D3G Ground Power Stalls

[E189552]

I have just acquired a 2007 D3G LGP (BYR01978) with about 3k hours.
Machine functioned great during inspection at former owners location about 5 hours from me.
Got the machine delivered about a week ago very little time for use.
Now to the problem that developed after about 4 hours of use.
Machine works perfectly for the first 2 hours of use, then it quickly loses ground power.
Depressing the decelerator pedal for a few seconds allows it to move but only for a few feet.
If the machine sets and cools for a few hours, all is right with the world until it starts all over again.
Engine seems to load slightly when the tracks slow to a stop.
Same action (or lack thereof) in fwd & rev.
Machine will move at 1/2 full speed, slow to a stop, then slowly increase to 1/2 speed, back to a stop.
No lights or gauges showing any issues.
Anyone have an idea where to start for a fix?

 

[Don k]

Have you checked what codes are stored? They will usually give you an idea of what problems the machine has.

 

[E189552]

As a newbie, how would I retrieve the codes?

 

[Nige]

Serial Number please ...........
Do you have an operator manual for it..?
Here's how to access Diagnostics using nothing more than a small jumper wire.

 

[Don k]

Nige is your friend when it comes to this stuff. He is good.

 

[E189552]

Reply to the last Don k post:
From just a few days of lurking on the forum, I could not agree more.

Nige, here is what shows on data plate:
MODEL #3046
S/N *MHK19838*
Arrangement # 2138544

I do not have the operation & maintenance manual, previous owner said he had one but has not come through as yet.
I do appreciate any and all help and advice.
Problem is worsening, today I could only get about 30 min. of run time before the ground power went south.

 

[Nige]

The Serial Number you quote above is actually the engine, but no matter. The tractor S/N for that engine is BYR01978.

Regarding an O&M Manual, you could download a pdf version of the latest available manual from this Cat web site for $46 - https://catpublications.com/ - when the web site opens select "continue as a guest", put SEBU7801 in the Search box and hit GO.

So what you need to do now is to go to the Harness Code plug and follow the instructions in the document I attached above in Post #4. The connector is located as indicated by item 28 in the sketches below. It will be an 8-pin grey or black rectangular connector with 5 wires of various colours coming into one side of it then a couple of black jumper wires on the other side. According to what I can see it's located close to the hour meter and the Action Lamp.

 

[E189552]

Thanks for the help. I had found the manuals on Cat website, also hoping previous owner comes through.
I’ll try to get codes if it stops raining, may a few days.
If and when I have codes I’ll post.

 

[Nige]

The O&M Manual would be the best $45 you’ve ever spent TBH......

 

[JL Sargent]

This sounds kinda familiar and one explanation might be charge pump related. When you lose ground power, have you checked your transmission fluid at the dip stick? You might have an aeration problem. So air bubbles build up over time and eventually you lose ground power. While the tractor rests, the air escapes and then you are back in business for a while til they build up again.

 

[Don k]

I know what you mean about the rain. We have had a little over 25 inches here in Bandera since the first of Sept.

 

[Don k]

This sounds kinda familiar and one explanation might be charge pump related. When you lose ground power, have you checked your transmission fluid at the dip stick? You might have an aeration problem. So air bubbles build up over time and eventually you lose ground power. While the tractor rests, the air escapes and then you are back in business for a while til they build up again.

It doesn't have a dip stick or an actual transmission it is all hyd. and everything uses the same hyd. oil. It is checked at the back of the dozer in a site gauge where it it filled.

 

[E189552]

Don k, that is a huge amount of rain for you guys!
Here west of Ft. Worth, 2 months ago it was 114* and desert dry, selling the calves and culls, no water in the ponds......
Now 68* as I am typing this, ponds full, cows are fat, life is good again.

I thought there might be the possibility of some kind of air leak, but hyd. tank is full +.
When this happens tank is hot but no foam/froth, oil looks clean.

 

[E189552]

Rain/drizzle stopped for now.

I show a Code 262 - Switch (Deceleration)

 

[Nige]

Based on your symptoms as described this one could be fun...intermiitent Diagnostic Codes can be difficult. My first though is a bad/intermittent electrical connection somewhere. It might be a good idea to first open all the electrical connectors between the joystick and the ECM and give them a good go with electrical contact cleaner and see what that achieves.

You have to run the machine until the fault comes back, which should make the CID 1702 fault (decel switch) active. Then carry out the troubleshooting procedure as per the attachment before it gets chance to disappear. The big problem is that if the fault is not "live" the diagnostic procedure will not work. Here's a copy of the Electrical Schematic also. You may need it to identify wire numbers and locations, also to make a bit more sense of the Troubleshooting Procedure.

 

[E189552]

Performed what I think scrolled through the codes.

With parking brake switch on:
Code 244 - Rocker Switch (Parking Brake)

With parking brake switch off:
Code 256 - Position Sensor (Steering)

 

[Nige]

Did you attempt to clear any of the three Codes you found..?
A Code that is Active cannot be cleared, one that is Logged (meaning it was there once but it's not there now) can be cleared. When each Code is on the screen jumper pins 2&3 of the connector and see if it will erase. Even if you can erase all three Codes that won't be the end of the world. You could then run the machine until it acts up again, go back into the Codes that have been registered since you erased everything and whatever is there now is your problem.

To scroll through the Codes in the Monitor system you need the machine to be in the same condition as it would be immediately before you start the engine. In other words parking brake on, direction control in neutral, and the key switch in the ON position.

TBH based on the symptoms described in your OP (press the decel pedal when the problem occurs and it goes away) it made perfect sense for the 262 Code to be there, the other two not so much which is why I think your next move before proceeding further with troubleshooting should be to erase whatever you can.

 

[E189552]

Latest update:

Cleared all error codes - showing Code 222.
No way to know how long those codes have been stored.

Ran for 2 hrs. no issues other than caution light for intake air heater relay????????
Checked codes again and got only Code 222.

 

[E189552]

I really hate to resurrect this post BUT, the same performance issue is back.
Error code this time is 255 - Position Sensor (Forward/Neutral/Reverse)
Beginning to think sensors under the joystick are causing this.

Any way to determine?
Don't see the sensors as a separate part, so I am assuming the controller under the joystick is my option for replacement.

 

[Nige]

There are in fact four ways that sensor can play up. All four are included in the attachment. The most likely are the first two. Unless someone else has a batter idea you should work you way through all four diagnostic procedures in turn until you find a fault or until the Code goes away,