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Need help Cat 287C

BossHogg

Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2010
Messages
5
Location
Ky
NEED HELP......

I have no idea how to start a new thread on this forum...

I have a CAT 287C skid steer with 1160 hours...:I use mostly for land clearing and bush hogging...

I have a warning light on, its an flashing exclamation point. The manual only says its a "level 2 warning" and has no information on the cause or remedy for this problem.. It only says "change operation or severe damage may occur" what the heck does that mean???

I called the dealer and the mech. said i needed a new hydraulic filter, (didnt work, light is still on)

The machine runs and sounds fine, and has power, but the travel speed is reduced dramatically. It is a 2 speed machine, and even in high, it is very slow... Its like the computer has the drive speed restricted..

Any one have any ideas?? Please copy this to a new thread if anyone has the privilege.
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,250
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Welcome to the Forums Bosshogg! It takes 3 posts before you can start your own thread, it's to keep the spammers out. I moved your post to it's own thread in the skid steer section. We have a wealth of info in our members. Good luck!
 

hjetty

Member
Joined
Aug 14, 2010
Messages
19
Location
Lyons Kansas
new user also

hey guys, new to this whole forums thing trying to figure how to communicate. this is first time it would let me type anything. looks like you guys are a wealth of knowledge. I recently purchased a tree saw and while researching the project i found this forum. thanks, hjetty
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,250
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Welcome to the Forums hjetty!
 

txbrushbuster

Active Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2008
Messages
29
Location
Texas
When mine does that I flip the ride control button off and on a couple times and it goes away.
 

Z2898

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 18, 2009
Messages
143
Location
Canada
Boss,

I can try to help you but you have to answer a few questions for me first.

Can you tell me if the machine has any logged codes?

A Warning level 2 can be a result of a few things. High hydraulic oil temp (therefore you are instructed to modify your operation to allow the temp to reduce = cool down . This activates at 199 degress F). Is the hydraulic oil level in the indicated range? Is the external cooler free of debris? Do you have acceptable temp decrease across the cooler both internally and externally? Does the cooler have a fan and is it operating properly? Does the coolant temp remain in the proper operating range? Is the coolant level in the proper operating range? Are you currently doing a job that is unique or different than previous tasks creating this issue?

Common sense things to check. Certainly previous advice to change the filter was not bad advice.

A warning level 2 can also be a result of ECM seeing an unexpected motor speed, either RH or LH or both. This will result in a code being logged in the ECM.

Z
 

Lee-online

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2010
Messages
1,023
Location
In a van, down by the river
I suspect the speed sensor harness is damaged. It is routed with the hoses that run to the drive motors.

I have seen this a few time on machines used to clear brush. Those sticks find their way into all kinds of places.
 

BossHogg

Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2010
Messages
5
Location
Ky
Got it scanned today at the cat dealer.

They said it was the throttle position sensor. It is located below the cab and is attached to the foot throttle pedal assembly in the floor. I will have to raise the cab and remove the plate that covers the air conditioner fan. Not that hard of a job......

Cost is $114.00 and they have it in stock. So im in luck. I can fix this myself...

Thx guys for the posts.... And BTW, posts above were the first things the mechanic at CAT checked.. So you guys were right on... Good Job..
 

BossHogg

Member
Joined
Aug 21, 2010
Messages
5
Location
Ky
I found it.....

The clip fell out of the throttle position sensor... It just came loose and was not detecting the actual throttle position.
 

tucker1958

New Member
Joined
Nov 7, 2010
Messages
1
Location
harrod
I can't start a new thread yet , can you use a brushmower that is on a 286b normal hyd on a 277b with a high flow hyd without problems?
 

toomuchtime

Well-Known Member
Joined
Apr 21, 2010
Messages
49
Location
California
Tucker: Yes you can use a standard flow mower on a high flo machine but cannot do it the other way. The highflo hoses are different fittings. The 277b will have high flo fittings as well as standard flo.
 

Keenan993

Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Messages
9
Location
West Chester, PA
just had this issue with my cat 287c this week.
started with hydraulic oil leak, we found it coming from one of the test plugs (allen key) on the pump. -lots of oil loss.
at around the same time, or a little before we discovered the leak, the warning light started to go off. we topped the machine off with hydraulic oil, the light went out for a little, then we discovered the leak and tightened down on the plug.
the next day the light went off again consistently, so I took the machine over to cat.
they hooked it to the lab top when I was there, and was showing a code for the right hand drive motor sensor, they tried new sensor. this turned out not to be the issue.
they proceeded to go over their procedures for no less than 10 hours, checking all harnesses, and anything else that would throw the code.
they didn't come up with anything, and could not get the alarm to reset, so they proceeded to re-flash the ECM with the latest software ($150) to stop the warning light.
Now I have to pay a $1900 bill! and I think it may be just for an oil leak that I found on site.??????
any suggestions?
 
Last edited:

uzz32soarer

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2016
Messages
21
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Occupation
Company relocation specialist
Hi Guys, I'm a newbie here from the other side of the World but I'm having a similar issue. I have a 277C with only 200 hours on it, but it is three or four years old. Last week it started showing a yellow exclamation warning on the left side to panel. I don't have the top right panel so no way to read codes. If the yellow light was on it would steer slightly to the left in the straight ahead position and you have to keep pushing it back. Really annoying.

In desperation I purchased a CAT ET system and it has a code E568 and says left drive motor speed sensor #1: Erratic, Intermittent or Incorrect Then another one that says Left Drive Speed Sensor #1: Abnormal Frequency, Pulse Width or Period?

Any clues as to what this could be?

I've followed the wiring where it exits the lower side of the cabin and attaches to the hydraulic lines. There is a plug there and I removed and cleaned that but it was clean as can be inside. Very well sealed. There isn't any physical damage to the wiring that I can see. You can trace with your fingers and a mirror and see that the wires go into the back of a silver steel housing which is probably the speed sensor itself.

Could loose tracks make one side go faster than the other and upset the ECM? I've only recently purchased the machine and done less than 20 hrs on it but I don't think it's even had it's first service let alone had the tracks adjusted ever.
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,250
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Welcome to the Forums uzz32soarsr!:drinkup
 

Cmark

Senior Member
Joined
Jan 2, 2009
Messages
3,176
Location
Australia
Hi Guys, I'm a newbie here from the other side of the World but I'm having a similar issue. I have a 277C with only 200 hours on it, but it is three or four years old. Last week it started showing a yellow exclamation warning on the left side to panel. I don't have the top right panel so no way to read codes. If the yellow light was on it would steer slightly to the left in the straight ahead position and you have to keep pushing it back. Really annoying.

In desperation I purchased a CAT ET system and it has a code E568 and says left drive motor speed sensor #1: Erratic, Intermittent or Incorrect Then another one that says Left Drive Speed Sensor #1: Abnormal Frequency, Pulse Width or Period?

Any clues as to what this could be?

I've followed the wiring where it exits the lower side of the cabin and attaches to the hydraulic lines. There is a plug there and I removed and cleaned that but it was clean as can be inside. Very well sealed. There isn't any physical damage to the wiring that I can see. You can trace with your fingers and a mirror and see that the wires go into the back of a silver steel housing which is probably the speed sensor itself.

Could loose tracks make one side go faster than the other and upset the ECM? I've only recently purchased the machine and done less than 20 hrs on it but I don't think it's even had it's first service let alone had the tracks adjusted ever.

Dig the crap out from around the LH drive motor and you'll see a sensor screwed in the back. Follow the wiring as it runs back into the machine and you'll probably find where it's rubbed through on one of the drive hoses. It's a fairly common problem. You may have to lift the cab to check the wiring inside as well.
 
Last edited:

regan edmonds

New Member
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
1
Location
maryland
hey guys,

ive got a bad left wheel speed sensor on a 289D cat with 1500hrs on it. i looked at wires and harness to it, and they appear fine, so i bought the actual sensor. very tight space to get into, but i got the bolt out but cannot remove the sensor. no room to wiggle it one way or the other, and i cant get a flathead in to pry it loose. any suggestions??
 
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