Is it worth the risk

[Shimmy1]

2005 D6N.

13k hours on the clock. Latest oil sample says elevated particle count, continue to monitor and consider kidney loop to clean up oil.

Machine is having an intermittent trans output speed sensor fault. Techs have determined that it's not external harness, likely sensor or internal harness. Trans has to be pulled to replace either.

$5000 for R/R trans, internal harness, and both senders. Do I pull the trigger and have it done, or let it ride until the senders fail completely? Do you pull and put back in a 13,000 hour transmission?

What a pisser. Why can't these manufacturers design in access for these chicken**** electrical components that are destined to fail after the first start???

 

[Shimmy1]

.

 

[heymccall]

Can't even provide prefix
How can I search if there are only 20 different prefix, albeit, several are mucho newer than 2006.

 

[Shimmy1]

Can't even provide prefix
How can I search if there are only 20 different prefix, albeit, several are mucho newer than 2006.

Not looking to fix anything currently. Looking on opinions on pulling trans, replacing senders, and reinstalling original trans without rebuilding is worth the risk. IF the oil cleans up. No metal or dirt in oil sample, just contamination that suggests clutch material.

 

[92U 3406]

Tough call.

I've only done one D6N transmission but would it actually need to come all the way out to replace the harness/sensors? Don't they just slide out a few feet from the rear housing on sliders?

 

[Shimmy1]

Tough call.

I've only done one D6N transmission but would it actually need to come all the way out to replace the harness/sensors? Don't they just slide out a few feet from the rear housing on sliders?

Well, don't you have to do the same prep work to slide it back as you would to completely separate it from the tractor? I don't know. Cat quoted $5000 to replace the senders and harness. I've usually trusted their numbers, but?

Serial is ALY01509

 

[John C.]

This an oval track machine isn't it?

 

[Shimmy1]

This an oval track machine isn't it?

D6N? Not hardly.

 

[Bobcat Crazy]

In answer to your question about building something to last see below it is all about the Benjamins!

All of the large conglomerate manufactures learned decades ago that if they design their machines/products so they last to long they cannot gets the thousands out of all of us that it takes to repair these machines. Just like refrigerators, light blubs, etc. etc. If you remember way back in the day lights bulbs, fridges, etc would last 20 or 30 years. Now if you get 4 or 5 years out of a fridge you are very lucky.

It is all about the $$$$$$

 

[John C.]

I must be thinking about the D5 then.

I've been told by a good dealer field wrench that the sensors can be changed in about a day by someone who has done them before. They said figure three days or less for someone who is able but never done one before. Especially if there is nothing on the back of the tractor.

 

[Bobcat Crazy]

If I owned a machine like that and I assume you are making a living with it, I think you would be better to do the new or rebuilt trans.

If you were like me just playing around my own land with it then I would go the cheapest way with it. When you are earning your lively hood with it you have to look at it from the long range view and consider down time as being very costly to your business.

Just my opinion, but you know opinions are elbows everyone has at least 2 of them!

 

[Nige]

There is a reason there are two output speed sensors, and it's for cases just like this one. If one sensor fails the transmission will continue happily on its merry way working on the other one. TBH if it was mine I would just carry on running it as it is.
Probably somewhere around 16k the transmission will be coming out for overhaul anyway. Replace the sensors and the internal harness then.

 

[Bobcat Crazy]

There is a reason there are two output speed sensors, and it's for cases just like this one. If one sensor fails the transmission will continue happily on its merry way working on the other one. TBH if it was mine I would just carry on running it as it is.
Probably somewhere around 16k the transmission will be coming out for overhaul anyway. Replace the sensors and the internal harness then.

That was my thoughts exactly though I did not explain it as well as Nige did. I didn't know anything about the double sensors, but what I meant to say was run it as long as it works and then do the full rebuild or replacement. So it looks like judging from Nige's post I was thinking in line with a more experienced H.E. person.

Cool!
B-Crazy

 

[John C.]

Fix before failure is always the most cost effective way to handle components. Bearings and seals are a small cost compared to multiple gears, shafts and possibly case elements. When I worked for the Cat dealer, the sales forces were always trying to push the 12,000 hour drive train rebuilds. The service departments would talk about machines run to 20K hours with the qualifier that there wasn't anything left to rebuild. If you have the time and money to do the overhaul now, why wait and risk a failure in the middle of a season?

 

[Shimmy1]

That's why I'm strongly leaning towards Nige's suggestion to run a clean-up filter for 50 hours, resample, and make the call at that point. I have more snow to move, so if I put another 100 hours on it and the oil doesn't get better, the only path is get the trans rebuilt before spring.

 

[John C.]

I think you are making a reasonable informed decision. Good Luck

 

[JD955SC]

I would not pull it just to do the sensors and harness especially when it comes back out again for rebuild that harness and sensors will get replaced automatically.

 

[Shimmy1]

So, as it goes, I find that the transmission already has a 5 micron filter on it. 225-4118.

I'm going to do a fluid change, run it a few hours to get it good and hot, then dump it again, check magnetic strainer, and put it to work. I'll sample it after I run it for a day, and then again at about 100 hours. I'll post the samples as I get them.

 

[Welder Dave]

Do you know when the oil was last changed and/or sampled or is the machine fairly new to you? I think your plan to follow Nige's suggestion is good. Pushing snow I don't think is as stressful on the transmission as dirt work. 100 hours on new oil if it's operating fine (other than an elavated level in the oil sample) shouldn't cause catastrophic failure.

 

[Nige]

Post photos of whatever you find in the suction screen, both metallic and non-metallic. It might give some clues.