Stage IV or Stage V - how to check which machine you have

Two machines can carry the same model number on the bonnet, be built several years apart, and have different emissions hardware underneath. The same model range can therefore need different parts, different diagnostics and a different repair procedure depending on when it was built. This matters when ordering a part, diagnosing a fault, or selecting diagnostic or repair-support equipment.

This guide explains what changed between Stage IV and Stage V, when the transition took place, and the three practical ways to establish which generation you are looking at.

Scope. The examples below are drawn from FPT-powered agricultural and construction machinery. Aftertreatment architecture varies between engine manufacturers, machine applications and emission generations, and the identification methods here should be read with that in mind.

What the two standards are

Stage IV is the European emission standard for non-road diesel engines, phased in from 2014. Its US counterpart for comparable non-road applications is Tier 4 Final.

Stage V replaced it, adding particulate matter requirements for non-road mobile machinery. It applied from 1 January 2019 for engines above 130 kW and from 1 January 2020 for engines between 56 and 130 kW.

Those dates describe when a manufacturer could no longer place a new engine of that power class on the market under the previous requirements. They are not model-year cut-offs. Individual ranges transitioned at different times in the run-up, and machines built under the earlier standard remained in the sales and distribution chain afterwards.

Treat the changeover as a period, not a date.

What actually changed

On the FPT applications covered here, the difference is physical as well as electronic.

Stage IV and Tier 4 Final use FPT's HI-eSCR architecture: SCR aftertreatment with AdBlue dosing, comprising the SCR catalyst, the dosing system, the NOx sensors and the associated control electronics. On the relevant FPT applications this generation is associated with the Bosch EDC17CV41 engine control unit.

Stage V added particulate matter control. On these applications that meant a diesel particulate filter, and with it a different engine control unit, additional sensors and a regeneration cycle that did not exist before.

This is not a software revision. Between the two generations, the following can all differ:

• exhaust components

• sensors

• engine control unit

• dosing system

• diagnostic procedure

• fault codes and diagnostic paths

• replacement parts

Which is why the generation has to be established before ordering components or equipment.

Three ways to tell, in order of certainty

1. The ECU label

For the FPT applications covered here, this is the most reliable method.

The engine control unit carries a label with the Bosch identification and part information. On the relevant earlier applications, EDC17CV41 is associated with the Tier 4 Final and Stage IV generation. Stage V applications use a different configuration. The point is not the machine model. It is the control unit actually fitted to the engine. If you are ordering diagnostic or repair-support equipment, a clear photograph of that label is the single most useful thing you can send.

2. The aftertreatment system

The presence of a diesel particulate filter indicates the later generation. The earlier FPT Tier 4 Final and Stage IV configuration uses SCR with AdBlue dosing and no particulate filter. The filter is a substantial component in the exhaust line and is normally identifiable once the relevant engine or exhaust panels have been accessed. This is a good first check, but not proof. Manufacturers and machine builders package aftertreatment components differently, and some are difficult to identify from outside the machine. Where there is any doubt, confirm from the ECU.

3. The build year from the machine plate

Use the build year shown on the machine identification plate, not the year the machine was registered, delivered or first put to work. Those dates can differ, sometimes by more than a year.

As a general reference:

Engines above 130 kW moved to Stage V requirements from 1 January 2019

Engines between 56 and 130 kW from 1 January 2020

Individual manufacturers and ranges transitioned at different points, so a machine produced around the changeover cannot always be identified from its year alone. Close to the transition, use the build year as an indication and confirm from the engine, the ECU and the aftertreatment configuration.

Why the model number does not settle it

Manufacturers do not necessarily rename a range when the engine and emissions system underneath it change. The machine can look almost identical, carry the same badge and the same model designation, and use a different architecture.

Examples from FPT-powered ranges relevant to this product category:

Case IH Puma. The range ran on the earlier generation into 2019 and continued in production afterwards. Model number and build year together are needed to place a given machine.

Case IH Maxxum. The same picture. Some variants within the range were also offered with more than one engine, so the model designation alone does not establish the engine either.

New Holland T7. A broad range in which individual models reached the transition at different points. Some ended production before the changeover; others continued through it.

Landini Serie 7 Robo-Six and McCormick X7 VT-Drive. Both FPT-powered and both spanning the transition period.

Case Construction. Later series introduced substantially different aftertreatment configurations compared with the earlier SCR-only applications, including exhaust gas recirculation and a particulate filter. This is a change of architecture, not only of standard.

The consequence is simple. Before quoting a part, diagnosing a fault or supplying equipment, verify the engine, the ECU and the emissions configuration rather than working from the model name.

Check your machine, model and build year →



Why it matters in practice

Parts. A sensor, dosing component or control unit from one generation may not fit or function correctly on the other, and part numbers can differ even where the model name looks identical.

Diagnostics. The diagnostic paths diverge. A Stage V machine can carry particulate filter and regeneration systems that do not exist on an earlier SCR-only configuration, and applying the wrong procedure leads to the wrong component being condemned.

Lead time. The two generations do not necessarily share a parts pool. Ordering against the wrong configuration turns a parts error into additional downtime, which is usually the expensive part.

Diagnostic and repair equipment. Anything that interfaces with the engine control unit is generation-specific by definition. Compatibility should be confirmed from the ECU identification and the system configuration, not from the machine model.

Frequently asked questions

Is there such a thing as Tier 5?

No. The US EPA did not introduce a non-road emission standard called Tier 5 after Tier 4 Final. Stage V is the European standard that followed Stage IV. Where "Tier 5" appears in a product listing, it is usually an informal or incorrect reference to Stage V.

Is Stage IV the same as Tier 4 Final?

They are separate regulatory standards from different systems, so they are not identical in the text. For the FPT applications covered here, the Tier 4 Final and Stage IV generation uses a comparable SCR-based aftertreatment architecture. When ordering parts or equipment, identify the actual engine and ECU rather than relying on the standard name.

My machine was registered in 2020. Is it Stage V?

Not necessarily. Registration and delivery follow production, sometimes by a considerable margin, and machines built under the earlier standard continued to be sold after the changeover date. Check the build information on the machine plate, then confirm from the engine and ECU configuration.

Can a Stage IV machine be converted to Stage V?

It should not be assumed that changing one or two emissions components converts a machine from one generation to the other. Stage V involves a different system configuration and, depending on the application, changes to engine management, sensors and aftertreatment components. The appropriate repair or replacement procedure depends on the specific machine and engine.

Where is the ECU label?

The exact location varies by machine. The unit is normally installed in the engine compartment or behind an access panel, with the identification label on its top face. If you are unsure, consult the machine service documentation, or send us photographs of the engine compartment and we will point you at it.

Why do you ask for a photograph of the ECU label?

Because the ECU identification distinguishes between configurations that share the same model name, and because it prevents an incorrect order.

Where possible, send:

• machine model

• build year from the machine plate

• engine model and engine number

• a photograph of the ECU label

• the machine identification plate

• any active fault codes

The more of that we have, the more confidently the configuration can be identified.

Related

AdBlue system fault on tractors and construction machines

NOx sensor failure on tractors and construction machines

SCR, AdBlue and NOx fault codes - full SPN and FMI reference

SCR and AdBlue terminology

Check your machine compatibility

Scope. This guide focuses on FPT-powered agricultural and construction machinery and uses Tier 4 Final, Stage IV and Stage V as practical identification references. Aftertreatment architecture varies by engine manufacturer, machine application, production date, ECU configuration and applicable emission requirements. Always verify the exact engine, ECU identification and emissions configuration before ordering parts, diagnostic equipment or repair-support equipment.

Trademarks. Third-party trademarks and manufacturer names are used for identification and compatibility reference purposes only. Lavanis Engineering OOD is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, approved by or associated with these manufacturers.