clearance for potato work with the N163; the front suspension is tidier than the air bag suspension on the T130,” said Graham. “There’s more horsepower with the N163 and the way things are, machinery is getting that little bit bigger and the extra power will also be useful for driving the bed tiller.”

Graham also likes Valtra’s updated headland management system with an into work button and out of work button.

Regarding T4i with AdBlue, Graham says, “Manufacturers are claiming that you will spend less on fuel but time will tell; I have an open mind on that one at the minute.”

The Dyno-Test – expert view

We asked Dermot Forristal, Tractor Expert and Researcher at Teagasc’s Oak Park Crops Research Centre to take a look at the dynamometer test and give us his views on the power and performance data that it showed. Here is what he had to say.

“The Journal test clearly shows that the N163 delivers the power, with a maximum power output of 158hp at the PTO which is very good considering its rated engine power in transport boost is 171hp. But this engine is unusually rated at its maximum power output which leaves it with a poor-looking torque back-up figure of 17.8%.

“Many other tractor manufacturers would have rated this engine at a lower power point of say 154hp which it achieves at 2200 rpm, which is 17hp less than its rated power. This would leave it with a very healthy 47% torque back-up, as the calculation is based on the rated power figure.

Dermot asks how does the power test result stack-up overall. “Well it certainly delivers the power, but for a 171hp rated tractor, it would feel to be struggling a bit with limited reserves. But if you considered it a 154hp tractor, then it would perform quite strongly,” he adds.